In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
From the coast redwoods of the Santa Cruz Mountains via Monterey Bay to the rock towers of the Salinas Valley: short stages, plenty of fog, plenty of sun.
The spirit of the route
Between San Francisco and Big Sur lies a coast that plays with fog and contrasts. Beyond Santa Cruz the roads climb into the redwoods, where the air smells of resin and damp fern and the light falls green through the treetops. Down in Monterey Bay, sea otters bob in the kelp, seals lie on the rocks of Pacific Grove, and the cypresses of Carmel lean in the wind. Inland everything turns dry and wide: in the Salinas Valley, lettuce and artichokes grow in rows to the horizon, and at the end lie the Pinnacles, towers of volcanic rock circled by California condors. The route rewards short stages, a jumper in summer and advance planning: the coastal parks fill up quickly, wild camping is practically nowhere permitted, and since the fires of 2020, access roads and opening times in the Santa Cruz Mountains keep changing.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Santa Cruz to Big Basin and Felton (approx. 60 km)
- The drive
- From Santa Cruz take CA-9 north through Felton into the Santa Cruz Mountains: tight bends, shade under redwoods, 25–45 mph; continue on CA-236 to Big Basin (narrow and winding, unsuitable for long vehicles; check access and vehicle limits at parks.ca.gov). Pure driving time about 1 hour 15 minutes. Fuel up in Santa Cruz or Felton.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park and Roaring Camp: redwoods along the San Lorenzo River; the Redwood Grove Loop (about 1.6 km) is an easy walk; the narrow-gauge train at Roaring Camp runs through the forest (check the timetable).
- Big Basin Redwoods State Park: California’s oldest state park, hit hard by the CZU Lightning Complex fire in 2020 and partly reopened since 2021; check visitor rules, parking reservations and shuttle at parks.ca.gov.
- Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk and Wilder Ranch: amusement park on the seafront promenade, and Wilder Ranch State Park with a coastal trail; parking for motorhomes is limited.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park Campground: pitches under redwoods, with water and showers, no hook-ups and no dump station; check vehicle lengths on ReserveCalifornia, booking up to six months ahead recommended. There is no motorhome campground in Big Basin itself since the fires; for now only a temporary walk-in and bike campground in the Rancho del Oso section on the coast (check parks.ca.gov). The campground at Seacliff State Beach near Aptos has been closed since the storm damage of January 2023; New Brighton State Beach near Capitola is the alternative (check status and vehicle lengths on ReserveCalifornia).
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In Santa Cruz County, sleeping in your vehicle on streets, beach car parks and viewpoints is prohibited practically everywhere; checks and fines are common. Dispersed camping is not usual in the Santa Cruz Mountains; the nearest legal alternatives lie further inland in Los Padres National Forest.
- Insider tip for campers
- CA-9 is narrow and slippery when wet; large campers use it only as far as Felton and leave Big Basin as a day trip in a smaller vehicle. If you want redwoods close to town, head for Henry Cowell or Felton. Parking in Santa Cruz is scarce: the car park at the Boardwalk has height limits.
2Stage 2: Santa Cruz to Monterey (approx. 70 km)
- The drive
- From Santa Cruz take CA-1 south via Capitola and Aptos, through Watsonville, then past Moss Landing into Monterey Bay and on to Monterey: a flat road between strawberry and artichoke fields and dunes, 55–65 mph. Pure driving time about 1 hour 15 minutes, half a day to a full day with stops. Fuel up in Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Marina or Monterey.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve near Moss Landing: salt marsh with sea otters, harbour seals and birds; visitor centre and trails, kayak tours from Moss Landing.
- Moss Landing: fishing harbour with sea lions and sea otters, antiques shops and restaurants; the power-station chimneys are the local landmark.
- Monterey Bay Aquarium and Cannery Row: large marine aquarium with a kelp forest tank and sea otters; car parks have height limits, so it is better to park further out and take the MST bus or walk.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Veterans Memorial Park Campground (City of Monterey): pitches in pine forest above the town, no hook-ups, for small vehicles only (length about 21 ft or 6.4 m), not bookable (first come, first served) and limited to a few nights; check status at monterey.gov. Laguna Seca Recreation Area (Monterey County Parks) by the race track: pitches with and without hook-ups, dump station, views over the bay; book through Monterey County Parks. Sunset State Beach near Watsonville has pitches on the dunes (check vehicle lengths on ReserveCalifornia).
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In Monterey too, sleeping in your vehicle on streets and beach car parks is prohibited, and on many streets large vehicles are restricted even during the day. Legal alternatives are designated campgrounds and private RV parks; there is no free wild-camping option on the coast.
- Insider tip for campers
- Book the aquarium early at weekends; parking at Cannery Row is expensive. Refuelling and shopping in Seaside or Marina is usually easier than in downtown Monterey. If you plan to go whale watching: boats leave from Moss Landing and Monterey, with the season roughly December to April (grey whales) and humpback whales in summer.
3Stage 3: Monterey to Carmel and Salinas (approx. 65 km)
- The drive
- From Monterey via Pacific Grove and the 17-Mile Drive (entry fee, motorhomes restricted, check the rules beforehand) to Carmel; then on CA-68 through the Corral de Tierra hills to Salinas: coastal fog, then dry oak hills. 45–65 mph, a few bends. Pure driving time about one hour. Fuel up in Monterey, Carmel or Salinas.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Point Pinos Lighthouse in Pacific Grove: the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the West Coast (1855); deer and sea otters on the rocks in front, a golf course next door.
- Carmel Mission (Mission San Carlos Borromeo del Río Carmelo) and Point Lobos State Natural Reserve: cypresses and sea otters; vehicles over 21 ft (6.4 m) may not park at Point Lobos, so leave motorhomes on the highway or in Carmel; dogs are not allowed.
- National Steinbeck Center in Salinas: museum about John Steinbeck and the Salinas Valley; check opening times beforehand.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Laguna Seca Recreation Area is a good base for Carmel and Salinas, because CA-68 leads straight to the coast and into the valley. In Salinas there are private RV parks with hook-ups; check beforehand for long vehicles. Pfeiffer Big Sur is not reliably open because of fire damage (check status), and Point Lobos has no campground.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In Los Padres National Forest (Monterey Ranger District), dispersed camping on forest roads is generally permitted, but is currently heavily restricted because of the fire order (extended to 31 January 2027): gas and petrol stoves only with a California Campfire Permit, campfires only at designated spots. Access roads are often narrow and unsuitable for large campers.
- Insider tip for campers
- Get to Point Lobos early: the car park fills quickly, and without a space the park is inaccessible to campers. The 17-Mile Drive charges an entry fee; if you arrive in a motorhome, check the current vehicle rules beforehand. Fill up with water and fuel in Salinas before heading towards the Pinnacles.
4Stage 4: Salinas to Pinnacles National Park (approx. 130 km)
- The drive
- From Salinas take US-101 south through the Salinas Valley via Soledad, Greenfield and King City, then CA-25 north to the east entrance of Pinnacles National Park (CA-146 East): fields, later dry hills with oaks, and a winding road at the end. 55–65 mph on the highway, 25–45 mph on the park access road. Pure driving time about 2 hours 15 minutes. The park road does not connect the east and west sides continuously; check vehicle rules and access restrictions at nps.gov. Fuel up in Salinas or King City.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Mission Nuestra Señora de la Soledad: small mission ruin near Soledad; parking in the town, a short visit.
- Pinnacles National Park (east side): rock towers of volcanic stone; High Peaks Trail and Bear Gulch Cave Trail (cave closed at times, check status); California condors are often seen.
- Salinas Valley wine towns: Gonzales and Greenfield have small wineries along CA-101 and CA-146; a good chance to buy wine and vegetables from roadside stands.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Pinnacles Campground (east side) in the national park: pitches under oaks, some with electricity (30 A), plus water, toilets, showers and a dump station; book through Recreation.gov and check vehicle lengths on the booking page. Alternatives: Fremont Peak State Park above San Juan Bautista (small site with views, unsuitable for long vehicles) and private RV parks in King City and Hollister.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Inside the park, only on campgrounds. Dispersed camping is possible in Los Padres National Forest and on BLM land (Hollister Field Office), but observe fire orders and access conditions. Because of the intense summer heat (over 35 °C), a pitch with shade and water is usually the better choice.
- Insider tip for campers
- Pinnacles is very hot in summer; plan hikes for the early morning or for spring and autumn. Store food securely at night, as there are raccoons and rats. The west side can only be reached via CA-146 West from Soledad; the east side is the only sensible choice for campers.
5Stage 5: Pinnacles to Hollister and back to the Bay Area (approx. 60 km)
- The drive
- From the east entrance take CA-25 north via Paicines to Hollister: a winding but well-built road through pasture and hill country, 55–65 mph. Pure driving time about 1 hour 15 minutes. You can continue via CA-156 and US-101 north towards San José/San Francisco. Fuel up in Hollister.
- Highlights & must-sees
- San Andreas Fault Visitor Center near Hollister: visitor centre about the fault (opens depending on season); its proximity to Pinnacles explains how the rock towers formed.
- Mission San Juan Bautista: well-preserved mission church on the edge of the old town, with room for short walks.
- Fremont Peak State Park: views over Monterey Bay and the Salinas Valley; short access road with many bends, for small vehicles only.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Hollister and San Juan Bautista there are private RV parks with hook-ups. On the way back towards San Francisco, state parks such as Half Moon Bay offer pitches, but they are booked up early in summer.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Around Hollister there is little public land with free camping; check the maps of the BLM Hollister Field Office and the access rules. Dispersed camping on the coast is legal nowhere.
- Insider tip for campers
- The drive towards San Francisco should not fall in the rush hour on US-101; start early. If you are returning a rental motorhome: empty the tanks and fill up with fresh water at a dump station before handing it back, and ask the rental company about its conditions beforehand.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- Overnighting outside designated campgrounds is practically everywhere prohibited on the California coast and in the cities of Santa Cruz and Monterey; car parks, streets and viewpoints are checked at night, and fines are often in the three-figure range.
- Dispersed camping is legal on most National Forest and BLM land (usually up to 14 days), but not near the coast. In Los Padres National Forest a fire order applies until 31 January 2027 (campfires only at designated spots, gas and petrol stoves only with a California Campfire Permit, penalties up to 5,000 USD); parts of the forest may also be closed.
- Supermarket car parks mostly no longer allow overnighting; ask, otherwise take no risks. Caltrans rest areas allow parking only for a limited time, not camping.
- Wildlife: never crowd sea otters and seals (keep about 50 yards/45 m away, feeding is prohibited); in the Pinnacles and in the forest, store food securely in your vehicle at night. Do not feed or lure California condors; rattlesnakes in the dry hills.
- Apps and sites: iOverlander, Campendium, The Dyrt, ReserveCalifornia (state parks, up to six months ahead), Recreation.gov (Pinnacles, National Forest), Monterey County Parks. Road conditions: Caltrans QuickMap or 1-800-427-7623.
- If you are checked at night, stay friendly, leave the spot, and do not argue over interpretation. Fines on rental motorhomes usually end up with the rental company and are passed on with a fee.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Dump stations: in state parks such as Sunset and New Brighton (check status), at Laguna Seca, in Pinnacles (according to the NPS) and in private RV parks; dumps at petrol stations usually charge a fee. sanidumps.com lists locations.
- Tap water in California is drinkable; state parks have fresh-water stations. Filter or boil water from streams and springs in the forest.
- Propane at petrol stations, U-Haul stations and dealers (Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Salinas, Monterey). European gas bottles need adapters and are mostly not refilled; rental motorhomes have fixed US tanks.
- Fuel: petrol stations in Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Monterey, Salinas, Soledad and King City; cheaper in the Salinas Valley than on the coast. There are none near Pinnacles and Big Basin.
- Shopping: supermarkets in Santa Cruz, Monterey, Carmel, Salinas and Hollister; farmers’ markets with artichokes, strawberries and lettuce in the Salinas Valley.
- Electricity: pitches with hook-ups usually offer 30 A (120 V), sometimes 50 A too, for example at Pinnacles (30 A) and Laguna Seca; generators are allowed in state parks only at set times.
- Laundry and rubbish: coin laundries in Santa Cruz, Monterey, Salinas and Hollister; on campgrounds, rubbish and recycling go in containers, some of them wildlife-proof.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Speed limits in mph: motorways up to 65 (70 where signed), two-lane highways without a sign 55, in towns 25–35. With a trailer the limit is 55 mph under CVC 22406; slow vehicles must pull over under CVC 21656 when five or more vehicles are following.
- Dimensions and lengths: many state-park pitches are limited to 27–40 ft (8–12 m), for example Henry Cowell and Sunset; check length details when booking. Point Lobos excludes vehicles over 21 ft (6.4 m). Legal maximum height 14 ft (4.27 m); multi-storey car parks are often only 2 m high.
- Parks and entry fees: day-use fees in state parks are mostly 10 USD per vehicle (Point Lobos and Big Basin similar); the America the Beautiful Pass is valid for Pinnacles (NPS), not in state parks. Higher fees may apply in national parks for visitors without US residence; check current amounts at nps.gov.
- Reservations: state parks up to six months in advance via ReserveCalifornia (rolling), Pinnacles and the Forest Service via Recreation.gov. Being flexible with dates pays off, as pitches become free at short notice.
- Weather and season: marine layer and fog push summer temperatures on the coast down to 14–18 °C, while in the Salinas Valley and Pinnacles they exceed 35 °C. The best time is September to November; wildfire season July to November, landslides and closures after rain from December to March.
- Traffic law: right turn on red after a full stop, except where prohibited; at all-way stop junctions, order of arrival applies; mobile phones hands-free only, open alcohol containers prohibited. A German driving licence is enough, though an international one is often recommended; child-seat and seat-belt rules apply in motorhomes too.
- Emergencies: 911; mobile coverage is patchy in the Santa Cruz Mountains and in Pinnacles. Never underestimate sneaker waves on the coast, and never stand on the beach with your back to the sea. Poison oak, ticks and rattlesnakes in the hills.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- Warm layers and a windproof jacket: 14–18 °C on the coast in summer, colder at night; in Pinnacles it is hot, so bring sun protection and a hat as well.
- Levelling ramps, level 2–3: pitches under redwoods and in the dunes are often sloping, the ground soft.
- Binoculars for sea otters, seals, whales and California condors; a tide app for tide pools and beach walks.
- Water canister (20 l) and filter for pitches without water and long stretches in the Salinas Valley.
- Offline maps and a paper map: mobile signal drops out in the Santa Cruz Mountains and in the Pinnacles; print out your reservations.
- Small change and 1-dollar bills for coin showers and dump stations; a copy of your reservations for checks.
As of 2026-09. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
