I have not been to pismo for over 20 years so I have a few questions. I understand you need reservations if you plan to camp on the beach overnight. Do you need reservations if you plan on staying there just durring the day? Is their a limit for day use?

 

HEY SANDAHOLIC most of the time we went out we did not need reservation only on a big weekend. Its always good to just in case.

 

you dont need a reserevation for day use.. avtually i went up 3 weeks ago just for day use and asked at the gate if they had and camping cancellations.. they sure did and i stayed the night

 

I just called them, because I have heard so many conflicting stories. They limit the number of vehicles staying OVERNIGHT to 1000. If it goes over that number, they will turn you back. They said they have not reached that number yet this summer, and certainly there will be a lot of cancellations and no-shows, so I feel like it is safe to go without reservations.

For phone numbers see http://www.ohv.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=1207

 

anyone up for a pismo run this weekend.. we can have oue own dunefest at pismo.... "who needs oregon!!!!"

 

No reservations are needed for "day use". I believe the day use fee is $4.00/vehicle. Overnight fee is $6.00/vehicle per night. Get reservations if your going over a "Holiday weekend", other wise your okay. I was there Memorial day & 4th of July weekends and both were sold out 4-5 weeks before hand. I myself had to find someone with extra tickets over the 4th weekend as Fri & Sat night were sold out. I was told Labor Day weekend is already sold out.

Rude Dog

 

I used to go to those dunes quite a bit, but i recently moved. Every holiday weekend would fill the beach and no one without reservations could camp on the beach. a lot of my buddies would risk it and just go out during the day and stay over night, throw a tarp over the truck or something. its always worked. i dont think they'll pull your tarp off to see if you have the sticker in your windshield. However, i've heard the past couple big weekends that the rangers would comb comp hill around 11 pm or midnight (i forget which), and if they caught you without the overnight pass, its a $250 fine. but if your on your quad, they wont know...

 

i go to pismo a lot now and on big weekends like thanksgiving you need a reservation we couldint even get in on fourth of july it sucked they were completly full

 

is anybody going to pismo for thanksgiving we allready made reservations let me know whats up we have a prettty nice size group were always up for comp hill at night write back

 

The reservation deal, is the real deal. We went to pismo yesterday to stay the night and come back today. Got there, told them we were staying the night, they said, no your not were all booked up. 4 hour drive there, played till 8:00pm last night and 4 hour drive home. I'll never go again without a reservation.

We were there earlier in the year and had no problems. My guess is, as it heats up its about the only place to ride so alot of people go there, especialy in the month of August. So I'd say, July-Sept I'd make a reservation if your going to stay the night. JMO