Overnight camping on beaches along California’s central coast will be banned due to excessive human waste, officials announced this week.
The California Coastal Commission announced Thursday that overnight camping and campfires will be prohibited at San Calpoforo Beach for the next two years.
Beachgoers walk along the shore as campfires light at San Carpoforo Creek Beach along California Highway 1 near Ragged Point in Big Sur, California, on Saturday, May 1, 2021. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
San Carpoforo, or “San Carpo,” is located off Highway 1 in northern San Luis Obispo County, about a four-hour drive south of San Francisco. This is the only free beach campground in the Big Sur area, a fact that was largely unknown until recently.
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The commission detailed the deteriorating beach quality in a recently made available staff report. The report noted that once word got out that the campground was free, more visitors began frequenting the campsite. The report said the amount of garbage and debris has increased because the U.S. Forest Service lacks resources to monitor the site, and there is a lack of trash cans, toilets and fire extinguishers.
“There are no restrooms on the beach, parking is very limited, there is no potable water, and there are no trash cans or trash collection areas,” the commission wrote in a staff report.
The area is home to many endangered species, such as the Western Plover, which are being negatively affected by the deteriorating coastal conditions.
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While the ban is in effect, the U.S. Forest Service will develop a “reset” plan and explore ways to allow camping in the future. Day use of the beach remains available to visitors.
