BIG SUR TRAVEL UPDATE.
When the latest massive landslide on Highway 1 took out a quarter mile of road on May 22 and changed the Central Coast landscape yet again, the phone at the Big Sur River Inn started ringing. And ringing. Despite the fact the new slide is more than 40 miles south of the inn and on the other side of the washed-out Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge.
“The huge volume of media attention has greatly overshadowed the fact that great portions of Big Sur are open and ready for business,” said Rick Aldinger, general manager at the inn. “And this slide didn’t change access to anything.”
With the partial reopening last month of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, there is plenty to do and experience on the north side of Big Sur, and the slim silver lining to the landslide is that visitors there will find nearly every business open, lodging prices down, smaller crowds in the parks, and local residents and workers who, according to Aldinger, will be really glad to see you.
Among the popular spots open and accessible are Big Sur Roadhouse, the General Store at Big Sur River Inn, Fernwood Resort (including the bar and grill), Ripplewood Resort (and restaurant) and Big Sur Lodge (including restaurant and general store).
“It’s still a great experience. It’s the typical Big Sur experience; you just can’t continue from here,” Aldinger said May 26. “You still have the magnificent views from Carmel to Big Sur.”
As of last week, according to California State Parks: Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is open for “limited use” and is open on a first-come, first-served basis with a seven-day maximum stay. Garrapata State Park is open west of the highway (the east side has been closed since the Soberanes Fire last year). Point Sur Light Station is open for guided tours, depending on weather and road closings (see www.pointsur.org). Only Andrew Molera State Park remains closed because of flood damage.
Get updated information on Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park at www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id= 570 or at www.facebook.com/PfeifferBigSurSP. For updated road conditions, go to www.dot.ca.gov/cgi-bin/roads.cgi and put “1” in the search field.