Garrapata State Park
Big Sur, CA
Garrapata State Park stretches four miles along the northern Big Sur coast, with Soberanes Point's trails and the sandy stretch of Garrapata Beach both reached from pullouts directly off Highway 1. Facilities are genuinely limited here, no campfires and little else beyond the trailheads themselves, which keeps the crowd thinner than the more developed parks further south.
Four genuinely undeveloped miles of coast with real trail variety between Soberanes Point and the beach, though the lack of a single clear entrance means some hunting for the right pullout.
How we score beachesWatch for unmarked pullouts along Highway 1 rather than a single main entrance, this park's access points aren't as obvious as the more developed Big Sur parks.
Free parking is available at pullouts along Highway 1.
Blufftop trails and paths lead from the highway pullouts down to the beach and Soberanes Point.
Leashed dogs are allowed on the beach reached through the park's southern access gates and on the trails leading to it, but are prohibited on the rest of the park's trails, including Soberanes Point and the redwood canyon.
Fog is common most mornings year round, typical of the Big Sur coast.
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