Limekiln

https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=577 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limekiln_State_Park Limekiln State Park is a state park of California, United States, on the Big Sur coast. It contains four lime kilns from an 1887–1890 lime-calcining operation, plus a beach, redwood forest, and 100-foot (30 m) Limekiln Falls. It is located 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Lucia on State Route 1.

Our Mission Limekiln State Park The mission of California State Parks is to provide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. A“ t dawn, Big Sur’s majesty is almost painful to behold. That same prehistoric look, the look of always, Nature smiling at herself in the California State Parks supports equal access. Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the park at (805) 434-1996. If you need this publication in an alternate format, contact interp@parks.ca.gov. CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS P.O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 For information call: (800) 777-0369. (916) 653-6995, outside the U.S. 711, TTY relay service www.parks.ca.gov SaveTheRedwoods.org/csp This park is operated in partnership with Parks Management Company: www.campone.com Limekiln State Park 63025 Highway 1, Big Sur, CA 93920 (805) 434-1996 © 1998 California State Parks (Rev. 2016) mirror of eternity. ” –Henry Miller, Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymus Bosch F rom the redwoods to the sea describes the unique topography of Limekiln State Park. This gem of a park, 52 miles south of Carmel, adjoins the Ventana Wilderness area of the Los Padres National Forest. On the legendary Big Sur coastline where the Santa Lucia Mountains meet the Pacific, the park’s more than 700 acres offer peaceful solitude, a breathtaking waterfall, and seascapes of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Watch wildlife from the beach or along fernlined trails, and picnic among the redwoods. Deep within their forest sanctuary, along the west fork of Limekiln Creek, tower the four enormous kilns from which the creek takes its name. The summer climate at this sparsely populated segment of the central coast is typically mild. Morning fog in the summer usually burns off before midday. Temperatures vary from about 50 to 75 degrees. Other seasons can vary from one extreme to another on the same day. NATIVE PEOPLE Archaeological evidence suggests that the ancestors of today’s Salinan, Esselen, and Ohlone people inhabited the Big Sur coast for thousands of years, adapting NATURAL HISTORY their lifeways to the area’s climatic and environmental changes. Native groups traveled The park is located in the geologically from the coast to the interior valleys, following young (about 2½ million years) Santa Lucia the marine and terrestrial resources that Range, which runs from Monterey southeast sustained them. They gathered fish, shellfish, to San Luis Obispo. Because its geography and various grasses and seeds or hunted creates numerous microclimates, the park small and large game and birds. They traded is one of the few places on earth where with other groups for items they could not fog-loving redwoods thrive not far from produce themselves. drought-tolerant yucca. Young redwoods, The incursion of the Spanish, Mexicans, oaks, sycamores, and maples flourish in and Americans brought changes that the canyons; chaparral and scrub are drastically affected the lives of the found at higher elevations. people. Taken into the mission system, WILDLIFE the people struggled with diseases to Limekiln Creek’s year-round water which they had no immunity. Pestilence, supply provides excellent habitat for violence, and broken promises all took diverse animals, including mountain their toll; seemingly well-intentioned lions, bobcats, foxes, raccoons, and treaties with the Indians were not sent ringtails. Offshore, sea otters play in to federal offices Peregrine kelp beds, and female gray whales with for ratification. Within falcon calves migrate north in early spring. The a few generations, the varied terrain is home to more than 200 bird native people’s traditional species, including seabirds such as pelicans lands had been taken over and gulls and shorebirds such as willets, by the settlers. oystercatchers, and sandpipers. Some rare At the end of the and endangered birds, including California mission era, some condors and peregrine falcons, glide above of the native people the canyons. were employed in agriculture, fishing, THE LIME KILNS and other industries. Beginning in 1887, the Rockland Lime and Today, descendants of Lumber Company extracted, processed, the Salinan, Esselen, and exported thousands of barrels of lime and Ohlone people are from Limekiln Canyon. Four stone and working to revive their iron furnaces were built at the base of a cultural traditions and large talus slope eroding from a limestone to pass them on to the deposit. Limestone rocks were loaded into Limekiln Creek next generations. the kilns, where very hot wood Falls Trail — Hike along Limekiln fires burned for long periods to Creek to the beautiful 100-foot purify the lime. waterfall. The vision of this fanThe lime was packed into shaped fall is

Limekiln State Park 63025 Hwy 1 • Big Sur, CA 93920 • (831) 649-2836 www.campone.com • (805) 434-1996 The park features breathtaking views of the rugged Big Sur coast, hiking trails, beach access, rivers, waterfall, the beauty of the redwoods, and the cultural history of the limekilns. The park has 29 developed campsites, some in the trees along Limekiln Creek and some near the beach. Each site has a picnic table, a fire ring and a space for parking. PARK FEES are due and payable upon entry into the park. The campsite fee covers one vehicle. There are additional fees for extra vehicles. campsite, regardless of the time of day or night. Generators may only be operated between the hours of 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. OCCUPANCY: Each campsite may have up to eight persons (including children). FIRES AND FIREWOOD: Fires are allowed only in established fire rings or camp stoves, and must be attended at all times. Do not gather firewood in the park––the nutrients must be allowed to recycle back into the ecosystem. You may purchase firewood from the camp hosts. VEHICLE PARKING: Vehicles may only be parked in your assigned campsite. They must remain on the pavement and must not extend into the roadway beyond the campsite number or limit line. Two vehicles maximum are allowed per campsite. RVS/TRAILERS: The RV length limit is 24 feet, and the trailer length limit is 15 feet. RVs and trailers are not allowed in the redwood camping area. The campsites are small, so vehicle size and occupancy limits are rigorously enforced. SPEED LIMIT: The maximum speed limit is 15 mph. When pedestrians, bicyclists and children are present, even 15 mph might be too fast. Use good judgment. CHECK-OUT TIME is noon. Please vacate your site by that time. Check-in is 2 p.m. RE-REGISTRATION: Campers without reservations who wish to re-register for another night must contact the entrance station before 9 a.m. on the morning they are due out. Site availability is not assured. QUIET HOURS are from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. To ensure an enjoyable experience for everyone, please do not disturb other campers, regardless of the time of day or night. NOISE: Radios and other sound-producing devices must not be audible beyond your immediate DOGS must be kept on a leash no longer than six feet and under control at all times. They must be confined to a vehicle or tent at night. Dogs are not allowed on trails. BICYCLES are allowed only on roadways. Bicycles are not allowed on the trails. DAY USE/HIKING: Day use hours are 8 a.m. to sunset. Visitors can access the beach; however, caution must be exercised as the surf is cold with large unpredictable waves! No lifeguard is on duty. Three hiking trails follow Limekiln Creek’s three tributaries through the redwood forest. All trails in natural areas must be traversed with caution and may require stream crossings (such as Falls Trail) and terrain difficulties! The Hare Creek Trail follows its namesake Hare Canyon to a grove of some of the largest and oldest redwood trees in Monterey County. The Kilns Trail follows the West Fork of Limekiln Creek to the four historic limekilns. Please remain on the trails, as the canyon walls are steep and unstable, and poison oak is abundant. Discover the many states of California.TM CAMPING RESERVATIONS: You may make camping reservations by calling (800) 444-7275 (TTY 800-274-7275). To make online reservations, visit our website at www.parks.ca.gov. ALTERNATE FORMAT: This publication is available in alternate formats by contacting (800) 777-0369, 711, TTY relay service. Limekiln State Park Trail Building Picnic Tables Waterfall nF Sa ran Map not to scale. HIGHWAY 1 16 Ocean Sites 3 1 Los Angeles HIGHWAY 1 City 198 ek re Hearst San Simeon SP 10 20 30 Km R Fort Hunter 101 io Liggett nt R G18 R Hearst San Simeon SHM 20 Mi t il Tra ek re 0 10 ni C re 9 -1-1. 0 Be eC Gorda Ocean Dial Na ci Limekiln SP Pacific For Emergencies 5 Ha Cliff Area to San Francisco 1 Monterey SHP 101 Pinnacles Point Lobos Carmel NM SNR Garrapata SP Andrew Molera G16 SP Los Padres King Pfeiffer Big NF rk Sur SP gC i Julia Pfeiffer B Lucia G14 Burns SP S an ad 24 o Entran c e R o Monterey 25 o area closed 26 n (Gate locked at night) Maintenance Complex 23 Sa beach 12 5 access 11 6 7 8 9 10 22 27 Har Entrance Kiosk 21 to n e An m i Pacific Ocean 4 2 20 Redwood Sites Day Use 13 19 18 28 29 15 14 Lowe rC ree k Beach Upper Creek 17 Trail rail lls T Fa co cis Limekiln Creek area closed Limekiln Parking il Bridge l Tra Showers Kiln Limekilns ve - RV Site sta Restroom Cu r Gate Coa Two-Car Site ins Residence Ca. Camp Host Pi t k Your Site # __________ One-Car Site Creek LEGEND to Morro Bay, Los Angeles Paso Robles Cambria 1 Hare Creek 46 © 2013 California State Parks