We had visited Pinnacles earlier in the day and wished to return to Mountain View along Highway 1 instead of backtracking (which is something our family abhors).

California’s scenic Highway 1 is the only road through the Big Sur region.

To accomplish this goal, we drove down to King City and then headed west through the Hunter Liggett Military Reservation (or Fort Hunter Liggett as it is also referred to). There is a road that cuts through Hunter Liggett named Nacimiento-Fergusson Road and it appears on few maps (Credit must be given to Brandon here for noticing this and appreciating its potential). However, it goes all of the way to Highway 1 and is one of the greatest roads I have ever experienced (and I don’t drop a comment like that lightly).

Now, depending on which road you use in Hunter Liggett to access Nacimiento-Fergusson Rd., one of the access roads will indicate that Nacimiento-Fergusson Road is closed. Do not be put off by this unless your vehicle is over eight tons. You see, a bridge along Nacimiento-Fergusson Road is damaged and has a vehicle restriction on anything over eight tons. However, if you’re rolling on less than eight tons, go for it…

The pictures below were taken along Nacimiento-Fergusson Road as we headed toward Highway 1…

Now along Highway 1… That bridge behind Molly is the Bixby Creek Bridge – one of the world’s highest single-span concrete arch bridges…

Point Sur Lightstation State Historic Park

The lightstation (or lighthouse) at Point Sur Lightstation State Historic Park was occupied from 1889 until 1974, and it continues to operate as an automated facility. Access to the point and the light station is by guided tour only.

Continuing along Highway 1… These pictures were taken at the numerous turnouts along Highway 1 as we headed north through Big Sur.

In the early to mid-twentieth century, Big Sur’s relative isolation and natural beauty attracted many writers and artists, including Robinson Jeffers, Henry Miller, Edward Weston, Richard Brautigan, Hunter S. Thompson, and Jack Kerouac. These pictures help one understand the attraction of this area to these great minds…

The dying of the light…