Kirk Creek Campground

Great location, clean enviroment. We booked a seaside place and it was amazing. Can't recommend enough!

Kirk Creek is fabulous, yet, we prefer another site just north at Plaskett Creek, which is on the other side of the highway (away from the ocean), but it's sheltered by cypress trees.

The campsites at Placket Creek are gorgeous. There is a beautiful sandy beach below, and trails galore.

Both are great places to camp!

We were here in March. This was our third time staying here and we hope to make it a yearly destination. Completely off grid. Amazing views. Listening to the waves. It’s the reset we all need sometimes.
Some of the sites aren’t very level or you have to come in at an odd angle but they are all very well maintained. The hosts were some of the hardest working we’ve ever seen. You can buy a gallon of water for $5 and wood for $12. Nothing else is available so stock up before you arrive.
There is a nice path down to the water but watch out for the poison oak. There is also a trail across the street for a hike to some amazing views.
We had reservations for 2 nights but we were able to stay a couple of extra days by moving to unreserved spots each day.

We have been coming here since 1998 and it has always been one of our favorites. It used to be all First Come First Serve which was nice but since it was on the cover of Sunset Magazine as one of the 10 Best Campgrounds more people know about it and it's gone to advance reservation.
If you can't get a reservation here when you want it, try Plaskett Creek which is 5.5 miles south of Kirk Creek on Hwy 1. It is very nice and has access to Sand Dollar Beach which is close to 1/4 mile long.
To the reviewer who gave Kirk Creek one star and didn't like the fact that they couldn't have a fire and had only raw meat etc., to eat. Who goes camping without a camp stove?
There is a reason for no fires and a permit is required for propane appliances which is attainable close by from the Forest Service.

The site I signed up for was extremely out-of-level, which is a problem for RVs with refrigerators that run off of propane. They have to be level within a few degrees or they won't cool. I used all of my leveling blocks and still I wasn't level within the tolerance of the refrigerator. So, when someone left a different site, I asked if I could move over there, and the host said okay. It was better but still had to use my blocks. Be prepared.

I've had my eye on visiting Kirk Creek for over a year, but it is usually booked solid for six months out. Just by chance I checked their reservations website and a single night had opened up during my son's spring break so I jumped on it. Although we live in the Bay Area, I was willing to make the three hour drive to see if the real thing was as amazing as the photos I've seen online. All I can say is EPIC. The drive down HWY 1 was absolutely beautiful as it always is and the campground was completely amazing! Right on a cliff so you can hear waves crashing all day and night, our site even had a private path to a little area to sit and watch the sunset! The sites all looked about the same size, a larger tent would probably be a struggle to fit. (By larger I mean the 11-15 people tents). There were a a few spots that had a much larger tent area but they were a bit further away from the cliff and closer to HWY 1. There were little bunnies everywhere and not too many insects. A nice coastal breeze, hiking trails... it was just amazing. Completely understand why it's always booked up! Camp host was very friendly. They had plenty of wood for sale, $12/bundle, $5 for kindling only. The vault toilets were very clean and well stocked with toilet paper. Completely wonderful and enjoyable experience!

Kirk Creek is the kind of campground you picture when you buy your rig. A beautiful site on a cliff over the ocean with stunning views of the rugged Big Sur coastline.

The sounds of the waves crashing are amazing and drowns out almost all the noise of other campers.

We made a big deal about getting a site directly on the ocean, but almost every site here is positioned to have an incredible view of the coastline.

The location can be a bit isolating, it’s 30 miles to the main stretch in Big Sur. There is a dog friendly trailhead right across the road and Sand Dollar Beach day use area is about 10 minutes south.

In April 2019 We found the trail from the campground to the “beach” to be overgrown and not worth the trek. You end up on a pile of rocks and there was no actual beach.

The National Forest Service outsources management and maintenance of the campground to the generically named “Parks Management Company.” The team was constantly out and about in the campground, super friendly, and on top of everything. It was a nice change from the camp hosts that hide in their trailer all day.

The firewood was the most expensive we’ve seen at $12 a bundle, but it was dry and burned great.

Few things are better than camping on a cliff between PCH and the ocean. We've stayed here twice and both times have been amazing. Reservations are hard to get, unless you're online at exactly the right minute 6 months in advance. But if you snag a spot, you won't regret the effort.

Every site has ocean views, but we prefer the ones on the ocean-side of the loop (those inside the loop are too exposed for our liking). Site #7 has a beautiful tree that provides nice shade on sunny days, and #9 is spacious and very private. Be aware of the wildlife -- raccoons and bunnies are everywhere and they WILL get into your coolers if not attended.

There’s a path to the beach down below the campground. It’s engulfed with poison oak. I thought I was being careful and I’m covered head to toe in rashes and blisters so I am just hoping other to have to go through this like we did. Campground is beautiful. Hosts were kind and helpful. Other than the poison oak and losing our drone to the brush it was a nice stay.

Probably my all time favorite campsite was at Kirk Creek Campground and that says A LOT being full timers since Dec 2021 from Florida in our 27” Airstream. This place was a dream! The views were straight out of a travel magazine, the Sunsets could be caught at your campsite or a short hike down below at the rocky beach. We enjoyed both! With no cell service, we took in the views, enjoyed our neighbors (hidden by the brush) and disconnected, I highly recommend it. I wanted to be here for my birthday and it happened l, we didn’t book 6 mths in advance…we booked just a few days ahead. Keep searching and be flexible and it will happen. This campground is a Bucketlist MUST! No showers, clean vault toilets and there’s the avoidable poison oak in the westcoast but all that can be glazed over when you experience the unforgettable Pacific Ocean views. I also took video and shared on our arrowstreamlife Instagram because knowing which spot is golden, is key and we absolutely loved site 13!

(Camp host has nothing to do with bookings BUT keep in mind, from my search, there seems to be 2 sites that are available, on a first come basis, arrive prior to 2pm;) but these go fast!