If you haven’t yet stopped at one of the larger state parks in the area and hit the visitors center, pull in at Big Sur Station (Hwy. 1 south of Pfeiffer Big Sur, 831/667-2315, daily 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.). The ranger station offers maps and brochures for all the major parks and trails of Big Sur, plus a minimal bookshop.
Frankly, the visitor center and attendant services at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park have the same or superior information to that available at Big Sur Station, so if you’re planning to hit that park, skip this stop.
However, several of the lesser parks and beaches (Limekiln, Garrapata, Sand Dollar) have no visitors services, so Big Sur Station serves a good purpose for visitors who plan to go only to those less-traveled spots.
You can also get a free backcountry permit for the Ventana Wilderness [1] here.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/california/central-coast/big-sur/recreation/backpacking