Bottchers Gap Campground
Description
Come take a view into the Ventana Wilderness from Botcher’s Gap Campground. The first-come first served sites are pleasant, rustic, and close to Big Sur. On the adventurous drive up on Palo Colorado Road you will pass beautiful redwoods and mountain views. Once you get to the campground kick back with a beer in hand or head out on the trail. Either way it’s time to zen out Big Sur style!
Activities
Offered near the campground.
Biking
Ride along the beautiful Santa Barbara coast, the central Monterey coast, or anywhere you want in this huge forest. The recomme...Read more
Fishing
You can fish in the rivers and streams located throughout the forest, and fish in the ocean on the Monterey coast at Sand Dolla...Read more
Hiking
Up by Big Sur, the Ventana wilderness is a popular hiking destination, with 260 miles of hiking trails, making it a unique exp...Read more
Horseback riding
The Saint Lucia Mountains have been taken by horseback many a’ times, and the time you visit should be no exception. To truly f...Read more
Paddling
Lake Cachuma in the Santa Barbara region offers some of the best kayak fishing, especially with its location admist the mountai...Read more
Swimming
You can’t go wrong at Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur, but it’s no match for the Seven Falls in Santa Barbara. This hike might not be...Read more
Wildlife watching
Whether you are an avid birdwatcher (California Condor...check), or just enjoy seeing what the wilderness has to offer, Los Pad...Read more
Terrain
Natural features you'll find at Bottchers Gap Campground.
7 Reviews
Permanently closed according to Google Maps.
I've never camped at Bottcher's Gap, but it has often been my trailhead for trips deeper into Ventana Wilderness. Larry, the camp manager, is a really nice guy and always has the inside scoop on trail conditions. This is an excellent trailhead for wilderness camping, and the campground also seems very nice. Lots of nice day hikes accessible, including a 4 mile hike to Devil's Peak, which is a great lunch spot. Be on the lookout for poison oak, ticks, and rattlesnakes on the trails.
My boyfriend and I camped here during Valentine's Day weekend with our dogs (a Great Dane and Chihuahua). We came around noon and were the first to get a spot. We liked it! However, if you want a lot of privacy, I wouldn't recommend this campsite, as the campsites are very close to each other. The host was pretty cool - the only thing we had a problem with was both of our dogs got a lot of bites on their stomachs and the inside of their legs. When we asked the camp host about what it could be, he claimed that they were hot spots, that our dogs MUST HAVE done it by themselves, and "nothing here would have bitten them". I called BS. According to our vet, they were fly bites. We were never upset about the bites, just by the attitude.
This place is awesome for getting an early start on a Big Sur weekend when driving from the bay area! We were able to grab a site last minute on a Friday night in August. The camp host was a great guy, too.
- Park
- Los Padres National Forest
- State
- California
- Country
- United States
- Phone Number
- (805) 968-6640
- Directions
- View on Google Maps
- Official Website
- View Website
- Coordinates
- 36.354° N, 121.814° W
- $15/night
- Tent / RV / Trailer: 11 Sites (Up to people per site)