The Road to Laguna Seca Part 2: The Nacimiento-Fergusson Road Hot

In this second installment of roads to sample as part of a Laguna Seca MotoGP experience, we are going to look at an amazing side-road.  I would never have heard of the Nacimiento-Fergusson Road if my riding buddy Mark had not researched it as a part of our last MotoGP trip. 

The Nacimiento-Fergusson Road is a wonderfully twisty road that winds its way through the Fort Hunter Liggett military reservation and the Santa Lucia Mountain Range.  It is the only paved access between The Pacific Coast Highway (covered in part 1 of this series) and US Highway 101 on the Big Sur stretch of the coast.

Obviously, the Nacimiento can be ridden either to or from the coast.  We rode it west to the coast starting near Jolon, CA.  Be aware that Fort Hunter Liggett is an active military training facility.  You will be stopped at a full military checkpoint where you will be required to show your license, registration, and proof of insurance.    Another riding partner, Gregg, had not brought his current proof of insurance.  To make a long story short, we sat at the checkpoint until he could get his wife to fax current documentation.  So have your ducks in a row before the trip.

Once you get onto the Nacimiento-Fergusson Road, you will be treated to a great motorcycling experience.  First you will travel through the military base and up the eastern slope of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range.  The road is well paved, but there are small drifts of sand or dirt in spots, so take it easy.  You will wind your way through the trees to the road’s summit at 2780 feet above sea level.  Speaking of sea level, the descent from the summit to the Pacific spans only 7 switch-back infused miles!

The views on the way down toward the Pacific Coast Highway are spectacular.  Take your time, as there are no guardrails on the tightly-wound descent.  It’s a long way down if you part ways with the tarmac.  I can’t stress strongly enough that the Nacimiento-Fergusson Road is to be savored at a reasonable pace. 

In the end, the Nacimiento-Fergusson Road is an off-the-beaten-path stretch that you should go out of your way to ride.  I would count it as one of my favorite MotoGP related rides.  So get out your map and include this winding ribbon of pavement as part of your Laguna Seca experience