Big Sur Plus
The drive up and down CA 1 this weekend included activities in Redwood City, San Jose and at the Cafe Kehvah in Big Sur (recommended by all). The marine layer was ever-present on the coastal tour. On the Sunday trip South, I took a left on the Fergusson-Nacimiento Road which is spectacular but dangerous...caution on every turn. Climbing the Santa Lucia range put me above the marine layer.
Background: Nacimiento-Fergusson Road is 24.2 miles long. It’s located in Los Padres National Forest and links Fort Hunter Liggett and California Highway. The drive is definitely worth it. There are many excellent photo opportunities here. Don’t forget your camera due to the premier ocean views and forest setting. Spectacular road all the way. The last part of the road has more than 100 turns. The road is occasionally closed for brief periods during tank, artillery, and other firing exercises. Though Nacimiento-Fergusson Road is quiet and mostly unused, you might still encounter cars. On the ascent, take note of potential blind corners. The surface is asphalted. It’s pretty narrow and unprotected by guardrails. The road is well-paved and maintained over its length, but is winding and has precipitous drops at almost every turn. The eastern slope is heavily forested allowing few vistas. The road is steep. It reaches its summit (2,780 feet) seven miles from Highway 1. The road is winding, in some places only wide enough for one vehicle, and in many places bordered by a drop of hundreds of meters (many hundreds of feet) unprotected by guardrails.






