The Iconic Highway 1 Through Big Sur Won’t Reopen Until at Least 2025

With dramatic cliffs that cascade into the Pacific and countless cute country towns along the way, Highway 1 is one of those bucket list road trips that is absolutely worth the hype. But travelers and locals alike received some unfortunate news this week when Caltrans announced that a stretch of the road—a 6.8-mile segment from one mile south of the Esalen Institute to two miles north of Lucia—will remain closed due to more fissures until at least 2025.

The closures have impacted many small businesses and lodging operations in the small coastal California town of Big Sur, which heavily rely on tourism. Highway 1 also acts as a crucial connector for many Central Coast communities, providing a critical roadway between towns like Cambria and San Simeon with Big Sur. This is the longest closure in the history of the stretch of highway since it opened in 1937.

Though Caltrans initially estimated that repairs on the Regent’s Slide near the Esalen Institute would finish in the late fall, it’s now been further delayed because more surface cracks have been identified during the excavation process which could create more landslides and unsafe driving conditions, especially in the upcoming rain season.

To stay abreast on the latest regarding the closure, be sure to check in on the Caltrans road closure site.