Pfeiffer Beach Los Padres National Forest Big Sur Beach hiking Pfeiffer Beach Trail California

Most of Big Sur’s beautify is obvious – tall green mountains, a ragged coastline, and lots of ocean blue, but some attractive features are practically hidden, and Pfeiffer Beach is one such gem. Pfeiffer Beach has great sand and iconic rock formations, but you won’t see this beach from Highway One (or its begging-to-be-photographed wave-tunneled rocks).

Once you make it to the parking area for this tucked-away treasure, the sand is easily reached via a tenth of a mile long path. Pfeiffer Beach is sheltered by rock formations that look undeniably Big Sur as they get clobbered by waves. It only takes a short walk for Pfeiffer Beach to make a big impression.

This striking beach couldn’t be much closer to the heart of Big Sur, but the road down to Pfieffer Beach from Highway One isn’t well marked, so you could easily drive right past it. Maybe this helps keep the crowds away, because it is just a couple miles drive down Sycamore Canyon Road the day use parking for Pfeiffer Beach.

Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur

Leave the Pfeiffer Beach Day Use Area parking lot and make your way down a wide sandy trail to the beach. Walk through a riparian woodland with Monterey cypress, and quickly arrive at Pfieffer Beach. Water from the creek to your left forms a long pool in the sand in front of you, which you can easily walk around (or through). To your left, a crescent-shaped arc of sand is backed by tall sea cliffs. Straight ahead, the sand connects to a sea stack of orange rock. A narrow channel separates this rock from a similar, but maybe more dramatic rock formation to the right, just offshore. Tunnels cut through both rocks. Waves flow through the tunnels, popping up in bursts of white foam.

Pfeiffer Beach Sea Stack Big Sur
The iconic sea stack at Pfeiffer Beach

The tunnel going through the middle of the rock on the right is really something to appreciate. This hole in the sea stack looks big enough to drive a truck through. Do an image search for Pfeiffer Beach and you’ll see lots of lovely photos of golden light passing through this opening at sunset.

Pfeiffer Beach Big Sur
The north end of Pfeiffer Beach

To the right, around the bend from these rocks, the beach continues north for another tenth of a mile or so.

You may notice some purple-looking sand on the beach, especially after it has rained. Apparently the color comes from almandine garnets dissolving in the cliffs above the beach.

While the waves in the Pacific Ocean look lovely, swimming at Pfeiffer Beach is not recommended due to dangerous rip currents. Instead, watch waves smash into the awesome rock formations or find a pleasant place to relax in the sand. Pfeiffer Beach is a true Big Sur beauty!

Pfeiffer Beach Big Sur
Pfeiffer Beach

The trail between the day use parking area and Pfeiffer Beach is a tenth of a mile long from start to finish. At that length, Pfeiffer Beach Trail is one of the shortest hikes on hikespeak.com, but its exceptional natural beauty make it a must-include. From the end of the trail, you will no doubt walk around the beach a bit, making this a walk of half a mile or more.

To see another beautiful Big Sur beach, check out Sand Dollar Beach.

Pfeiffer Beach Information

Dogs are welcome on Pfeiffer Beach.

Los Padres National Forest oversees the Pfeiffer Beach Day Use Area and a $10 fee per vehicle is charged to park at the beach. Facilities are provided in partnership with the California Coastal Conservancy. The beach and parking area are closed at night.

In place of entrance fees, National Forest Adventure Passes and America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes are also accepted. Additionally, if you are camping at a nearby campground in Los Padres National Forest (Kirk Creek Campground or Plaskett Creek Campground), you can use the Pfeiffer Beach Day Use Area without paying the entry fee. You do not need to pay the additional $10 entrance fee if you have already paid for a camping permit (price as of 2018). Aside from the use fee, no permit is required to walk to Pfieffer Beach, so get out and enjoy!

To get to Pfieffer Beach: You’ll need to use your odometer to find the road to Pfieffer Beach. Sycamore Canyon Road breaks off the west side of Highway One, 1.1 miles south of the entrance to Pfieffer Big Sur State Park and 9.8 miles north of Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park (1.8 miles north of Nepenthe Restaurant). The GPS coordinates of the intersection are 36.240215, -121.777226 (36° 14′ 24.77″N 121° 46′ 38.01″W).

Turn down Sycamore Canyon Road, which is only marked with a yellow sign that reads “Narrow Road. No RVs – Trailers.” Drive 2 1/4 miles down this paved winding road to the day use parking area at road’s end. You will pass a reassuring plaque near that top of the road that reads “Pfieffer Beach Two Miles.” After the entry fee station, an overflow parking area is on your left. Continue straight to a second parking area (if you can find a place to park) where bathrooms and a few picnic tables are located near the start of the trail.

Pfieffer Beach address: 9101 Sycamore Canyon Road, Los Padres National Forest, Big Sur, CA 93920
Pfieffer Beach coordinates: 36.2382, -121.81353 (36° 14′ 17.5″N 121° 48′ 48.7″W)

Trail Map
View Pfeiffer Beach in a larger map
Elevation Profile
Click or hover over any spot on this elevation profile to see the distance from the start and elevation above sea level at that location, which will be highlighted on the map.

You may also view a regional map of surrounding Central Coast trails and campgrounds.

Photos

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These photos were taken in May of 2014. Click to enlarge.
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Partridge Cove Big Sur Hike Partington Cove
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Buckeye Trail hike Buckeye Trail
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Nearby Campgrounds
Pfieffer Big Sur State Park Campground Pfieffer Big Sur State Park Campground
This large campground in the heart of Big Sur is spread out through oak and redwood groves along the Big Sur River.
Andrew Molera State Park Campground Andrew Molera State Park Trail Camp
This trail camp is easy to reach (just a short walk in) with campsites in a meadow along the Big Sur River near Molera Beach.
Limekiln State Park Campground Limekiln State Park Campground
This small Big Sur campground at the bottom of Limekiln Canyon has sites along a creek through a redwood grove and near the ocean, with access to trails up Limekiln Canyon.
Kirk Creek Campground Kirk Creek Campground
This outstanding 33-site campground in Los Padres National Forest has enormous ocean views from a bluff along the Big Sur coast.
Plaskett Creek Campground Plaskett Creek Campground
This 45-site campground in Los Padres National Forest is positioned across Highway One from Sand Dollar Beach and Plaskett Rock Point on the coast of Big Sur.
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Tagged with · Beaches · Big Sur · Los Padres National Forest · Ocean Views
Distance: 0.2 miles · Elevation change: 10 feet

5 Comments on Pfeiffer Beach in Los Padres National Forest (Big Sur)

  1. Barney Barker wrote:

    Are dogs permitted?

  2. Kathy W wrote:

    They do NOT accept the America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass in place of the $10 fee. Maybe they did in the past, but I was just there on September 22, 2014 and they would not accept my pass.

    • hikespeak wrote:

      Hi Kathy,
      There are similar issues at Sand Dollar Beach in Los Padres NF and Limekln State Park (where they are rejecting annual state park passes). These three sites are operated by a concession with Parks Management Company, and their employees seem to ignore national and state park policies in favor of the company’s bottom line. The “America the Beautiful” National Parks and Public Lands Pass really should work for all national forest day use fees, regardless of the concession. California State Parks and the U.S. Forest Service need to change the way this other company is used.

  3. […] Pfeiffer Beach is a real gem tucked away at the end of Sycamore Canyon Road at Big Sur, California (south of Monterey).  This spectacular beach is famous for its pink sand, formed by manganese garnet crystals that have washed down from the cliffs above. Look for ever-changing patterns of increasing pink sand as you walk north along the beach.  A bonus to your walk is the rocky sea arch offshore – watch for the waves to come roaring through its keyhole arch.  Don’t miss this hidden secret!  Learn more at:   https://www.hikespeak.com/trails/pfeiffer-beach-big-sur/   […]

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