There is still a place along the California coast where you can hike, drive and camp off the grid. Heading south of Carmel along highway one is California’s rugged Big Sur coastline. The two-lane road treats you to a spectacular uninhabited landscape that is a rare respite from the typical overdeveloped sea shore. This increasingly unique expanse of pristine habitat owes its origins to river-borne sediments shed from mountains that would now be considered a part of Mexico. The layers of sandstone, siltstone and limestone began their journey to coastal California hundreds of millions of years ago. Tectonic activity and pressure through the ages formed the rocky outcrops and sheltered lagoons that make this region a very special place to visit, relax and unplug.