Pfeiffer Beach, California
About midway between Santa Barbara and San Francisco, California's coastal mountains meet the sea in a 90-mile stretch of rugged coastline known as Big Sur.
The Pacific Coast Highway cuts a sinuous and scenic path through this sparsely populated region, offering access to a number of splendid wilderness beaches. Pfeiffer Beach, a day-use area within the vast Los Padres National Forest, is among the most appealing: A picturesque curve of gray sand flanked by precipitous bluffs, with waves crashing against weathered rock formations just offshore.
The greatest difficulty in getting to Pfeiffer Beach is finding the unmarked entrance to Sycamore Canyon Road, a narrow paved lane that leads west from the highway to the beach parking lot. Look for the turn-off south of Andrew Molera State Park, about ¼ mile south of the Big Sur Ranger Station, then continue about 2 miles to the end of the road, using turnouts to make way for oncoming traffic. Bring your own provisions, and come prepared for chilly winds and frigid waters, even during the warmest late-summer and early-autumn months.
Information at the Parksman website or at 831-385-5434.
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