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Big Sur Trail+Road Closures

Extended Extended Extended National Forest Closure Order
now ends July 18,2025
(began Jan. 2023)
Extended Nacimiento-Fergusson Road Closure
now ends Aug. 31, 2024
(began Aug. 2020)
Most USFS trails open.
Most USFS roads
closed to vehicles.
USFS statement on road closures
Flash flood and debris flow warning for 2020/21 burn areas effective Saturday   More info
Sunday Route 1 closure
Apr. 30 4am-1pm
south of Carmel for Big Sur Marathon


 CLOSURE  SUMMARY

From daily monitoring of 18 USFS, State Park, County webpages.
Subject to my errors, check "OFFICIAL INFO" to confirm.
Short-term closures, e.g. due to storms, may not be known.


State Park Closures
North→South

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Long-term
Public (non-gated) Roads
Officially "Closed to Vehicles"
North→South

 Palo Colorado Road 
Gated to vehicles by Monterey County closure beyond "The Hoist" 
(since Jul.2016, following Soberanes fire)
 Nacimiento-Fergusson Road
Closed to all by USFS closure between Route 1 and Nacimiento Campground 
(since Aug.2020, following Dolan fire and subsequent erosion)
 South Coast Ridge Road & adjacent roads
Cone Peak Rd, Alms Ridge Rd, Prewitt Ridge Rd, San Martin Rd, Prisoner Flat Rd, lower Los Burros Rd
Closed to all by USFS closure 
(since Aug.2020, following Dolan fire and subsequent erosion)
 Lower Plaskett Ridge Road
Closed to vehicles by USFS closure 
(since Aug.2020, following Dolan fire and subsequent erosion)



USFS National Forest Closures

Long-term Closure Order (ends Sep.2024)
Short-term Closure Order (ends Feb.2024)
USFS statement on road closures

USFS Trail Closures 

USFS Road Closures 

USFS Day Use Area Closures 
(managed by Parks Management)

USFS Campground Closures 
(managed by Parks Management)



Dolan Wildfire Post-Fire Closures

All post-fire closures shown are still in effect.
Any later, non-Dolan, closures are not shown here.

Many trails burnt by 2020 Dolan wildfire
[see burn area overlay on interactive map]
Feb.2023 update
Much burned hot and barren, now partial vegetation recovery but effects remain - and recent rains have badly eroded the unstable soil in places.  Many trails have had no trailwork since burn or rains.  Lack of post-fire trail reports in many burn area makes Trail Conditions Map unreliable in spots, check individual trail reports for details. 

Post-fire USFS Closures
 Nacimiento-Fergusson Road 
Gated to vehicles between Route 1 and Nacimiento Campground
 South Coast Ridge Road 
Gated between Nacimiento-Fergusson Road and Prewitt Ridge Road
 Chalk Peak Campground 
Closed
 Cone Peak Road 
Gated
 ArroyoSeco-Indians Road 
Gated to Esondido Camp
 Official USFS closure links 
USFS Closure Order
USFS Closure Map
Closure order valid through April 29, 2023

Post-fire State Park Closures
 Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park 
Canyon Falls and Ewoldsen Loop trails closed
 Limekiln State Park 
All trails closed
 Official State Park closure links 
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park Closures
Limekiln State Park Closures


Willow Wildfire Post-fire Closure Info

Marble Peak Trail closed between Horse Pasture Trail and South Fork Trail
Camp closures along section:  Tassajara Creek Camp and Willow Springs Camp
Official closure links:
Extended USFS Closure Order
USFS Closure Map
Closure order expires April 30, 2022


Full Closure of Los Padres National Forest

Entire USFS National Forest is closed to public
All property, trails, roads, camps, campgrounds, day use area, etc.,etc.
(Closure applies to essentially all National Forests in California)
USFS Closure Order
Closure order expiry extended - now through September 22, 2021
(Original closure order expiry final day was September 17, 2021)



LISTING
Public (non-gated) Roads
Officially "Closed to Vehicles"

Due to lack/unreliability of on‑line info:
Del Venturi Road ford closures not shown 
Sycamore Road (Pfeiffer Beach) status unreliable


Below last updated:  Oct 3, 2024
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LISTING
Trails, Roads, Camps, ...
Officially "Closed to Hikers"

Below last updated:  Oct 3, 2024
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OFFICIAL  INFO



Road Closures

 CalTrans 
For closures on Route 1
Close Rte.1 Big Sur closure in effect  
 (map  info)  (IS shown on trailmap)
Phone: 1-800-427-7623
(updated on each display click)
(click closure iconsstriped barrierfor details)
 Monterey County 
Frequent (Old) Coast Rd
closures during rainy season

BUREAUCRATIC
HALL OF SHAME
Monterey County
Palo Colorado Road Closure
2,995 days and counting
(gated at "The Hoist")

 Sycamore Canyon Road 
(Pfeiffer Beach USFS Day Use Area)
For ford & Day Use Area closures,
but during rainy season
often says open when closed,
often differs from USFS info
Frequent Sycamore Cyn Rd ford
closures after heavy rains


 Fort Hunter-Liggett 
For ford closures on Del Venturi Rd
Frequent Del Venturi Rd ford
closures after heavy rains

Phone: 831-386-2513



USFS & State Park Closures


Phone: 831-385-5434

USFS Campgrounds
USFS Day Use Areas
Closure webpage no longer provided
by Parks Management