No detected openings were recorded in the last 90 days. Campsite Sniper monitors Ponderosa Campground continuously and will alert you if that changes.
Of the 748 tracked site-nights (Jan 1 – May 3, 2027): 51 open for online reservation · 15 on sites not offered for online reservation (first-come, first-served or administrative) · 682 unavailable (cause unspecified). Of the facility's 23 monitored sites, 17 can be reserved online and 5 are first-come, first-served (1 closed).
Where the open windows are
Load status
Jan 1 – May 3, 2027Of the open site-nights on mapped sites, 17 fall on weekdays and 34 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Jan 2027 – May 2027January shows no online availability. 0 of 682 tracked site-nights are open there — 682 unavailable.
Holiday windows
Sites open per night · of 22 sites| Window | Night | Sites open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Year | FRI Jan 1 | 0 | None open |
| Memorial Day | FRI May 28 | 0 | None open |
| SAT May 29 | 0 | None open | |
| SUN May 30 | 0 | None open | |
| MON May 31 | 0 | None open |
New Year: no online availability on Friday. Memorial Day: no online availability on any tracked night.
Best-availability sites
Most open site-nights · tracked window| Site | Open site-nights |
|---|---|
| 001 | 3 |
| 002 | 3 |
| 006 | 3 |
| 007 | 3 |
| 008 | 3 |
The 5 sites with the most open site-nights in the current snapshot. Pair a bookable date with a free alert to cover everything else.
Tracked window
CoverageCampsite Sniper's data for this facility starts Jan 1, 2027. That is about 60 days after the current snapshot was taken, so dates before Jan 1, 2027 are not covered by what Campsite Sniper tracks here — they are not known to be unavailable. The site-nights shown on this page describe Jan 1, 2027 onwards only. Check Recreation.gov for earlier dates.
Stays and site detail
Multi-night stays. 17 2-night, 17 3-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest May 1, 2027 at site 001.
RV length. Longest recorded site here is 40 ft. 18 sites take 25 ft, 7 sites take 35 ft, 2 sites take 40 ft.
All 17 sites with current availability
| Site | Max RV | Hookups | Open site-nights | Longest run | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | 37 ft | None | 3 | 3 nights | May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
| 002 | 37 ft | None | 3 | 3 nights | May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
| 006 | 30 ft | None | 3 | 3 nights | May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
| 007 | 33 ft | None | 3 | 3 nights | May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
| 008 | 33 ft | None | 3 | 3 nights | May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
| 009 | 27 ft | None | 3 | 3 nights | May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
| 010 | 27 ft | None | 3 | 3 nights | May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
| 012 | 20 ft | None | 3 | 3 nights | May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
| 013 | 40 ft | None | 3 | 3 nights | May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
| 014 | 40 ft | None | 3 | 3 nights | May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
| 015 | 15 ft | None | 3 | 3 nights | May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
| 016 | 35 ft | None | 3 | 3 nights | May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
| 017 | 20 ft | None | 3 | 3 nights | May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
| 018 | 15 ft | None | 3 | 3 nights | May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
| 019 | 25 ft | None | 3 | 3 nights | May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
| 021 | 28 ft | None | 3 | 3 nights | May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
| 022 | 28 ft | None | 3 | 3 nights | May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
About Ponderosa Campground
Overview
Ponderosa Campground offers visitors a beautiful location to relax and enjoy nature. It runs along the Nacimiento River, which provides a variety of recreational opportunities. Swimming, fishing and wading are all enjoyed by visitors, as well as hiking and backpacking on any of the surrounding mountain trails.
Recreation
The Nacimiento River provides opportunities for trout fishing and wading, as well as swimming in any of the swimming holes along its course. A variety of hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking trails can be accessed within a short drive from the campground. The trails offer scenic views of waterfalls, massive redwood groves, meadows and mountain streams.
Facilities
The campground offers single-family sites for tent and RV camping. Utility hookups are not available and the parking surfaces are paved. A maximum of two vehicles is allowed for each site. Additional vehicles are not allowed in the campground.
Each site is equipped with a table and campfire ring with grill. Vault toilets and drinking water are provided. Trash collection bins are available throughout the campground.
Natural Features
The campground is situated next to the river and has a scattered canopy of ponderosa pine, oak, madrone and sycamore trees, which provide ample shade in most campsites. It is located in the Los Padres National Forest in the mountains of Big Sur at an elevation of 1,500 feet. A variety of wildlife makes its home in the area.
Nearby Attractions
Mission San Antonio is a short drive east of the campground. Located in the Fort Hunter Liggett Military Base, the mission is one of the oldest in California. A museum, original aqueducts and a Native American cemetery are found here.
The San Antonio Reservoir Recreation Area is located about 32 miles southwest of the campground. Boating, fishing, swimming and guided tours are available.
Getting there
Campground is only available to access via the 101 side, the Highway 1/ Nacimiento Road Access is CLOSED. From Monterey, Take highway 68 to the 101. Accessible through Highway 101 exit Jolon Road. From Los Angeles/South take highway 101 to the Jolon Road exit, follow until campground.
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
Photo gallery
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Ponderosa Campground?
Reservations for Ponderosa Campground are made through Recreation.gov. 93.2% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation; 51 of 748 remain open. Pick a site on the map to see its calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this campground for me?
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
How current is this availability data?
Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Nov 2, 2026 18:20 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.
Can I get a multi-night stay at Ponderosa Campground?
17 three-night openings are showing, counting only runs where the SAME site is free for all three nights. The soonest starts May 1, 2027 at site 001. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.
Which sites at Ponderosa Campground fit a 35-foot RV?
7 of the 22 sites that support RV analysis have a recorded maximum of 35 ft or more; the longest recorded is 40 ft.
Which month has the most availability at Ponderosa Campground?
May 2027, with 51 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 66.
When is the next open date at Ponderosa Campground?
Campsite Sniper cannot answer that from the current snapshot. The availability data held for Ponderosa Campground begins Jan 1, 2027 — about 60 days after this snapshot was taken, so any earlier dates are outside what Campsite Sniper is tracking here rather than known to be unavailable. Check Recreation.gov for dates before Jan 1, 2027.
Stop refreshing. Let the app watch it.
Lakefront, hookups, your RV length, weekends only - set it as picky as you want.
We run paced availability checks for Ponderosa Campground. One watch covers every matching online-reservable site.
When a match opens, you get a push with a Recreation.gov link so you can review and book it yourself.
Alerts monitor online-reservable inventory only; first-come, first-served sites are not included.