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A buddy of mine posted a set of photos recently that peeked my interest in a trip to the Beach and specifically to see Keyhole Arch .. There's a phenomena that the sun sets behind the rock for the month of January and shines like an otherworldly portal. I drove down last night, it's approx 10miles south of Bixby Bridge.. you take a right off the main drag and then have approx 2 miles of single lane road akin to driving in the back tracks of the Santa Cruz mountains... Parking was plentiful, the gate attendant was super friendly, $15 entry fee later and into a plentiful parking area... I hope the pictures attached do it justice.. suffice to say I recommend it as a destination especially if your a photographer... Suspect it's as pretty year round !
#593, 36/2023 Stunning! Beach access along Big Sur isn't ubiquitous. This secluded beach with Pacific waves, pin hole rocks and ample sands, that's not crowded on a beautiful summer day is a gift. The only negative thing was strong winds low to the ground. It was cool to view mini sand dunes being formed but whipping sands were bothersome. IDT it's this windy most of the time. PB is known for their purple crystal sands and the winter solstice sun setting through the pin hole rocks. The purple crystal sands were sparsely visible. Even so this beach is visually spectacular. I could easily read a book, get some sun or watch the Pacific for hours here. The waves just silence all the noise. It's $15 per car for the parking / access and parking is ample. There are restrooms at the parking lot. This beach is not the easiest to locate. Drive slowly on approach as the turn is sharp off PCH and is easy to miss. Then it's another two miles of SLOW one lane drive to the ranger hosted entrance. Part of the drive includes coastal redwoods which is a bonus :). The road is much better after the ranger entrance and the beach is a short walk through cypress trees from the parking lot. Recommend sunglasses and a beach towel to protect against the wind and sand. PB is unspoiled and clean. Parking here is more than at other state parks along Big Sur and the wicked sand whipping was brutal.
Google Maps "Pfeiffer Beach" and NOT "Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park" as it will lead you to the campsite. Coming North from Monterey, the Sycamore Canyon Road is hard to find (don't mistake this for the private Pfeiffer Ridge Rd) as the area has spotty reception. If you're on the Canyon Bridge then you're past the road. The trick is looking for the "Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park" sign on the left side and avoiding the first corner with visible mailboxes & a gate and driving to a sharp right turn into a narrow mostly unmaintained 2 mile road leading to the Day Use Fee Area ranger booth. We came in on Veteran's Day at 9AM and there were plenty of spots available. There are bathrooms in this parking lot. The beach was just short walk and we found some surfers riding the waves. You'd see a couple of arch formations as you walk along the right side and make out the purple sand with the right lighting conditions. First time here and spent an hour slow strolling the beach.
First thing, you didn't go the way wrong! It was a narrow turn. It's a narrow even more to it. Watch out of incoming cars and share the road. There's a $15 toll on a Saturday I went. Around 4:30pm doesn't seem bad. Only one car was coming out and had just even room to pass each other. There's two parking. First one is extra parking. 2 mins walk to the main parking with restroom. No running water so bring hand wipes and hold your breath. Beautiful beach! Dog friendly. Clean. No poop around or trash. SO KEEP IT CLEAN
Great beach spot along highway 1 but it can be hard to find parking and the wind can get pretty crazy by the water! We initially tried to visit Pfeiffer Beach on a Thursday at around 2pm but unfortunately the parking lots were full so we got turned around. Luckily, we were in the area for the entire afternoon so we came back to Pfeiffer Beach later at around 5pm and there were plenty of parking spots. This is definitely a popular place for folks to visit so don't be surprised if you are turned around at the entrance! Once you get past the entrance, there's about a 2 mile drive along a narrow uneven road until you actually get to the parking lots and the beach itself. Drive slowly and pull to the side as needed if there are vehicles coming from the other direction. The beach itself is gorgeous and pretty expansive. Take the time to walk around, check out the famous keyhole arch, and take in the lovely "purple" sand. I will say that the sand isn't super purple per se, but there are definitely tints of purple throughout as you can kind of tell in the photo. The one thing I would warn about is how windy it gets! We came on a perfectly clear day, but the wind was still blowing like crazy and you will inevitably end up with sand everywhere. This did hamper our experience a bit, but I would still suggest stopping by for a visit if you are driving through Big Sur!
One of the few dog friendly places in Big Sur, this beach is breathtakingly beautiful and is a must stop if you visit Big Sur. While this beach is touristy, it's not overly crowded and we visited during Saturday afternoon. I think it can get worse during sunset hours so make sure to arrive earlier. Parking is plenty as they now have two parking lots. They do charge $15/car and they accept credit card. Although sort of faded, there are purple sands all over the beach and the color gets more intense as you go higher up to the dunes. Our pup had such a wonderful time on this beach and she started zoomie (which means she approved this beach). And as with most beaches in Big Sur area, this beach is not suitable for swimming.
Reviewing a beach?!? This feels so weird, but trust me, this beach is worth a review. Pfeiffer is a somewhat "hidden" beach in the Big Sur area. The turn off isn't well marked and it is a bit of a long crazy drive from CA-1. That being said, it is a state park and it's well appointed with paved lots and camping style hole in the ground toilets when you get there. They limit the attendance based on the amount of parking spaces so while the beach won't feel crowded you may have a tough time getting in on a busy weekend. There is someone stationed at the top so you can't even drive down unless there is available parking, but there is also no where to wait if there isn't. So you might have to circle out to main road and back a few times. As I'm sure you are aware, the highlight is the purple sand - and it's legit. It's not the entire beach, it's in sections formed by some sort of magic run off from the rocks after it rains. It's really amazing. Lots of other great photo spots as well, it's an Instagram friendly beach so you will see many more folks taking photos than enjoying the beach, but it's really cool, feels somewhat secluded and special even though it's popular. Worth going out of your way for!
Yes, it's a single lane road, and yes, you feel like you're playing chicken since there is not much room when passing a vehicle going the other way. But it's worth every bit of anxiety to visit this beautiful beach. This is the place for those who want to find beautiful pictures for their vacation album. You can definitely can find purple sand. It takes a short walk down the beach to find it. Finally, bring $15 cash to drop in an envelope in case the attendant is not there.
Pfeiffer Beach is extremely popular, and I can see why, to a degree. Anticipate having a hard time to find the actual entrance, as there is no actual signage. You will drive down a small road for about 10 minutes, before coming upon an entrance. You will pay a $12 fee. They do not take the national park annual card, despite being part of a national forest because they are "privately operated." Parking is easy. My main complaint is that, although you will enjoy some beautiful scenery, it is perennially windy in this location, so the degree of enjoyability will decrease. Adventurers/rock climbers will enjoy the scramble up the giant rock cliff for some gorgeous views. Sand will get everywhere, so try to keep your belongings packed. I would say, skip this, because its just the hype, and maximize quality nature time at Big Sur State Park, or check out McWay Falls.
Get your cameras ready. This spot is a must see. I have been to Big Sur many times, but I recently came to this beach for the first time and I got so lucky and was able to be there during sunset even though they have a very strict parking lot rule. When the parking lot is full, they will advise you to turn around and check back in and it's not a for sure that you will get into the parking lot. It is all luck and so if you really really want to check it out, I would recommend getting here earlier in the day. The rocks on the beach are so perfect to see the sun shining through, and it is such a special moment, but be prepared to spend your special moment with lots of other people. In my opinion, it's so worth it, it's so beautiful just keep in mind that parking is tight.
"Not all beaches are fun and sunscreen."― Bryant A. Loney, To Hear The Ocean Sigh Eh... I hate being the outlier here, but the truth needs to be told. If you know me you know I love two things: food and nature. So for me to give this place 3-stars is pretty difficult, but it feels right. Here's the G,M,&U: The Good: -Purple sand (i.e., manganese garnet) is pretty righteous and very unique part of this beach. -Its nature! Great views, rock formations and the sand itself is nice and firm and walk-able. -Restrooms -Decent amount of parking (±50 spots) -Dog-friendly The Meh: -It's actually a pretty small stretch of usable beach (±1/2-mile) -Surf is pretty rough in the area -Really only good for picnicking and not much else The Ugly: -It's run by the NPS and not the state, so $12 to get in is a bit exorbitant considering there's really not much to do. -The road to get here is a giant shit-show With all that said its still worth one visit to check out the purple sand but otherwise no real reason to come back. So many other better beaches to go picnic at than this place.
I love the patches of purple sand... It wasn't a perfect day to spend a day on the beach since the weather was cold and windy. And yet the beach had many visitors just admiring the coast from here. Entrance to the beach property is $12. Getting there is part of the adventure. Be aware that the road to get there is tight with some parts unpaved, it is a one lane road and the parking lot closest to the beach is small but if you came early in the day (we arrived at 9:30a) you will secure a parking spot easily. We had no problems. There is a second parking lot not too far. Both lots are paved but can get full easily most especially during the summer I can imagine. We walked almost to the end of beach. We went at low tide and people were climbing the rocks close to the shore. We weren't that daring except for one area where we climbed and watched the waves come crashing against the big rocks in the sea caves. The Keyhole Arch, the large rock that is a main element of Pfeiffer State Beach, was also a cool scene to capture some photos. The purple sand!! I was intrigued when I saw patches of it during our walk. I didn't know there was such a thing. I found out later that Pfeiffer Beach is famously known as "the purple sand beach" in Big Sur. What made them purple? After a quick research I found out that the purple colors are caused by the different minerals present in the sand. Sand is usually mostly made of quartz, but at this beach there are areas of concentrated garnet which are purple in color. So cool! Purple is my favorite color :) We walked through a densely covered area of trees before arriving at the opening to the beach and once we were there we were greeted with a beautiful picturesque scenery. We found the beach well worth the trip. This was our second stop of our Gulf Coast adventure. Review #1686
Yes, there really is purple sand. Is it worth the $12 with a chance to be turned away at the road entrance? After an hour visit during a cold November morning I'd still say yes! The unmarked road (about a mile south of the pfeiffer campgrpund) is basically a 2 mile one lane road with many turnouts for car passing. Generally speaking the cars going up have right of way and those going down need to yield and pull over. - Bring water shoes - You will get sandy - Extra layers of clothing if it's cold because it will be very cold and windy on the beach. - Watch out for deer while driving on the beach road. NOTE: Because of the popularity of this beach and the limited parking spaces (61) there's a good chance there will be a ranger at the top of the road limiting access. Get there before noon and before 4PM if you're looking to see the sunset.
Absolutely amazing beach. The purple sand alone makes it feel special, and the dramatic rock formations and crashing waves make it one of the most beautiful spots on the California coast. Number one tip is to come at low tide so you can explore the tide pools and see all the sea life. Just be sure to respect it and leave everything as you found it. It is incredible how much you can discover when the water pulls back. This was definitely a highlight of our trip to Big Sur and Monterey. A must visit if you are anywhere in the area. read more
11 months ago
Beautiful beach, dog friendly, $15/car, windy in the morning, limited parking, hard to find with no reception. Here you'll see tide pools, the keyhole arch rock formation & purple sand (near the back of the beach). We spent an hour here. read more
My husband and I had watched YouTube videos about Pfeiffer Beach and wanted to check out the purple sand and the keyhole arches. It's a long windy road to get there. It reminded us of the road to Hana. The fee was $15. There were two parking lots. Glad we parked in the closer one, as it was cold and super windy. It was a short walk to the beach and the beautiful purple sand. We loved the keyhole arches too. Unfortunately, it was just too windy so we didn't stay very long. However, we did get some great pictures. read more
3 months ago
A buddy of mine posted a set of photos recently that peeked my interest in a trip to the Beach and specifically to see Keyhole Arch .. There's a phenomena that the sun sets behind the rock for the month of January and shines like an otherworldly portal. I drove down last night, it's approx 10miles south of Bixby Bridge.. you take a right off the main drag and then have approx 2 miles of single lane road akin to driving in the back tracks of the Santa Cruz mountains... Parking was plentiful, the gate attendant was super friendly, $15 entry fee later and into a plentiful parking area... I hope the pictures attached do it justice.. suffice to say I recommend it as a destination especially if your a photographer... Suspect it's as pretty year round ! read more
3 years ago
#593, 36/2023 Stunning! Beach access along Big Sur isn't ubiquitous. This secluded beach with Pacific waves, pin hole rocks and ample sands, that's not crowded on a beautiful summer day is a gift. The only negative thing was strong winds low to the ground. It was cool to view mini sand dunes being formed but whipping sands were bothersome. IDT it's this windy most of the time. PB is known for their purple crystal sands and the winter solstice sun setting through the pin hole rocks. The purple crystal sands were sparsely visible. Even so this beach is visually spectacular. I could easily read a book, get some sun or watch the Pacific for hours here. The waves just silence all the noise. It's $15 per car for the parking / access and parking is ample. There are restrooms at the parking lot. This beach is not the easiest to locate. Drive slowly on approach as the turn is sharp off PCH and is easy to miss. Then it's another two miles of SLOW one lane drive to the ranger hosted entrance. Part of the drive includes coastal redwoods which is a bonus :). The road is much better after the ranger entrance and the beach is a short walk through cypress trees from the parking lot. Recommend sunglasses and a beach towel to protect against the wind and sand. PB is unspoiled and clean. Parking here is more than at other state parks along Big Sur and the wicked sand whipping was brutal. read more
2 years ago
8 months ago
Google Maps "Pfeiffer Beach" and NOT "Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park" as it will lead you to the campsite. Coming North from Monterey, the Sycamore Canyon Road is hard to find (don't mistake this for the private Pfeiffer Ridge Rd) as the area has spotty reception. If you're on the Canyon Bridge then you're past the road. The trick is looking for the "Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park" sign on the left side and avoiding the first corner with visible mailboxes & a gate and driving to a sharp right turn into a narrow mostly unmaintained 2 mile road leading to the Day Use Fee Area ranger booth. We came in on Veteran's Day at 9AM and there were plenty of spots available. There are bathrooms in this parking lot. The beach was just short walk and we found some surfers riding the waves. You'd see a couple of arch formations as you walk along the right side and make out the purple sand with the right lighting conditions. First time here and spent an hour slow strolling the beach. read more
2 years ago
First thing, you didn't go the way wrong! It was a narrow turn. It's a narrow even more to it. Watch out of incoming cars and share the road. There's a $15 toll on a Saturday I went. Around 4:30pm doesn't seem bad. Only one car was coming out and had just even room to pass each other. There's two parking. First one is extra parking. 2 mins walk to the main parking with restroom. No running water so bring hand wipes and hold your breath. Beautiful beach! Dog friendly. Clean. No poop around or trash. SO KEEP IT CLEAN read more
Great beach spot along highway 1 but it can be hard to find parking and the wind can get pretty crazy by the water! We initially tried to visit Pfeiffer Beach on a Thursday at around 2pm but unfortunately the parking lots were full so we got turned around. Luckily, we were in the area for the entire afternoon so we came back to Pfeiffer Beach later at around 5pm and there were plenty of parking spots. This is definitely a popular place for folks to visit so don't be surprised if you are turned around at the entrance! Once you get past the entrance, there's about a 2 mile drive along a narrow uneven road until you actually get to the parking lots and the beach itself. Drive slowly and pull to the side as needed if there are vehicles coming from the other direction. The beach itself is gorgeous and pretty expansive. Take the time to walk around, check out the famous keyhole arch, and take in the lovely "purple" sand. I will say that the sand isn't super purple per se, but there are definitely tints of purple throughout as you can kind of tell in the photo. The one thing I would warn about is how windy it gets! We came on a perfectly clear day, but the wind was still blowing like crazy and you will inevitably end up with sand everywhere. This did hamper our experience a bit, but I would still suggest stopping by for a visit if you are driving through Big Sur! read more
3 years ago
One of the few dog friendly places in Big Sur, this beach is breathtakingly beautiful and is a must stop if you visit Big Sur. While this beach is touristy, it's not overly crowded and we visited during Saturday afternoon. I think it can get worse during sunset hours so make sure to arrive earlier. Parking is plenty as they now have two parking lots. They do charge $15/car and they accept credit card. Although sort of faded, there are purple sands all over the beach and the color gets more intense as you go higher up to the dunes. Our pup had such a wonderful time on this beach and she started zoomie (which means she approved this beach). And as with most beaches in Big Sur area, this beach is not suitable for swimming. read more
Reviewing a beach?!? This feels so weird, but trust me, this beach is worth a review. Pfeiffer is a somewhat "hidden" beach in the Big Sur area. The turn off isn't well marked and it is a bit of a long crazy drive from CA-1. That being said, it is a state park and it's well appointed with paved lots and camping style hole in the ground toilets when you get there. They limit the attendance based on the amount of parking spaces so while the beach won't feel crowded you may have a tough time getting in on a busy weekend. There is someone stationed at the top so you can't even drive down unless there is available parking, but there is also no where to wait if there isn't. So you might have to circle out to main road and back a few times. As I'm sure you are aware, the highlight is the purple sand - and it's legit. It's not the entire beach, it's in sections formed by some sort of magic run off from the rocks after it rains. It's really amazing. Lots of other great photo spots as well, it's an Instagram friendly beach so you will see many more folks taking photos than enjoying the beach, but it's really cool, feels somewhat secluded and special even though it's popular. Worth going out of your way for! read more
2 years ago
Yes, it's a single lane road, and yes, you feel like you're playing chicken since there is not much room when passing a vehicle going the other way. But it's worth every bit of anxiety to visit this beautiful beach. This is the place for those who want to find beautiful pictures for their vacation album. You can definitely can find purple sand. It takes a short walk down the beach to find it. Finally, bring $15 cash to drop in an envelope in case the attendant is not there. read more
Pfeiffer Beach is extremely popular, and I can see why, to a degree. Anticipate having a hard time to find the actual entrance, as there is no actual signage. You will drive down a small road for about 10 minutes, before coming upon an entrance. You will pay a $12 fee. They do not take the national park annual card, despite being part of a national forest because they are "privately operated." Parking is easy. My main complaint is that, although you will enjoy some beautiful scenery, it is perennially windy in this location, so the degree of enjoyability will decrease. Adventurers/rock climbers will enjoy the scramble up the giant rock cliff for some gorgeous views. Sand will get everywhere, so try to keep your belongings packed. I would say, skip this, because its just the hype, and maximize quality nature time at Big Sur State Park, or check out McWay Falls. read more
3 years ago
Get your cameras ready. This spot is a must see. I have been to Big Sur many times, but I recently came to this beach for the first time and I got so lucky and was able to be there during sunset even though they have a very strict parking lot rule. When the parking lot is full, they will advise you to turn around and check back in and it's not a for sure that you will get into the parking lot. It is all luck and so if you really really want to check it out, I would recommend getting here earlier in the day. The rocks on the beach are so perfect to see the sun shining through, and it is such a special moment, but be prepared to spend your special moment with lots of other people. In my opinion, it's so worth it, it's so beautiful just keep in mind that parking is tight. read more
"Not all beaches are fun and sunscreen."― Bryant A. Loney, To Hear The Ocean Sigh Eh... I hate being the outlier here, but the truth needs to be told. If you know me you know I love two things: food and nature. So for me to give this place 3-stars is pretty difficult, but it feels right. Here's the G,M,&U: The Good: -Purple sand (i.e., manganese garnet) is pretty righteous and very unique part of this beach. -Its nature! Great views, rock formations and the sand itself is nice and firm and walk-able. -Restrooms -Decent amount of parking (±50 spots) -Dog-friendly The Meh: -It's actually a pretty small stretch of usable beach (±1/2-mile) -Surf is pretty rough in the area -Really only good for picnicking and not much else The Ugly: -It's run by the NPS and not the state, so $12 to get in is a bit exorbitant considering there's really not much to do. -The road to get here is a giant shit-show With all that said its still worth one visit to check out the purple sand but otherwise no real reason to come back. So many other better beaches to go picnic at than this place. read more
I love the patches of purple sand... It wasn't a perfect day to spend a day on the beach since the weather was cold and windy. And yet the beach had many visitors just admiring the coast from here. Entrance to the beach property is $12. Getting there is part of the adventure. Be aware that the road to get there is tight with some parts unpaved, it is a one lane road and the parking lot closest to the beach is small but if you came early in the day (we arrived at 9:30a) you will secure a parking spot easily. We had no problems. There is a second parking lot not too far. Both lots are paved but can get full easily most especially during the summer I can imagine. We walked almost to the end of beach. We went at low tide and people were climbing the rocks close to the shore. We weren't that daring except for one area where we climbed and watched the waves come crashing against the big rocks in the sea caves. The Keyhole Arch, the large rock that is a main element of Pfeiffer State Beach, was also a cool scene to capture some photos. The purple sand!! I was intrigued when I saw patches of it during our walk. I didn't know there was such a thing. I found out later that Pfeiffer Beach is famously known as "the purple sand beach" in Big Sur. What made them purple? After a quick research I found out that the purple colors are caused by the different minerals present in the sand. Sand is usually mostly made of quartz, but at this beach there are areas of concentrated garnet which are purple in color. So cool! Purple is my favorite color :) We walked through a densely covered area of trees before arriving at the opening to the beach and once we were there we were greeted with a beautiful picturesque scenery. We found the beach well worth the trip. This was our second stop of our Gulf Coast adventure. Review #1686 read more
Yes, there really is purple sand. Is it worth the $12 with a chance to be turned away at the road entrance? After an hour visit during a cold November morning I'd still say yes! The unmarked road (about a mile south of the pfeiffer campgrpund) is basically a 2 mile one lane road with many turnouts for car passing. Generally speaking the cars going up have right of way and those going down need to yield and pull over. - Bring water shoes - You will get sandy - Extra layers of clothing if it's cold because it will be very cold and windy on the beach. - Watch out for deer while driving on the beach road. NOTE: Because of the popularity of this beach and the limited parking spaces (61) there's a good chance there will be a ranger at the top of the road limiting access. Get there before noon and before 4PM if you're looking to see the sunset. read more
4 years ago
Oh dear, oh dear. What no one will tell you is that the way there might ruin your suspension. The road (and I use the term loosely) is seemingly endless, through forest with no cell service, no signs and one is unsure of the way. It's single lane, so if you meet an incoming vehicle, one of you will need to back up. There are So. Many. Potholes. I mean potholes the like of which you've never seen. The bathrooms are the standard terrifying dark pits of the underworld that claim to be outhouses. Trust me, your kid is going to pee in the trash can rather than sit there. Make sure everyone has bathroom breaks before you even go to the entrance. (The entrance is a death defying hairpin turn from the highway btw). That being said, it's actually worth it. Look at the pictures, it's incredible. The sand is more dark than the claimed purple, but that's a minor point. read more
This beach is beautiful! Unfortunately we ended up here on an extremely windy day, but that didn't stop us. We had fun walking down the beach taking pictures. The beach was very clean with beautiful water! We will definitely be back- hopefully less wind next time! read more
Wondrous purple sandy beach with waves crashing through and on the magnificent rocks to include the infamous Keyhole Rock. If you have stumbled upon this serene and blissful not easy to find hang along PCH in Big Sur, well then you are on Pfeiffer Beach! You read it right, a purple sandy beach that is created by the manganese garnet that is washed down from the hillsides above, giving Pfeiffer Beach its unique, distinctive purple sand. We found the further north we went the more we saw - it was alluringly BEAUTIFUL and we couldn't help but write our names and dig down to see if it indeed was purple....yeppers purple, purple, purple with our hearts and names adorned in the sand. Finding Purple Sandy Beach aka Pfeiffer Beach can be a bit tricky especially being off the grid in Big Sur, not only do you not have Wi-Fi at most of the near by places that you stay but no cell service, no radio reception so be sure to either print directions or screenshot because once you are in the area you phone is strictly for photographs. Directions to Pfeffier Beach if coming from the North and this helped us tremendously is at mile marker 45.64, when you see the small red stop sign and the BIG yellow sign that says 'NARROW ROAD - NO PEDISTRIANS - NO RVS - NO TRAILERS' with a sharp turn in you are there. From there approximately two miles down a narrow bumpy road through what appears to be a residential area you will occasionally have to pull to the side to allow other vehicles to pass to come out. You will finally arrive at your destination to pay the attendant on duty the $10 entrance fee to Pfeiffer Beach - wahooooo!! Get here early because the parking lot fills up, you WILL be turned away at the entrance by a California Park Ranger with the big yellow sign clearly stating that NO pedestrians are allowed to walk-in until someone has had their fill of the zen that is Pfeiffer Beach. Pfeiffer Beach or as I have cheekily now dubbed it the Purple Sandy Beach is completely worth stopping for...take the time if you are in the area to relax, watch and listen to waves crash along the shore and through Keyhole Rock. Dip your toes in the magical purple sand and ocean...just enjoy the serene, blissfulness of the beauty around, you will truly be swept away by Pfeiffer....oops Purple Sandy Beach!! read more
Beautiful beautiful beach! If you ever have the chance to go to Pfeiffer (Purple Sand) Beach, do it! I recommend coming right before sunset as you can see the sun setting and the sun rays hit the sand in just the right way to make the sand look purple. This beach is not easy to find. It is located off Highway 1 on a tiny road that has a yellow sign that says "Narrow Road." If the parking lot to the beach is full, there will be a ranger there, turning cars away. However, if there is no ranger, the beach is around 2 miles down a narrow, one way dirt road. I believe there is usually a parking fee, however my fiancee and I came right before sunset and they were not charging anyone to enter the beach. We only got to spend around 15 minutes at this beach since we came so close to sunset, however it was worth it. It was beautiful, pristine, and peaceful. read more
5 years ago
The road to this beach is very bumpy and winding. There's only a narrow road so cars have to give way to the other in order to pass. Only enough space for 1 car to go in or out. There is a bit of wait as there is only limited parking spaces so we had to wait for cars to leave in order for us to get a parking spot. The fee is $12 because you can not use the coastal highway parking pass here. The entire beach is not purple . There's only a small section of the beach on the right of the entrance that looks purple. The rest of the beach is just regular sand. My son blurted out that his Dad got scammed! Lol~ The beach is very nice with 2 caves that's super cool for pictures. It's a beautiful secluded beach. read more
SUPER neat beach! It is really hard to find and the road to get to it is a terrible drive, but it's worth the struggle! There's a parking lot at the end of the road with bathrooms and then a short walk to the beach. If you go to the right when you get to the sand you will see the purple sand. It is truly an amazing sight! I visited on a Friday in December around 2:00 and it was really crowded! I was surprised by that, but after walking for a ways we were able to get away from some of the crowd. Highly recommend this spot! read more
6 years ago
This beach is so worth the $12 in parking. Firstly, getting here might be a little be scary since it's pretty much a snaking one lane road with some blind spots in the final stretch. There are some turn outs where you can pull over to let oncoming cars pass by so just be aware of that. We went at the perfect time. It was probably 30-40 minutes before sunset in February. That meant that we were still able to catch the sun beams that shine through the archway in all of their glory and take in the full beauty of the beach. Later on, we were treated to a very beautiful sunset that included a red sun over the horizon. There is a lot of purple sand on the beach! I will say that the farther you walk down the beach, the more purple there is. There are some tide pools that you can look into but be careful because it can be slippery. I didn't see anything crazy in the tide pools but the adventure is still fun. One thing is that it's kind of a colder beach so if you are walking barefoot to avoid sand getting into your shoes, it's kind of cold. Not sure how to fix that. The sand was more packed further into the beach so it was a little easier to navigate that sand with shoes on. read more
6 years ago
My treasure map said the treasure will be here. I spoke to the pirates of the Caribbean to make sure there will be a landing dock. And to my surprise there wasn't. I was not bummed out. But I went looking for the x. I finally found it. The treasurer was there. It was the beach itself. I'd say you guys come here and search for the x. This beach made fall in love with California beaches. It is an epic movie beach. I did not see purple sand. But oh man this place is amazing. Go early and you will find parking. Go late and you won't. So pretty and nice. Not litter. read more
Came here mid-December with some classmates, driving from Stockton, CA, just looking for a good day trip. It's fairly close to Monterey and right next to Big Sur, so you can hit up all these places in one day if you choose to commit the entire day! It's a 3-4 hour trip from the Central Valley. Even mid-December, the beach was beautiful! (it's a cold beach, don't expect to be swimming here, especially mid-Dec) - come here with at least mid calf pants and a sweater! What it's known for - the keyhole rock in desk top pictures where the sun is shining through it, and the iconic purple sand. It is NOT the Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park (that's different) - this beach is super hidden, and if you're coming down on the highway, THE SIGN IS UNLABELED - it's a HARD SHARP right/left turn (depending what direction you're coming from) - and all it says is something generic like "narrow road," you would never know that it leads down to here. Also, $10 parking fee once you get there. That being said, it's definitely worth the find - the road to get there is pretty narrow and bumpy, but it's such a great beach. There's tons of giant rocks to climb and sit on top of. My friends and I brought a 6 pack of Lagunitas IPA and just chilled on the beach and drank while we watched the sun set. (Check out my friend Pat's pics I included with this review - they're gorgeous and you will love them). We spent like 3 hours just dipping our feet in the cold water, watching the waves, and taking in the sunset. Because it's so challenging to find, it's not that crowded (other than people who read Yelp I guess!). There's tons of photographers who leave their cameras parked in front of that keyhole rock, time-lapsing. 10/10 worth the views, especially if you love cold beaches! read more
Too many of us went on a Friday, arriving at 10:15am. There was plenty of parking at that time. It is $12 to get in, which is pretty steep for a beach, but I don't think I'll ever come back, so whatever. The road there has some gorgeous views, but also could be a swift death over a lot of cliffs, so don't take anyone with a fear of heights. The actual road at the hairpin turn off the highway is also single lane and full of potholes. I'm somewhat used to that due to the mountains near Redinger Lake where I grew up, but a lot of people will not be, and a lot of people were driving incredibly recklessly in the whole area. There's also no cell service, so no Yelp check ins and IG stories. This is easily the most work I've ever put in to seeing a beach. It's 3.5 hours from my city, and the route is treacherous. But, if you can get past all of that, you will find a gorgeous beach that is not even close to crowded. We stayed for 6 hours and it was never busy. It did get so windy that we finally packed up though. It was carrying chairs away and it ripped a tent. Serious wind. The purple sand is meh. Cool, but I would never come just for the sand. However, the views are gorgeous, and since it's not crowded, you can get a lot of good pictures without people in them. The pictures I got are pretty impressive, and I'm not a photographer. I was just using an iPhone 13, with no filters. Like I said, I'm glad I've gone, but I don't see myself going again. read more
We ventured out to Pfeiffer Beach to escape the East Bay heat. We were staying in Monterey so it was about a 45 minute drive from there. Keep in mind the one lane road to get there. Once we passed Pfeiffer State Park it is just a little further on a hidden road to the right. No signs so we missed it and luckily I had a little reception (mostly no service) and Siri got us to the right road. It is a single lane road. A ranger will tell you that it is a $12 fee and they won't let you through if there are no parking spaces down there. It's another 2 miles to the beach on the 1 lane road. However, as bumpy as it was it was totally worth it. Breathtaking to say the least. It wasn't crowded and the weather was perfect! Sand was thick and smooth. We walked to the other end where it was even cooler in weather and the sand was finer. Such beauty cannot be missed. Absolutely worth the drive. read more
Stunning. Breathtaking. Magnificent. Insert your own adjectives here. Pfeiffer Beach was our last stop on our Big Sur trip and the most memorable. I can easily say that this unique little slice of coastline is now one of my favorite beaches in California. Every beach is unique for its own reasons. Pfeiffer has a million unique features, from extended, "hidden" beaches that are sometimes deemed inaccessible due to high tide, to natural pools of warmer water where the kids can play off the beach, to beautiful rock formations, to a very cool area where people have started building stacks of stones in a sort of monument. It's all unique and all hard to describe without just experiencing. But if it's just ocean and sand you seek, there's plenty of that as well. We laid down a blanket and enjoyed a long beach of soft sand with relatively gentle surf. It was cold and mostly overcast, but that comes with the territory. Getting there isn't easy. I suppose that's on purpose. We had to ask a ranger who guided us to a sign you can only see from one direction, which then led us down to a bumpy, pot-holed 2-mile road. It's not the easiest to access, but it's well worth the extra time. read more
We had to leave and come back because the parking lot was full. It's $12 which is kind of steep just to visit the beach and it's privately owned. If you went to see purple sand you need to come after a rainstorm which we did. It's not like the whole beach is filled with purple sand, just streaks of it. It was pretty fascinating and probably the only one in the world which is nice. There's an iconic rock with a hole in the middle that everyone was taking a picture of / in front of. We spent maybe less than 30 minutes here as there wasn't too much to see and it was windy and cold. The road to the beach is paved but narrow and you need to be vigilant and yield to oncoming cars which was stressful. read more
4 years ago
I absolutely love this beach! The view is fantastic and the rock formations are cool too- especially the little tunnel in the big rock! There are many areas you can climb around on which is extremely fun, just be safe about it. My only major complaint would be the road to get to the beach. It was extremely narrow and very difficult to navigate with a medium sized car. If you don't have a ginormous car or a trailer, I would extremely recommend this beach if you are passing by! read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
Amazingly beautiful beach which really has purple sand! Parking is limited and was $10 the last couple of time I went. Also, they now have a ranger at the turn in point directing the cars back if the lot is full, to limit the traffic down the narrow path/road to actually reach the beach. To me, having the traffic to the beach controlled is a great way to limit the contamination, and keep this gorgeous beach clean. Definitely a gem down highway 1. read more
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More info about Pfeiffer Beach
Sycamore Canyon Rd
Big Sur, CA 93920
Directions
(805) 434-1996
Call Now
Visit Website
https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/lospadres/recreation/pfeiffer-beach-day-use
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Ask the Community - Pfeiffer Beach
Do you need a permit to take photos here?
Is there still purple sand? If so, is there a specific season when there is?
There is purple sand! I went recently 03/01/21 and there was purple sand. I went again around June 2020 and it was about 10am we saw purple sand. I would say by the entrance it should show!
Is it busy during the weekends?
I would imagine so. We went Sunday around 11:45 and it wasn't bad at all. However, when we were leaving around 2pm cars were waiting to get in. They won't let cars in if the parking lot is full. You may want to double check if roads are open with… Read more
Is the narrow road to the beach on a cliff or is it heavy brush and trees?
This is a narrow road with trees and brush NOT on a cliff, can be muddy with potholes through a residential area. You will have to pullover for other vehicles at some places.
Hello, I'm looking for a place that easy easy accessible to disabled and elderly person, would you think this would be a place easy to get to? Or would it be hard and long…
Hi Sarah! Vanessa is correct that the drive going there is not easy(Let me know if you need a video because I remember filming on our way there).Unfortunately for me I think its not accessible to disabled person especially if they're using… Read more
It's noted at the top of this page that the beach is scheduled to be re-opened on September 30th, 2017. Where does this information come from? I haven't been able to verify this myself.
Beach is open Fri from noon through the weekend. Road is closed during weekdays otherwise
Review Highlights - Pfeiffer Beach
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Pfeiffer Beach - beaches - Updated May 2026
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