DAY 3 · ROADBOOK SOUTH WALL · FIELD SERIES

POINT LOBOS · BIXBY · McWAY · ELEPHANT SEALS · MORRO ROCK

BIG SUR COAST
→ HOME

Sun 05 Jul 2026 · natural wake ~8:30 AM · BMW R 1300 GS · solo

DAY 3
BIG SUR → HOME
≈370 MIDistance
~11 HRSElapsed
11 STOPSCoast POIs
2 FUELAnchors
NO-FLYDrone (all)
TOP-DOWN · FULL CORRIDOR Full Day-3 corridor: Seaside down the Big Sur coast to Morro Bay, then US-101 inland to Eastvale
1 Seaside · ★2 Point Lobos · ★3 Bixby · ★4 McWay · ★5 Elephant Seals · ★6 Morro Rock · 7 SLO · 8 Eastvale   © OpenStreetMap · CARTO
ELEVATION · SEA-LEVEL COAST → CUESTA 1,522 → GAVIOTA 900 → LA BASIN · MILES 090166255370

Map & POI Glyphs

1Numbered stop — solid disc + label chip
★Star — a must-stop (5 today)
QRScan QR → opens a Google Maps pin (q=lat,lon) — every stop today

Drone — a ground-photo day

✗NOdiagonal hatch — parks / wildlife / preserves
—N/Athin outline — private / town, don't fly
Every Big Sur stop is NO or N/A — state parks, protected wildlife, falcon preserve. Cameras only.
Prepared 30 Jun 2026 · verify Caltrans QuickMap (one-way controls) & hours the morning of · SOUTH WALL · FIELD SERIES 1 / 5
SEG 1 / 3 · COASTBIG SUR NORTH · SEASIDE → McWAY
01
Big Sur North
Seaside → Carmel → Point Lobos → Bixby → Pfeiffer → Nepenthe → McWay · ocean on the RIGHT
STATE PARKS
NO-FLY
TOP-DOWN · N COAST Portrait Big Sur north coast map: Carmel, Point Lobos, Bixby, Pfeiffer, Nepenthe, McWay down Hwy 1
1 Carmel · ★2 Pt Lobos · ★3 Bixby · 4 Pfeiffer · 5 Nepenthe · ★6 McWay   © OSM · CARTO
MARINE-LAYER FOG is common on the morning coast — it usually burns off by late morning. Point Lobos / Bixby may be foggy early, and the turquoise water needs sun.
NO CELL SIGNAL past Big Sur village — download offline maps in Seaside before you leave; tell someone your route.
POI Menu · scan to navigate6 STOPS · ALL DRONE NO
  1. Carmel Beach OPT N/A
    white sand + cypress · morning soft/backlit
    via Ocean Ave → Scenic Rd (slight detour) · quick
    36.5502, −121.9291
    Maps pin QR Carmel Beach
    SCAN
  2. ★ Point Lobos NO
    turquoise coves · CPL · 12–35mm (24–70)
    Hwy 1, 3 mi S of Carmel · 8a–6:30p · $10 · lots fill at open
    36.5178, −121.9447
    Maps pin QR ★ Point Lobos
    SCAN
  3. ★ Bixby Bridge NO
    iconic arch span · N pullout = classic angle
    Hwy 1, ~13 mi S of Carmel · dirt pullouts fill fast
    36.3715, −121.9019
    Maps pin QR ★ Bixby Bridge
    SCAN
  4. Pfeiffer Beach OPT NO
    purple sand + Keyhole · 16–35mm (32–70)
    unmarked Sycamore Canyon Rd · 1-lane · $15 · midday = no keyhole
    36.2382, −121.8174
    Maps pin QR Pfeiffer Beach
    SCAN
  5. Nepenthe NO
    clifftop lunch + view · opens 11:30a
    Hwy 1 S of Big Sur village · pricey · budget 30–60m wait
    36.2218, −121.7593
    Maps pin QR Nepenthe
    SCAN
  6. ★ McWay Falls NO
    80-ft fall onto a cove · overlook only
    JPB State Park · $10 · short flat walk via tunnel · ~20 min
    36.1578, −121.6722
    Maps pin QR ★ McWay Falls
    SCAN
★ 2 · PT LOBOSPoint Lobos turquoise cove
Point Lobos · Wikimedia: Kingofthedead · CC BY-SA 4.0
★ 3 · BIXBYBixby Creek Bridge
Bixby Bridge · Wikimedia: Diliff · CC BY-SA 3.0
★ 6 · McWAYMcWay Falls onto the beach cove
McWay Falls · Wikimedia: King of Hearts · CC BY-SA 3.0
SOUTH WALL · FIELD SERIES · DAY 3 · BIG SUR NORTH2 / 5
SEG 2 / 3 · COASTBIG SUR SOUTH · McWAY → MORRO BAY
02
Big Sur South
McWay → Ragged Point → Elephant Seals → Hearst → Cambria → Morro Rock
PARKS + WILDLIFE
NO-FLY
TOP-DOWN · S COAST Portrait Big Sur south coast map: Ragged Point, Elephant Seals, Hearst, Cambria, Morro Rock
1 Ragged Pt · ★2 Elephant Seals · 3 Hearst · 4 Cambria · ★5 Morro Rock   © OSM · CARTO
⚠OUT OF BIG SUR BY ~3–4 PM — after dark it's narrow, unlit, deer-active; and July-5 Sunday 101 traffic builds in the evening. Don't let the morning over-run.
FUEL · RAGGED POINT (~1:45) — last easy gas / coffee / restroom before Morro Bay; Big Sur gas is scarce + premium, so splash if low.
WILDEST STRETCH — McWay → Ragged Point has no services and no signal. Ride it, don't dawdle.
POI Menu · scan to navigate5 STOPS · ALL DRONE NO
  1. Ragged Point N/A
    S gateway · cliff panorama · wide lens
    Hwy 1 · inn + coffee + market · fuel + restroom
    35.7806, −121.3300
    Maps pin QR Ragged Point
    SCAN
  2. ★ Elephant Seals NO
    hundreds on the beach · 100mm (200) max
    Piedras Blancas, ~4.5 mi N of San Simeon · FREE · 24h boardwalk
    35.6624, −121.2549
    Maps pin QR ★ Elephant Seals
    SCAN
  3. Hearst Castle OPT NO
    hilltop estate · 70–100 (140–200) from base
    750 Hearst Castle Rd · exterior only (full tour too long)
    35.6850, −121.1700
    Maps pin QR Hearst Castle
    SCAN
  4. Cambria OPT N/A
    Moonstone Beach boardwalk + tide pools
    Hwy 1 · charming detour if time allows
    35.5660, −121.1150
    Maps pin QR Cambria
    SCAN
  5. ★ Morro Rock NO
    581-ft plug · 24–70 (48–140) · best from afar
    Embarcadero, Morro Bay · falcon preserve · late lunch here
    35.3694, −120.8677
    Maps pin QR ★ Morro Rock
    SCAN
★ 2 · SEALSPiedras Blancas elephant seals
Piedras Blancas · Wikimedia: Mike Peel · CC BY-SA 4.0
★ 5 · MORROMorro Rock at Morro Bay
Morro Rock · Wikimedia: Nogwater · CC BY-SA 2.0
3 · HEARSTHearst Castle exterior
Hearst Castle · Wikimedia: Joe Mabel · CC BY-SA 4.0
SOUTH WALL · FIELD SERIES · DAY 3 · BIG SUR SOUTH3 / 5
SEG 3 / 3US-101 S · THE SLOG HOME
03
Home Run · US-101
Morro Bay → SLO → US-101 S → Eastvale · ~230 mi / ~4 hr clear
FREEWAY
NO POIs
TOP-DOWN · HOME LEG Wide home-leg map: SLO down US-101 through Santa Barbara and Ventura to the LA basin and Eastvale
1 SLO (fuel) · 2 Santa Barbara (opt break) · 3 Eastvale HOME  |  US-101 S → CA-91/60 → I-15 per live traffic   © OSM · CARTO
⚠ July-5 Sunday traffic
Holiday return traffic builds Santa Barbara → Ventura → LA basin in the afternoon/evening — realistically +1–2 hr. Leaving Big Sur by ~3–4 PM is what keeps this from running past midnight.
Home Transition · coast → freeway
Morro Bay → CA-1 S → San Luis Obispo (~13 mi) → US-101 S. The scenic coast ends here and the freeway home begins.
FUEL · MORRO BAY / SLO — fill before the ~230 mi US-101 haul; optional last splash at Santa Barbara / Ventura.
TRIP COMPLETE · Day 3 of 3. Arrive Eastvale ~8:30 PM (later with traffic). The 3-day loop — Tahoe SE → Bay crossing → Big Sur coast — closes at the front door. Back up the geotagged coast set; Big Sur is the finale.
Decision Points2 JCT
① Morro Bay — coast ends, join the freeway
CA-1 S → US-101 S
through San Luis Obispo toward Santa Maria
② LA basin — leave US-101 for the Inland Empire
CA-91 E / CA-60 E → I-15
exact path per live traffic → Eastvale
Run Data
Depart~4:30 PM SLO
RouteUS-101 S
ViaSta Maria · Buellton · SB
Leg dist≈230 mi
Drive~4 hr clear
Traffic+1–2 hr (Sun Jul 5)
BreakSanta Barbara (opt)
FuelMorro Bay / SLO
Arrive~8:30 PM Eastvale
NextHOME — trip done
NO POIs — this is the slog home. GPS on for geotags; one-way control ~10 mi N of Las Cruces (short).
ELEVATION · SEG 3 — MORRO BAY SEA-LEVEL → CUESTA 1,522 → GAVIOTA → LA BASIN → EASTVALE 140166238300370
SOUTH WALL · FIELD SERIES · DAY 3 · HOME RUN4 / 5
REFERENCE / 3SOUTH WALL · FIELD SERIES

Day 3 · Reference

Schedule · Fuel · Drone · Big Sur Survival · Contacts
Master Schedule · natural wake · depart ~8:30 AM · the only clock = clear Big Sur before dark
TimeSegWaypointAction
8:30 AM1Seaside departTop off gas · download offline maps
8:501Carmel BeachOpt · white sand + cypress · quick
9:101Point Lobos ★Turquoise coves · $10 · fills early
9:551Bixby Bridge ★North pullout = classic angle
10:401Pfeiffer BeachOpt · narrow single-lane access
11:451NepentheLunch / view · budget the wait
12:50 PM1McWay Falls ★Overlook (beach trail closed)
1:452Ragged PointCoffee / fuel / view · S gateway
2:202Elephant Seals ★Free boardwalk · wildlife
2:502Hearst CastleOpt · exterior photo or skip
3:452Morro Rock ★Last coast stop · late lunch
~4:303SLO → US-101 SFill · home leg begins
~8:30 PM3Home: Eastvale~230 mi · +1–2 hr if traffic
Fuel Log · gas scarce + pricey in Big Sur · 2 anchors
PlanSegLocationOdoGal$
Start full1Seaside (fill before Big Sur)__________________
Splash2Ragged Point (only if low)__________________
Fill3Morro Bay / SLO (before US-101)__________________
RANGE: Big Sur gas is only Big Sur village + Ragged Point (premium). Fill in Seaside, top at Morro Bay / SLO; optional last splash ~Santa Barbara / Ventura on the way home.
Drone · a ground-photo day (every stop NO)
SpotStatusWhy
Point Lobos / Big Sur parks✗NOstate parks / reserve
McWay · Julia Pfeiffer Burns✗NOstate park — overlook only
Elephant Seals (Piedras Blancas)✗NOprotected wildlife — don't disturb
Morro Rock✗NOperegrine-falcon preserve
Big Sur Survival
  • No cell signal through Big Sur — download offline maps before Seaside; tell someone your plan.
  • No driving after dark — narrow, unlit, deer-active; clear it by mid-afternoon.
  • Caltrans QuickMap the morning-of — one-way construction controls (10–15 min) come and go.
  • Parking fills early at Point Lobos / Pfeiffer / McWay / Bixby — park legal (tires behind the white line; fines to $1,000).
  • Marine-layer fog is common on the morning coast — usually burns off by late morning.
Contacts & morning to-dos
Point Lobos SNR831-624-4909
Caltrans QuickMap (AM)quickmap.dot.ca.gov
Nepenthe (lunch)831-667-2345
Ragged Point Inn805-927-4502
Hearst Castle (tour)800-444-4445
Home · Eastvale ETA~8:30 PM
Prepared 30 Jun 2026 · verify Caltrans QuickMap, park hours & fill up before Big Sur · SOUTH WALL · FIELD SERIES5 / 5