The Family Camping Blog

Located in the Los Padres National Forest, Arroyo Seco is a small (49 sites) campground in the Carmel Valley, on the Arroyo Seco River. Unlike the more popular Morro Bay, San Simeon and Julia Pfeiffer Burns state parks, Arroyo Seco is relatively isolated, since it is not accessible from the coastal Highway 1. Campers who make the twenty mile drive west, from either Greenfield (coming from the south) or Soledad (coming from the north) are rewarded with large campsites with plenty of shade from the large oak trees, and the cool waters of the Arroyo Seco River to relax in.

Did I say these sites are big? A number of the sites are double-size and include two picnic tables around a central fire ring. It was obvious to us that the Forest Service had really put some time and effort into the campground, as all the tables looked recently painted, and the bathrooms were exceptionally nice, with tiled floors and modern fixtures.

There are a number of great hiking opportunities around the campground. This location is several miles up the gorge, where a trail heads down to the Arroyo Seco River about 1,000 feet below. Further upstream (about 5 miles from the campground) is a waterfall. The river is amazingly clear - though you can see the bottom of the pool in the picture above, the water is actually about twelve feet deep.

There are a lot of these little lizards running around. The largest one that we saw was up in the gorge area, and was about a foot long. Most of the ones we saw were about a third that size. Unfortunately, the most prolific wildlife in the area seems to be deer flies. These pesky things hung around all afternoon, until the early evening (around 6:00) winds would drive them away. The winds only last about an hour, making the evenings calm and quiet. Mosquitos are out in the mornings and evenings, but they are not too bad and the campfire was effective in keeping them at bay.

There is a lot to see around Arroyo Seco. It is a great campground that is well-maintained and well off the beaten path, so it is quiet and relaxing. Reservations are available via Recreation.gov.