Double Arch: A double arch in the rocks at Pfeiffer Beach near Big Sur, Calif., creates a beautiful scene as waves crash into the rock and splash in every direction. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Big Waves, Big Splashes: Waves smash against rocks along the shore of Pfeiffer Beach. The beach is one of the most picturesque beaches in the Big Sur region of California. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
By GARY WARREN
Photographer
Formerly of Los Alamos
Pfeiffer Beach is one of the most stunning beaches along the Big Sur coastline in central California. Located near the village of Big Sur, Pfeiffer Beach offers visitors some of the most picturesque views of the ocean and the Big Sur coastline.
The beach is tucked away down a narrow, winding road that traverses from Highway 1 to the coast. It is only a two-mile drive, but it can take several minutes to travel through the area of Sycamore Canyon. The route is filled with tall trees and foliage along the road that leads to the beach. One must get specific directions to the beach, and even then, you could pass up the small road that leads to the beach as there is no signage anywhere that directs visitors to Pfeiffer Beach.
Pfeiffer Beach features several sea stacks, which are large vertical rock formations in the ocean but near the shore. The stacks are caused by erosion of coastal cliffs over millions of years. Sea stacks can be seen along many coastal shores and several can be spotted along the central coast of California.
The sea stacks at Pfeiffer Beach feature a double arch and another that features a keyhole. One could sit and watch and listen to waves as they continually come ashore and crash into the stacks and as waves splash through the arches and the keyhole.
Another unique feature of this beach is the purple sand seen in some areas. The purple sand is created by manganese garnet deposits, which wash onto the beach from the mountains above. The sand is most easily spotted following a rain while the sky is overcast with clouds. We did see some areas of the sand, but the day was bright and sunny, making the sand less prominent.
One thing you will not see much of is people in the water along the shore. Swimming is discouraged because of dangerous currents and the fact that the water is ice cold most of the time!
We rented a car for our days at Big Sur for ease of driving and parking as well as some roads are restricted to vehicles of 20 feet or less. That was the case with the road to Pfeiffer Beach.
There were many memorable moments and sites while we visited Big Sur but the visit to Pfeiffer Beach was definitely a highlight.
Editor’s note: Longtime Los Alamos photographer Gary Warren and his wife Marilyn are traveling around the country, and he shares his photographs, which appear in the “Posts from the Road” series published in the Sunday edition of the Los Alamos Daily Post.
Keyhole: A keyhole arch creates a stunning sight as waves crash into the sea stack and waters pour through the keyhole. For a short time in January, near the winter solstice, sunlight creates a striking view as sunlight passes through the keyhole. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Stroll: Beach goers enjoy a relaxing stroll along the shore at Pfeiffer Beach near Big Sur, Calif. The geological features of the sea stacks, rocks, and mountains along the shore continually create a new scene as one walks the length of the beach. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Rocky Beach: Several horizontal rock formations cover the grounds along a stretch of Pfeiffer Beach. The views are spectacular almost anywhere along the ocean’s shore. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Picturesque: Rocks, sea stacks and crashing waves create a picturesque scene at Pfeiffer Beach. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Blooms and Cypress Trees: Ice plants in full spring bloom cover the grounds at Pfeiffer Beach. The parking lot is about a 1/4 mile walk from the beach through a forest of Monterey Cypress trees. This scene is on the beach as one walks toward the parking lot. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com