Limekiln State Park Moto Camping

Make Your Reservations Early

You can make reservations up to 4 months in advance, and I suggest doing just that. Limekiln SP is a premium location and it fills up fast, especially the campsites near the beach, which will run you $42 for the night. Here's the website to make reservations. There are bathroom facilities and pay showers, which is a BONUS! Most campsites can easily fit at least 4 motorcycles, so roll with your friends! Sites have potable water and you can buy bundles of firewood there.

Want to go for a hike? You can hike up into the canyon and checkout the old Limekilns and there's also some waterfalls. Be sure you bring some comfortable hiking shoes.

Seasonal Weather
Limekiln SP is literally on the water, so the weather can be mildly unpredictable. The marine layer can be a factor in the evenings and mornings, but we have had some really nice weather in the Spring and Fall. The forecasting on weather.com has been pretty spot on. You can also consult the almanac for planning trips further out.

My typical packing list...

On My Person:
Helmet, earplugs, gauntlet style gloves, neck buff, riding jeans/pants, boots/motorcycle shoes, moisture-wicking long socks, long underwear if less than 55 degrees, t-shirt and my all-weather vented waterproof KTM jacket with liner. If you don't have a lined jacket, just wear an under layer on top. Mornings and nights can be chilly, depending on the season. Days can be pretty warm. 

In My Saddlebags:
Extra pair of underwear and socks, spare t-shirt, other shoes (if your riding shoes aren't dual purpose), shorts/swim trunks and maybe beach shoes if warm weather. Warm beanie and a hoodie (or you can wear your riding jacket at night), extra pair of pants (if you don't want to stay in your riding pants). Dob kit with toothbrush, eye drops, wash cloth/body wipes, etc;

Other Stuff to Bring:
Sleeping bag, inflatable camping pad (the ground is hard in most sites), camping pillow (or use a rolled up hoodie), backpacking tent (optional - bugs aren't too much of an issue usually, but there is a creek right next to the campsites), sunglasses, hat (to hide your helmet hair), at least one 24-48oz canteen of water (they have potable water at the sites for refills), a good knife, fork and plate, bbq tools (if you're cooking), small flashlight or headlamp, bluetooth speaker for some campfire tunes and a flask with your drink of choice. If you like taking photos, bring your camera. There's a lot to shoot.

If you're a GoPro (or other video camera) user, USE IT! The roads you'll be riding, and the scenery you'll be riding through are definitely worthy of some 4K footage

*Since this is only an overnight trip, you could forego several items if you want to travel lighter and rough it a bit more. 

 

Cool photo ops at the entrance of Fort Hunter Liggett and the Mission

The twisty fun route to get you there

We leave from SJ between 10-11AM, but you should adjust your time accordingly depending on where you're starting from so you arrive at Limekiln between 2-4pm. You'll want to point yourself South to Hwy 25 in Gilroy as a starting point. Below is the route we take from San Jose, attempting to hit the back roads as much as possible instead of the freeways.

• We depart at 10-10:30AM from SJ
• Take 101 South to Bailey Ave exit, West
• Follow Bailey Ave West to McKean Rd - Turn Left on McKean Rd
• Follow McKean (G8) South to Watsonville Rd (Go Right)
• Take Watsonville Rd to Hwy 152 Hecker Pass Hwy (Go Left - East)
• Hwy 152 East to Santa Teresa Blvd (Go Right on Santa Teresa)
• Follow Santa Teresa past Gavilan college and a few roundabouts until you t-bone into Castro Valley Rd (Go Left towards Hwy 101)
• Merge onto Hwy 101 South for one exit. Take Hwy 25 exit East
• Follow Hwy 25 for 68 miles to Bitterwater Rd (Go Right on Bitterwater Rd)
• Follow Bitterwater Rd into downtown King City  (turn right onto Broadway)
• We usually stop for lunch and gas in King City. This taqueria is awesome!
• Head west on Broadway and get on 101 North (for one exit)
• Exit Jolon Rd (G14) and follow it for almost 24 miles to Mission Rd 
• Take a RIGHT on Mission Rd, heading into Fort Hunter Liggett
• Mission San Antonio De Padua is in that area if you want to explore
• Take a LEFT on Nacimiento-Ferguson Rd and head West towards the hills
• Follow Nacimiento-Ferguson Rd all the way up and over the mountain until you reach Hwy 1 (Make sure to stop and take in the views along the way)
• At Hwy 1, take a RIGHT and go North for 4 miles where you will see the entrance to Limekiln SP on the right side (just before the bridge)

Now that you're at Limekiln, you can check-in at the gate, park your bikes and relax. But, we typically check-in, unload some camping gear and then hop back on our bikes and head North on Hwy1 about 25 miles to Big Sur Center.

 

There's a market there where you can get any provisions you might need, and less expensive firewood if you want to haul it back to camp. There's also a Shell gas station next door if you need fuel. We typically each get a couple large cans of beer, and pour them into our canteens, and then we each buy a bundle of wood. Load it all up and ride back to camp to relax and enjoy the sunset before starting our fire and cooking dinner.  

*Bring a cargo net or strap if you're planning on getting a bundle of firewood at the market so you can secure it to your bike

Dinner at Camp

You can bring whatever food you want for dinner, or even just buy it along the way, but this has been our go-to grub for moto camping at Limekiln. Each campsite has a metal fire pit with a grill. 

The day before we leave I typically go to Costco and get a flat of large steaks and some ears of corn on the cob. I rub the steaks with salt and pepper, wrap them in wax paper and foil. I rub the corn with butter and chili powder and wrap them in foil, then the steaks go in the freezer overnight. Corn in the fridge. When I get up in the morning I move the steaks and corn to the fridge so they can start to thaw out as I pack up. I then put all the food in a bag and load it in my saddlebags. This allows it to thaw out as we ride, and it's ready to cook when we arrive at camp. We also pack some sweets for dessert (dark chocolate, gummies, etc;) as well as a bar for the morning.

After watching the sunset on the beach and enjoying our beers, we cook our steaks and corn on the grill. After dinner we sit by the fire and talk about motorcycles and shit while sipping whiskey and recalling the perfect day we just had. Then we crash out for the night.

    

WARNING - Any food, and I mean ANY food that is left in your bags and not on your person or in a secured tent overnight will surely be found and stolen by the local trash pandas

Our Morning Ritual 

In the morning we breakdown camp, pack-up the bikes and head North on Hwy1 to breakfast utopia, Cafe Kevah, which is approximately 22 miles North of Limekiln SP. It's on the same property as Nepenthe, if you're familiar. Cafe Kevah is on the lower level with spectacular ocean views to the South. The food and coffee is delicious, and the service is very welcoming. It is one of my favorite places in this world to enjoy breakfast, coffee, fresh air, views and serenity. I highly recommend the Crab Benedict.

Crab Benedict
 
The View
  

Heading Home

After a leisurely breakfast we begrudgingly head home. We enjoy the last of the coastal views, maybe stop for a photo or two as we travel North on Hwy1 through Carmel and Monterey. Another Limekiln trip in the books, and we're already planning our next one. Maybe we'll see you there sometime!



Did you take this trip?
Tag @CrownMoto in your Instagram photos, YouTube videos, or FB stories on social media, then DM us and we'll send you a Limekiln Moto Camp patch for free!