South Central California Coast
Traveling the Pacific coast on Highway 1 between San Simeon and Carmel through Big Sur is filled with spectacular scenery, where turquoise waters crash against rugged cliffs and mountains rise straight from the ocean. For more than 60 miles, the road winds along the cliff faces, providing breathtaking views around every corner. Along the way are retreats that provide some exceptional photo opportunities, as well as side roads to points of interest and state parks with hiking trails.
Just north of San Simeon is Ragged Point lookout, showing what lies ahead and, for the brave at heart, a stepped path down the cliff face leads to the rocky shoreline. Just off the road is the Piedra Blancas Lighthouse, a historic park and wildlife sanctuary that is a reminder of our seafaring past. Not only do the retreats provide spectacular views of the coastline, but sea lions call parts of this area home.
Big Sur Highway is much more than where the mountains meet the Pacific Ocean, it portrays the beauty of the Santa Lucia mountains, where hiking trails take one into the forest. Limekiln State Park, near the small community of Lucia, has three trails, each a half-mile one way with only modest elevation changes. The well-groomed Hare Canyon Trail follows one of the creeks through some of the oldest redwood trees along the Big Sur coastline. At the end of the lime kiln trail are the kilns that were built around the turn of the century. A little more challenging is the Falls Trail where one has to cross the creek in four places and the elevations are a bit steeper but well worth the effort. The end of the trail features a 100-foot fan-shaped waterfall into a small swimmable pool.
One of the most iconic spots along the coast is Mc Way Falls in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. A modest half-mile trail leads under the road to a cliff-side overlook that offers a breathtaking view of the waterfall plunging 80 feet onto a sandy beach and at high tide directly into the ocean. For some shorter hikes, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is the perfect place. The 0.64-mile looping river trail leads along the Big Sur River through lush Redwood forest with plenty of picnic spots, or the half-mile round trip to the Big Sur River Gorge, an area undeveloped natural.
Speaking of bridges, the Big Sur Expressway has quite a few; however, the highway is home to one of the tallest single-span bridges in the world. The Bixby Creek Bridge opened in 1932 and spans Rainbow Canyon and is surrounded by mountains and rises 260 feet above beautiful turquoise waters, providing a sight not soon to be forgotten.
At the northern end of the Big Spur shoreline, near Carmel, is the Point Lobos State Reserve. The reserve is like the Big Spur, except in a small package, featuring coves, rolling meadows, and rocky shorelines where stunning ocean views are endless. The best thing about Point Lobos is the abundance of trails, from the interior trails through the cypress forest to the outer perimeter trails. For the best experience, the just over eight miles of outside trails are a must, not only providing the best views of the ocean, but also winding through parts of the forest. These trails range from flat, well-graded paths to steep elevation changes where roots, rocks, boulders, and man-made steps aid walking. Additionally, two of the outside trails have steep, narrow trails that allow access to small areas of sandy beach.
There aren’t many places in the country with a privately owned highway that charges a fee to drive, aside from the 17-mile highway located on the Monterey Peninsula. This short but beautiful road winds its way past Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach through the Del Monte forest of wind-sculpted cypress trees before reaching the rocky shoreline. The highway along the coast passes scenic spots such as China Rock, Bird Rock, Lone Cypress, and the world-renowned Pebble Beach Golf Course.
Trees play an important role in our survival and it is really amazing how big they can get. Home to the largest continuous stand of coastal redwoods south of San Francisco, Big Basin Redwoods State Park offers more than 80 miles of hiking trails through a thick forest of redwoods, redwoods, and smaller Tan Oaks. . Some of the Sequoia and Redwoods here are over 300 feet tall and 50 feet in circumference and when you stand next to these trees it gives new meaning to the word huge. For visitors with only half a day to enjoy the park, Sequoia, Skyline, and Redwood are the most popular trails. The Sequoia Trail begins at the ranger station along a dirt road with small elevation changes that winds through huge Sequoia trees and after 1.7 miles, a short side trail leads to Sempervirens Falls. For the next 2 tenths of a mile, the trail climbs 150 feet over open slick rock before entering a forest of Redwoods and Tan Oaks. The next mile has a steady descent over a narrow path along the cliff face providing close encounters with massive redwoods as well as a view of the forested canyon. Upon reaching the Skyline Trail, it is 1.5 miles back to the ranger station along a dirt road with little elevation change. Redwood Trail may only be 7 tenths of a mile loop over wide, flat surface, but it is home to the park’s two largest redwoods at 70 feet in circumference.
Tucked away in the interior of California is the unique landscape of Pinnacles National Park with oak forests, canyon floors, caves, chaparral and towering rock towers. Pinnacles has more than 30 miles of hiking trails that allow you to explore the beauty of this park up close, from flat grassy trails to steep trails through caves and up rocky spiers. The 2.2 mile Moses Spring Trail loop with a 500 foot elevation change showcases rock formations and passes through Bear Gulch Cave where the trail is narrow, low and dark with a creek running through it complete with a waterfall. The trail continues through another cave before climbing a steep cliff to a beautiful view of Bear Gulch Reservoir. The most strenuous High Peaks trial is 1.9 miles one way with an elevation change of 1,425 feet. The trail winds up two different cliff faces over a narrow, rocky path to the high peaks of the Pinnacles. Upon reaching the top, the views of the pinnacles, the canyon, and the surrounding mountains are breathtaking.