Motorcycle ride in California

Big Sur coast (Highway 1)

51 miles (83 km), 1 hr 10 min, intermediate

Highway 1 follows the wild Big Sur coast in California, between cliffs and the Pacific Ocean. From Carmel-by-the-Sea, it crosses Bixby Creek Bridge, goes through the redwoods of the Big Sur valley and passes near McWay Falls before reaching Lucia. Landslides are frequent: check road conditions with Caltrans.

Pont de Bixby Creek. Photo: Astronautilus, CC BY 2.0, resized

Open in OpenStreetMap © OpenStreetMap

Stops along the way

SStart: Carmel-by-the-Sea
1Pont de Bixby Creek, after 15 miles (24 km)
2Big Sur, after 28 miles (45 km)
3Cascade de McWay, after 39 miles (62 km)
FFinish: Lucia, after 51 miles (83 km)

Download the GPXTrack and stops as a GPX file, for a sat nav or another app.

Photos along the route

Lucia. Photo: MARELBU, CC BY 3.0, resized

Cascade de McWay. Photo: Akos Kokai, CC BY 2.0, resized

This ride in the MotoLert app

In MotoLert, this ride is one of the roadbooks: its route, stops and photos are in the app. Premium guides you along it; camera zones and reported hazards stay free. The app is coming soon to iPhone.

Other rides nearby

Scenic Byway 12, from Escalante to Torrey (Utah)

65 miles (104 km), 1 hr 20 min, intermediate

Photo: Greg Willis, CC BY-SA 2.0, resized

Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon (Arizona)

37 miles (59 km), 45 min, intermediate

Photo: Adam Baker, CC BY 2.0, resized

Million Dollar Highway (US-550)

73 miles (118 km), 1 hr 30 min, advanced

Photo: Andreas F. Borchert, CC BY-SA 4.0, resized

Roads change: passes close in winter, roadworks, rockfalls, local restrictions. Check the road before you set off. MotoLert does not replace road signs or the Highway Code.

Route planned by MotoLert with Valhalla on © OpenStreetMap contributors data (ODbL). Photos from Wikimedia Commons, with the author and licence under each image.

Credits and licences