Big Sur — California’s Pacific Coast Road Trip

From Point Lobos we’ll follow Highway 1 south until Bixby Creek Bridge comes into view above the coast. The concrete arch bridge was built in 1932 and carries Highway 1 across the canyon. There are viewpoints near the north side of the bridge where we can stop for a clear view of the arch and the coastline. From here the road continues south with the Santa Lucia Mountains on one side and the Pacific on the other.

A few miles farther south, Point Sur rises beside the highway with the lightstation sitting on top of the volcanic rock. The lighthouse was first lit in 1889 and has remained in operation ever since. We can see Point Sur clearly from Highway 1. Visiting the lightstation itself requires a docent-led tour, so for a normal road trip this can be either a roadside view or a longer scheduled stop.

Near the Big Sur River area we’ll leave Highway 1 and take Sycamore Canyon Road down to Pfeiffer Beach. The access road is narrow and the beach sits away from the main highway, so this stop takes a little longer than the roadside viewpoints. Offshore rock formations dominate the beach, including the well-known Keyhole Arch. Once we’ve had time on the sand, we’ll drive back up the same road and rejoin Highway 1.

Back on Highway 1, the road enters the Big Sur River valley and the landscape changes from open coast to forest. Coast redwoods grow around the river here, mixed with oaks, sycamores, maples and other trees. Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is the usual place to stop and walk beside the river and redwoods, but the park is currently closed because of the impacts of the Timber and Plaskett fires. We’ll continue through the corridor and check the current California State Parks notice before planning a future stop here.

Continuing south, we’ll stop at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park for McWay Falls. The waterfall drops about 80 feet from the cliffs onto the beach beside the Pacific, and the cove is viewed from above. There is no legal beach access at McWay Falls, so we’ll stay on the designated overlook route and then return to Highway 1. The park also protects redwood forest farther inland.

South of McWay Falls we’ll stay on Highway 1 through a long section of cliffs, coves and mountain slopes. There are many small pullouts on this part of the road, so we can stop when the weather and visibility are good. At Ragged Point the steep Big Sur coastline begins to open out. It is a useful final viewpoint before the road continues towards the flatter coast around San Simeon.