this is a hidden gem for the Californians. Enjoy the quietness next to the ocean. we also spotted…read moresea ottar in water.

Our twelfth stop (09:42) on the Cabrillo Highway on our southbound trip through Big Sur, this dirt…read moreturn off provides unmarked parking to get clear views of the Partington Cove trail that will take you down to see the cove. We couldn't take the hike down but there were already cars parked on the side of the road to allow easy entry onto the trailhead. No cell reception in this area.

I fell I love with this beach many years ago. The drive here is INCREDIBLE! I literally have dreams…read moreabout driving under the bridge! You go under to get to this secluded beach off of Hwy 1. I had no idea that you could choose between 3 different campsites until I decided I HAD to be under the moonlight at the beach on 2.22.22 at 2:22 pm. And the views are BREATH TAKING from the beach campsite. They were also freezing, windy, and WET in February! And all of the trails were closed when we visited due to the fire, but it was like a little slice of Heaven to disconnect and spend 2 nights off the grid with great folks. The rangers who serve this place are BEYOND friendly, and they do an awesome job of keeping the bathrooms clean. I believe they were cleaned 3 times a day. And the campsites were so self contained, you really had no idea there were up to 29 sites there. Camping on the beach meant you heard the crash of waves all night long. It was so very peaceful! And while the view looked almost warm, there was NOTHING warm about being there in February. But if you had a camper, and the right gear, the rain and wind would be worth it just to burn that image eternally into your mind! I hope I can snag this location during the warmer months. I'm just in love with everything about LimeKiln.

Heads up a number of trails are still closed from the fire so it's not possible to access the falls…read moreand other trails as in the past. We had site #6 near the beach. The sites are very close to each other. Our first night before our immediate neighbors arrived was amazing - incredible views of the beach/ocean from the campsite and very peaceful. Restrooms including shower were nearby and cleaned every morning. Next night, we were surrounded by big groups on both sides and it felt like a parking lot tent city and it did not seem like car parking restrictions were enforced. The sites are so close we could hear intense snoring on both sides. Neighboring kids would come and smack/kick at our dogs - they were young but still not cool and I was annoyed their parents stood by and watched. We will try Kirk Creek instead next time to get more space. Pros - we loved the incredible access to the beach. Amenities seemed to work well (until inconsiderate folks started to ignore basic human decency like flushing!). Cons - no access to internet (despite it being available but it is locked), some beach sites are very close together, trails closed.

Great trail with an opportunity for an epic view of the coastline…read more With many of the State Parks in the area closing down their hiking trails (Spring 2019) I was lucky to find the Mill Creek trail. This hike exceeded my expectations. The Yelp page directions were spot on and we arrived at the dirt parking lot. The trailhead is right along the road. This is a family-friendly trail, and I think I booked about 3.5 miles total. There are some small ups and downs but overall not too bad.. There was a lot of green during our hike and many tall redwoods.. Tips - My top tip is that after you've hiked just drive up the road from the parking lot for about a mile. There will be amazing views when you get to highest point facing the coastline. - Make sure you have Google maps installed on your phone (for the gps)... just in case you accidentally go off trail. - Tons of poison oak. Long pants required. - If you have kids, there will be a fork in the trail not too far from the trailhead. Right side path goes straight down the steap side of the hill. You can take this and check out the creek if you don't want to do the full hike. - Basic rule is to stay along the main creek trail until you get to a point to cross it.. This is confusing because when you reach the point that the creek is in your way there are multiple paths you can take. The few people we saw on this hike all went different directions from here. We crossed the creek and we were okay.

We decided to do this hike on our way back to the Bay Area. It was amazing and we are so glad we…read moredid. We were the only ones in the parking lot that morning and it felt like we had the whole hike to ourselves. Coming in the spring was great since everything was growing, lush, green, and the water was roaring. So serene.

A beautiful CA national park. We did 2 short hikes in one day…read more The pinnacle rocks and the caves are SO cool! Parking was really easy for the trails we wanted to access. National Park pass is required.

This was such a fun park. A little out of the way but way worth the trip!…read more A small fee to enter. It's worth it because it goes to take care of upkeep and in the summer, there's a lot of people so this little bit helps. You will want to have a flashlight on hand to go through the caves here as there are long spots you are in the dark climbing up and down stairs or down or up through boulders. Headlamps are best but a flashlight will work too. I started out day 1 on one side and had so much fun hiking through the park and crawling through the rock caves. I spent a little time talking to the Park Rangers to find the best place for me to hike that wasn't too long. Reaching the top of the mountain and walking back down with the amazing views, all the Turkey Vultures and other birds and wildlife was spectacular. The trails, though not necessarily well marked which way is which were well traveled so you knew you weren't going to get lost going off trail. The second day I hit the other side of the park to do Bear Gulch Caves. Excellent cave! Parking at the foot is limited even about 1/4 mile down next to info shop and restrooms is limited so be patient. You may have to park further down as summer comes. This is the only bathroom but very well maintained. There is water running down through this cave and when you reach the top, there a tight squeeze through the rocks and then an amazing payoff with the reservoir. Great spot to watch the birds, Dragon Flies, walk around some of the reservoir before hiking back out down along the very well traveled path past rock climbers to the parking lot again. I highly recommend this fantastic park not just for the excellent caves but for all the good hiking trails. There is some camping and even a pool further down towards the entrance on one side. The Rangers here are full of knowledge and very friendly and professional. Excellent experience!!

Great campground with the Big Sur river running right through it. Loved the quick hike up to the…read morewaterfall through the redwoods. Lots of great shady sites and some really nice sites right on the river. Showers were nice and reasonably priced. If you are feeling lazy and don't want to cook, you can check out the restaurant/ coffee shop, also a nice little gift shop. There is also a store at the back of the campground that has ice , snacks , firewood and a small laundry facility which was super convenient !! Great woodsy campground with great amenities!!

BEST SPOT TO SEE RED WOODS. Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is a sprawling, 1,000-acre sanctuary…read morecentered around the pristine Big Sur River. Often nicknamed "mini Yosemite," it trades direct beach access for dramatic inland scenery, boasting spectacular valleys, forested peaks, and dense groves of ancient coast redwoods. Ancient Redwood Groves: The park is famous for its majestic coast redwoods, with some trees measuring over 1,000 years old. Accessible walkways, like the Redwood Deck, allow visitors to stand among these towering giants. Diverse Hiking Trails: Trails cater to all skill levels, ranging from the flat and easy Nature Trail loop to the challenging, steep ascent up the Buzzards Roost Trail, which rewards hikers with panoramic views of the ocean and mountains. On-Site Lodging and Camping: Unlike many rugged coastal stops, this park features developed accommodations, including a large campground alongside the river and the historic Big Sur Lodge, which provides comfortable cabins and a restaurant. The redwoods you see growing in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park (as well as nearby Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park are Coast Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens), the tallest living species of tree on Earth. The groves found throughout the park are particularly special because they mark the southernmost boundary of where the coast redwood species naturally thrives in significant numbers. Because they are located at the southern edge of their natural geographic range, the climate here is slightly drier and warmer than the dense, misty rainforests of Northern California. While they generally do not reach the record-shattering heights of their northern cousins in Humboldt or Redwood National Park, they are incredibly impressive, with many individual trees in the park towering well over 200 feet tall and thriving for upwards of 800 to 1,000 years. They rely heavily on the marine fog flowing through the Big Sur River gorge to stay hydrated during the dry summer months

The Salmon Creek Trail and Waterfall is one of the funner places to take the family along Highway 1…read morein lower Monterey County. This trail is located about 3.5 miles north of the Ragged Point Inn along the middle of large bend in the road. There's a pull-off just north of the trailhead. You have to walk across the bridge to get to the actually trail. After a short walk down the trail you will come to a fork in the road. Follow the arrow to the "Balls".. It used to say Falls but someone changed it to "Balls"... This is a review of the Waterfall Trail that is a split off from the Salmon Creek Trail. The waterfall is less than a quarter mile so most families can make it to the waterfall. Those seeking to access the actual water pool will have to do some hiking over slippery rocks and cold rushing water. That's not advisable unless you're a crafty hiker. Your reward is to stand below, or even behind a 120-foot waterfall. The best pictures have to be earned the hard way on this hike. There's also a cave in this same area. Tips - The rocks here are slippery!! If you want to get to the base of the waterfall I recommend water shoes or just using you bare feet. - Check out the tunnel and graffiti under the bridge.. The trail is just off area where you park, don't cross the bridge, rather just walk down the tiny trail to the base of the bridge ( see my picture).

Short hike from the turn out. Definitely a good pit stop on the drive to big sur. The trail can be…read morea little bit confusing when you're trying to get to the upper falls. Will definitely have to climb some rocks but worth it. We didn't climb to the upper falls because there was quite a few people.

This post is looong overdue becuase I believe the highway 1 now near this waterfall is closed from…read more2025 to 2026 (but check) I love, love, love waterfalls, and this spot is absolutely gorgeous. McWay Falls feels truly magical, the way the waterfall spills onto the beach and meets the turquoise ocean is breathtaking. This waterfalls combines two of my favorite things (the beach and waterfall so what's there not to love). The views are stunning, peaceful, and unlike anywhere else. An unforgettable stop along the coast and one of the most beautiful natural sights I've ever seen. I wish there was a way to hike down, but there isn't, I guess it's a good thing as it preserves this spots natural beauty

McWay Falls is one of the most iconic and photographed landmarks along the Big Sur coast, famous…read morefor its ethereal, postcard-perfect scenery. Located within Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, it is one of the few waterfalls in California that empties directly into the ocean. Unique Tide Falls: The stunning 80-foot waterfall flows year-round from McWay Creek, dropping over a jagged granite cliff directly onto the pristine sands of a picturesque, turquoise cove, or into the waves at high tide. Effortless Viewpoint Trail: The falls are reached via an exceptionally short and accessible 0.5-mile round-trip trail, making it a quick and highly rewarding stop right off Highway 1. This trail was unfortunately closed during my visit, but we could still see the falls

The hike kicked our ass, a lot to adventure and see. I think in total we had almost 15,000 steps…read moreand climbed about 109 stairs.

Come here if you want to feel like katniss, the part before she volunteered as a tribute and spent…read moremost of her days hunting in the woods. This hike is no joke. Beware of bringing noobs on this hike because Ewoldsen will work you so hard and so good. In addition to being steep as hell, the trail is also narrow af. You have to basically hug the wall of the mountain to let the opposite traffic go. Sharing is caring! But be very careful because doing that stunt gets even scarier the higher you go up. The trail starts off only one path in the beginning. Right at the beginning, it's okay to take it a little bit easy. It's very chill at this point. And then suddenly, you face this "almost vertical looking" path and you're thinking to yourself "aw shit. What did I get myself into." But it's too late to turn back. I mean, you can but you traveled so far just to conquer this monster Ewoldsen. You might as well finish it and show off what you achieved! Anyway, somewhere along the trail, a wild fork appears. Which one to take? Left or right?? Choose wisely because one leads you to a never ending path! Just kidding. (Although, you may start thinking that about the entire hike). Per advice from people in the opposite traffic, My friends and I chose left. We really should have went right so that we went counter clockwise because then we would be climbing up less. I don't know if that made sense. We went left. And we ended up going up steep hills so if we had went right, we would be actually going down those hills instead of up. It's actually a loop so technically it doesn't matter if you choose left or right. You will end up at the same fork after completing the loop. The view on the top was stunning. Although, the McWay falls trail produced a prettier picture, you will feel more accomplished once you see the small waterfall from all the way on top of the ewoldsen loop.

What an amazing hidden treasure. Hard to find and if you know you know. Not easy to find no markers…read moreits about 800 feet south of sand dollar beach. Hike through some poison ivy into a cool meadow over looking the beautiful cove. Now finding your way down is no joke adventurous people only. Need to find the cliff with the ropes and hold on tight as you cascade the cliff. Once at the bottom you feel amazing like you conquered a hidden secret Now climbing back up I thought would be tough however climbing back up is much easier than going down. This is not for the weak but totally worth it. Highly recommend. Jade well thats the color of the water and if thats what you're searching for I suggest diving for it.

Fun, but getting there can be tricky. I used the AllTrails app to find Jade Cove. I then opened up…read morethe Jade Cove map and looked for the blue dot (my car) going along highway 1. I pulled over at the trail marker.. It worked perfectly. The best part of this experience was the short but precarious hike down to the cove. You'll be required to use a rope to hike down to the beach and back up again. The rope is a permanent fixture. Kids seven and over could do it without any assistance. When at the beach you'll see a lot of green rocks, mostly serpentine. The rule is that you can take anything you like as long as the "tide" ocean is able to touch it. The tidal range goes all the way to the cliffside. - There is no highway sign for jade cove anymore. That was taken down many years ago. - Check the tides and try to come here at low tide. - If you can, when you're at the bottom of the rope hike southward to the next cove. Better rocks over there.

A very short trek to the ocean from Hwy 1. The only drawback are the narrow trails where you can't…read moreavoid the brush. The lighting makes for great photos against the cove and emerald turquoise water.