Ragged Point is the last act of the southern approach to Big Sur, or the first, depending on which way you are going. The mountains of the Santa Lucia range come down to meet the Pacific here in a line of steep, grassy cliffs, and Highway 1 follows them in a ribbon cut into the slope, with a long, long drop on one side and rock on the other. The village itself, a cliff-top cluster of an inn, restaurant and viewpoint, serves as a gateway marking the end of the open coastal flats near San Simeon.
The riding on both sides is superb. North of the point the road starts its serious climbing and twisting, dipping into canyons and rising to headlands, with wide ocean views, bridges across creeks, and tight turns that need real attention because a wide-turning camper or a stopped tourist taking photos can appear around any bend. To the south the highway eases and runs along open country toward San Simeon, with ranch land and cattle on the hills. The coastline here is wild and has few buildings, which is part of its character.
A little way south, the elephant seal colony at Piedras Blancas is a surprise even for people who know about it. Thousands of the huge animals haul out on the beach to moult and breed, mostly in winter and spring, and you can watch them from a boardwalk, bellowing, scrapping and sleeping in heaps. Further on, Hearst Castle stands high on the hill above San Simeon, the extravagant creation of a newspaper magnate in the early twentieth century.
Fuel is the practical point. There is a small station at Ragged Point, but prices tend to be steep, and Cambria, about thirty kilometres south, has more choice. North of here there is very little for a long way, and Big Sur has few stations, all expensive, so fill up before committing.
Fog is the main variable. Summer mornings often bring a cold grey blanket along the coast, which lifts around noon, and the best light arrives in the late afternoon. Spring brings green hills and wildflowers, while autumn offers clearer air. Winter storms sometimes close the road with slides, so check conditions first.