The southern reaches of the Big Sur coast are drier and more rugged, offering bigger vistas but fewer stopping places than the northern half. The road winds along the cliffs, slowing down every 10 miles or so for each of three gas station/café/motel complexes, which pass for towns on the otherwise uninhabited coast. The first of these, 25 miles south of Big Sur village, is Lucia, which has a very good restaurant and lantern-lit cabins. High on a hill just south of Lucia, marked by a slender black cross, is the Benedictine New Camaldoli Hermitage, open to interested outsiders as a silent retreat. For details, phone 831/667-2456.
Five miles south of Lucia, the narrow Nacimiento Road makes an unforgettable climb up from Hwy-1 over the coastal mountains. Though ravaged in places by recent wild fires, it’s a beautiful drive, winding through hillside chapparel and dense oak groves before ending up near King City in the Salinas Valley. One real highlight here is Mission San Antonio de Padua (daily 8 am–5 pm; 831/385-4478), a well preserved church and monastery that is still in use by a Catholic religious community. Because the road passes through sections of Fort Hunter-Liggett Army Base, you may need to show valid car registration and proof of insurance.
Near the foot of the Nacimiento road are two of the most accessible oceanside campsites in Big Sur: Plaskett Creek and Kirk Creek, operated by the U.S. Forest Service (831/667-2423).
Continuing south, Hwy-1 runs through Pacific Valley, the hills above which are a popular hang-gliding spot, then passes by a number of small but pretty beaches and coves before reaching Gorda, the southernmost stop on the Big Sur coast. Beyond here, a series of small state parks lines the highway, but the next services are 25 miles farther south in San Simeon, at the entrance to Hearst Castle.
