The paperwork has been completed to ban dispersed camping along Nacimiento-Fergusson Rd. It is currently out of the district for review before it comes back for signature. We won’t know for sure how long it will be banned until the order comes back into the district. It is not in effect until signed, but it is a very good step.
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Date: July 17, 2026 District: 05 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito, and Santa…
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and some day the little bridge will get its special designation too.
Better late than never I guess.....
Wasn't it always illegal? Or was it OK in theory far enough away from the road? (which seems hard to do in that terrain)
I too thought it was always banned. That said, good to see that they are taking (additional?) steps to formalize. Hopefully they will also enforce...
Money for enforcement by the MCSO has already been budgeted.
Yes, it's been illegal for decades but no enforcement in MoCo. There are many rules/laws for dispersed camping that are enforced elsewhere, however, monterey county is more interested in tourism $$ than enforcing laws that are designed to protect our natural resources and public lands.
Being a wildlife photographer camping (almost exclusively dispersed in back country areas) and hiking in all 49 Continental United States, all 10 Provinces of Canada and 2 of their 3 Territories along with 5 of Mexico's states, I wouldn't call myself an expert on the matter, but very experienced. The most important laws regarding dispersed camping that make it illegal along Naci, and Highway 1 are (in no particular order):
1.) Dispersed camping in the U.S. can only be done in Nat'l Forests and Nat'l Preserves. (ok, that one fits our area)
2.) Pullouts/turnouts are designated areas for travelers to stop and enjoy the view, pulling over for emergency vehicles, pulling over for the travelers own emergency and to move out of the way for faster vehicles. (Setting up camp with a tent is not allowed on any pullouts/turnouts throughout our entire country! Warning: common sense comment to follow: if there's a tent camp set up in a pullout/turnout, how can anyone else pull over for the above reasons!)
3.) A dispersed campsite has to be NO LESS than 100 feet from the center line of the Nat'l Forest or Nat'l Preserve road. (that's NO WHERE on the west grade of Naci!)
4.) A dispersed campsite has to be NO LESS than 100 feet from a water source, like a creek, river, pond, lake, ocean.... (That makes all dispersed camping along Naci on the east side illegal because there's no where that the center line and Nacimiento creek is more than 200 feet apart from one another.
5.) A dispersed campsite cannot be visible from the Nat'l Forest/Preserve road.
6.) Dispersed camping is not allowed on the west side of highway 1 from our borders with Mexico and Canada. (ever notice how San Luis Obispo Co. has signs stating this? AAaaaaaAAAaaaannnD.... THEY enforce it!)
Anyway, that's my 2 cents that I've mentioned many times and now I'm done. I'm tired of the greed here....
Good explanation, Tony. Thank you.
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These rules may relate to an area which is not speciifically designated as a "dispersed camping area", else how is it legal to camp at places like Prewitt Ridge ? Tony's rules don't seem to apply, please provide a more credible source for the dispersed camping rules.
Georgia, the definition and rules for dispersed camping are here:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/cs/detailfull/!ut/p/z0/04_Sj9CPykssy0xPLMnMz0vMAfIjo8ziDfxNDDwNwxydLA1cjbyDTUM9TQwgQL8g21ERAAMeE8s!/?position=Not%20Yet%20Determined.Html&pname=George%20Washington&ss=110408&navtype=&pnavid=&navid=110000000000000&ttype=detailfull&cid=stelprdb5121831
https://bigsurkate.blog