Highway 1 at Regent’s Slide in Big Sur is expected to reopen early, potentially by the new year.

Word travels fast, especially when it could mean Highway 1 reopening early after nearly three years of closure through Big Sur, the longest sustained duration in the region’s history.

On Friday, Dec. 12, the Big Sur Chamber of Commerce contacted local businesses to tease a de facto Christmas gift on behalf of Caltrans: cleanup efforts at Regent’s Slide were going so well that the highway could reopen by the new year.

“They’re confident they’re approaching something imminent,” says Kirk Gafill, president of the Big Sur Chamber of Commerce and owner of Nepenthe. “There’s a number of things they need to get done. But to be honest, it wouldn’t surprise me if a notification came out today. We’re waiting on pins and needles.”

Caltrans announced Sept. 22 that it hoped to reopen the highway to through-traffic by March 2026. The long-standing closure stems from two overlapping slides: Regent’s Slide, which occurred Feb. 9, 2024, and Paul’s Slide, which occurred on Jan. 14, 2023.

The update comes as weather forecasts predict heavy rain into the week of Dec. 22, which could slow progress.

“I’m not holding my breath,” says Diana Ballantyne, general manager of Fernwood Resort and Campground, about 20 miles north of the slide.

The closure has had various impacts on Big Sur businesses. Gafill notes that two-thirds of Highway 1 traffic in a normal year originates from the north and turns around near Nepenthe.

Ballantyne says that while it’s impacted Fernwood’s capacity and visitation, especially during the off-seasons, it’s given them the opportunity to work on maintenance projects and build a more robust array of amenities.

For Nepenthe, also north of the slide, visitation has dropped by about one-third – something the business has experienced during past Highway 1 closures. What sets this time apart, Gafill says, is the duration compounding by rising operating costs.

“When you’re talking three years, that’s just extraordinary,” Gafill says. “It’s also happening during a timeframe somewhat unique economically in California, where our fixed costs have skyrocketed well beyond inflation.”

For John Handy, owner of Treebones resort on the south side of the slide, business has dropped by about 40 percent. While he was thrilled by the possibility of an early reopening, he says the lack of advance notice has complicated planning.

“We have to calculate everything and see if it is worth it to keep our staff here,” Handy says. “With the road being closed, we closed after Thanksgiving and planned to stay closed until Valentine’s Day. We could have been open for New Year’s.”

Caltrans officials say there is no exact reopening, but that Highway 1 at Regent’s Slide is likely to reopen ahead of schedule. Construction crews may only know the final reopening date a day or two in advance, Caltrans reports, noting that helicopter installation of protective metal mesh remains to be completed and the roadway must still be cleared of debris.

“They seem wary to let us know, but we can already see it happening,” Handy says. “To be able to flow freely to the north coast is crazy. It’s been so long. We’re really looking forward to 2026.”