After a critical section of Highway 1 reopened in early 2026 following a three-year closure making Big Sur accessible to travelers anew, the coastal hideaway is once again off-limits to visitors.
Two wildfires burning along the Central Coast have closed off a roughly 56-mile stretch of Highway 1, along with several of Big Sur’s best-known state parks. The closure means it is not currently possible to drive the coast between Carmel (north of Big Sur) and Cambria (just south of Big Sur), and officials are asking visitors to avoid the affected area while firefighting and evacuation operations continue.
Together, the Timber and Plaskett fires have burned more than 52,000 acres. As of September 1, the Timber Fire was 22 percent contained, while the newer Plaskett Fire—after nearly doubling in size in about a day—was just 1 percent contained. There is no estimated date for when Highway 1 will reopen for visitor traffic.
Here’s what travelers with upcoming Central Coast trips need to know.
Which Big Sur parks and campgrounds are closed?
Several of Big Sur’s most popular stops are currently off-limits. California State Parks has closed Point Sur State Historic Park, Andrew Molera State Park, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, and Limekiln State Park until further notice, along with campgrounds within the affected parks.
Travelers with impacted California State Parks reservations made through ReserveCalifornia don’t need to do anything to cancel them. Refunds for nights affected by a park closure are being initiated automatically, although the state advises allowing at least 30 days for processing.
Parts of Los Padres National Forest are also under an emergency closure. Travelers with reservations at federal campgrounds such as Kirk Creek or Plaskett Creek should check Recreation.gov and with Los Padres National Forest directly, since those bookings are handled separately from the state park system.
Can you still visit Monterey, Carmel, or Cambria?
The Highway 1 closure does not cut off Monterey, Carmel-by-the-Sea, or Cambria, but travelers should be cautious about visiting these nearby destinations.
Monterey and Carmel, coastal getaways just north of Big Sur, are accessible from the north and via inland routes. Highway 1 is also open south of Carmel as far as the current closure at mile marker 56, just south of the Little Sur River. But officials are asking that visitors avoid unnecessary travel toward the fire area, where Highway 1 is being used for firefighting and evacuation operations.
Cambria, an oceanside city south of Big Sur, is also accessible from the south and via inland roads, but the Plaskett Fire has prompted evacuation warnings in northern San Luis Obispo County, the county that encompasses Cambria as well. Travelers headed anywhere near the northern county line should check current evacuation maps (you can download the Watch Duty app for up-to-date fire information) and road conditions before setting out.
Most importantly, travelers should not interpret an open road or a destination outside an evacuation zone as a guarantee that conditions will stay that way. The fires remain active, evacuation boundaries and road closures have shifted repeatedly, and officials managing the Plaskett Fire have warned of the potential for sudden changes in fire behavior.
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, one of the most popular attractions in Big Sur, is among the state parks that are closed due to wildfires.
Photo by Parker Coffman/Unsplash
For anyone intending to primarily visit Big Sur, postponing is the prudent option for now. Travelers with plans elsewhere on the Central Coast should monitor conditions closely and be prepared to change course if warnings, closures, or fire activity change or expand.
How to reroute a Highway 1 road trip
Travelers driving between the Monterey Peninsula and the southern Central Coast will need to head inland to get around Big Sur. The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is explicitly requesting that motorists do so, saying, “Avoid any unnecessary travel through the area. Drivers should use US 101 as an alternate route.”
For southbound travelers, the most straightforward route is to take Highway 68 from Monterey toward Salinas, then U.S. 101 south to Paso Robles, followed by Highway 46 west to Cambria, where you can reconnect with Highway 1. Northbound travelers can follow the same route in reverse. See Monterey, the county’s tourism organization, is similarly encouraging visitors to “use an alternate route via Highway 101 and avoid Highway 1.” The organization’s How 2 HWY 1 webpage also offers information about getting around the closure.
If Big Sur was one stop on a longer California coast itinerary, that means the closure doesn’t necessarily derail the entire trip. Travelers can spend time around Monterey and Carmel, make the inland detour, then return to the coast around Cambria, San Simeon, and Morro Bay.
What travelers should not do is look for a back-road shortcut through the Santa Lucia Mountains. Large portions of the Monterey Ranger District are closed, and fire officials have told residents and visitors to “avoid travel in operational zones” while crews work in the area.
Where to find the latest information
With fire conditions, evacuation zones, and road closures constantly changing (the Plaskett Fire alone grew from roughly 15,500 acres on August 31 to more than 27,000 acres by the following morning), travelers should check several official sources before heading to the Central Coast.
For the most current Highway 1 closure points and road conditions, use Caltrans QuickMap. For the latest on the Timber and Plaskett fires, including acreage, containment, and evacuation information, check the individual incident pages on CAL FIRE and/or download the Watch Duty app.
Travelers headed toward Monterey County should also check Ready Monterey County for evacuation orders and warnings; those approaching Cambria or northern San Luis Obispo County should check ReadySLO. For state park and campground closures, consult California State Parks, while Los Padres National Forest posts updates on federal campgrounds, trails, roads, and forest closures.
Because conditions can change within hours, don’t rely on an itinerary or map route saved earlier in the week. Check road and evacuation information immediately before setting out, and if your destination falls within or near an evacuation zone, postpone the trip.
