Accessible Camping in Big Sur: A Wheelchair-Friendly Adventure

At Luno, we believe in making the outdoors more accessible through thoughtfully designed vehicle gear, informative guides, and the resources someone might need to get outside and start camping. Making the outdoors more accessible can mean many things, but in the case of this story, it was providing camping gear to a member of our local non-profit, Oregon Adaptive Sports (OAS), to get helpful feedback on our products and to provide a comfortable new mattress set up for his trip.

In this blog, you will read about Carl's adventures during a camping trip to Big Sur, the challenges he faces as a manual wheelchair user, and his camping setup.

Life at Camp in Big Sur

This August I spent four nights vehicle camping in tents at a private campground in Big Sur, California with my wife, kid, dog, and some close friends we camp with every summer. We drove down from our home in Bend, Oregon in my minivan, stopping in Davis to meet up with the rest of our group before heading south.

Our campsites were a little cramped, but they adjoined one another, giving us one big communal space for cooking, campfires, and late-night board games. Just a short walk from camp was the Big Sur River with a private swimming hole for guests. Pretty idyllic, really.

There were some accessibility challenges—the bathrooms weren’t wheelchair-friendly and the path to the river wasn’t accessible—so I relied on friends and family here and there. But it was worth it every time I ended up in a sunny river pool under a bridge, cold beer in hand.

When we weren’t lounging by the water, we explored Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, strolled Pfeiffer Beach, and visited the Henry Miller Library, a funky little nonprofit bookstore. We cruised Highway One down to its current closure point past the Esalen Institute, ate fresh cherries from a roadside stand, and even cleaned up at a local trivia night, winning free firewood and ice cream.

My Accessible Camping Setup

I go camping three or four times a year—sometimes solo, sometimes with family or friends—and my AWD minivan always gets me there. For years I used a smaller tent, but switching to tall, high-ceilinged tents was a game changer. Now I can roll straight inside in my chair and sleep on a cot that’s the same height as my seat, which makes transfers easy and keeps me off the ground.

This summer I upgraded my sleeping system, too. I replaced my bulky foam pad with the Luno Air+Foam Pro Camping Mattress, and it’s been a huge improvement. It takes up less space, feels just as comfortable, and comes with a fitted sheet designed for the mattress. Setup takes a bit longer, but for multi-night trips it’s worth it.

Instead of a blanket, I use an unzipped, fleece-lined synthetic down sleeping bag, which keeps me warm without feeling restrictive. And recently I swapped my big bed pillow for the Luno packable pillow—compact but thick enough for side sleeping. My wife has already tried to claim it, so I think it’s a keeper.

All of these little changes have added up to my most comfortable camping setup yet.

Looking Ahead: Vehicle Camping in My Minivan

Even though tent camping works great for me now, I’ve been thinking about trying true vehicle camping with my minivan. With the back seats folded down, I’ve got a large, flat space that would fit the Luno mattress perfectly.

I’ve always associated sleeping in my car with my twenties—road trips, music festivals, that kind of thing—but now I’m curious about using it for solo adventures. A desert road trip sounds like the perfect test run. If I do, I’ll definitely report back.

Camping with a wheelchair isn’t always easy, but with the right gear and a little support, it’s possible to have an amazing time outdoors.