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Photo: Peter D. Tillman from USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The 2,939-acre park was established in 1979 and offers two miles of beachfront, with coastal hiking and a 50-foot climb to a beautiful view of the Pacific. Trails lead from the ocean into dense redwood groves. Sea lions, harbor seals and sea otters are frequently seen in the waters.
Garrapata State Park is a state park of California, United States, located on California State Route 1 6.7 miles (10.8 km) south of Carmel-by-the-Sea and 18 miles (29 km) north of Big Sur Village on the Monterey coast. The 2,939-acre (1,189 ha) park was established in 1979. California sea lions, harbor seals and sea otters frequent the coastal waters while gray whales pass close by during their yearly migration.
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Well managed and developed recreation area offering many hikes, beaches, coves and points. Also offers SCUBA by permit only. Often referred to as the crown jewel of the State Park System. $10 per car.
Iconic bridge built in 1933. One of the most photographed in the world because of its location within such beautiful scenery. The concrete arch spans 320 feet (98 m), and its 280-foot (85-m) height makes it one of the tallest single-span concrete bridges in the world. You cannot stop at or anywhere near Bixby Bridge to take pictures. Parking on the bridge itself has always been illegal; effective August 5, 2026, Monterey County (with the state government's consent) has imposed a one-year moratorium on parking anywhere within 900 feet north of the bridge or 700 feet south of the bridge. "No Parking" signs have been posted. This was because of extreme overtourism at Bixby Bridge. Having traveled vast distances, many tourists were not allowing a critical shortage of parking spaces stop them from getting their desired photographs. They were increasingly parking and leaving their vehicles right in the middle of Highway 1, which was illegal, dangerous, and resulted in heavy traffic congestion. The one-year parking moratorium is intended to alleviate that issue while the county government studies long-term solutions.
Point Sur is a dominant feature along Highway 1. It is a National Historic Landmark and is one of the only complete turn-of-the-century light stations open to the public in California. It is also allegedly one of the most haunted places in America. Spectacular views can be had from atop Point Sur. Tours (3 hours) are offered - meet west side of highway at farm gate a quarter mile north of Pt Sur Naval Facility.
Miles of trails, beaches, and meadows. The 24 primitive camp sites were closed "indefinitely" in 2021.
Pfeiffer Beach is known for its purple sand and the huge rock towers that emerge from the water, one of which has a natural tunnel through which the sunset can be viewed at the right time of year. Reaching the beach can be challenging - Sycamore Canyon road is easy to miss from Highway 1, the winding road is one-lane and shared with local residents, and the parking area only accommodates sixty vehicles and is often full. The area is managed by the US Forest Service, which charges a day-use fee of $10. Pfeiffer Beach is not accessible from Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.
There are hiking trails through redwood groves. It is a 1.4-mile round trip to 60-foot Pfeiffer Falls that runs from Dec to May.