At the ocean at Garrapata State Park
Big Sur, CA March 2
Big Sur is a rugged area of the central coast of California. Multiple state parks offer the opportunity to explore the forest and beaches; except now the 2023 rain storms have closed most of the trails leading to the beach. The Pfeiffer Big Sur park brochure states that the park is still recovering from a 2008 lightning strike fire that burnt 160,000 acres along the Big Sur coast. Our plan is to stick to the forests and coastal cliff tops today, tomorrow we will explore the one place where access to the beach still seems possible.
Hiking to Pfeiffer Falls
An open trail in the forest will take us to Pfeiffer Falls. There is an easy trail that is closed due to the rains so we start out on a smooth path which switches over to the usual rocky steep hike one frequently finds in mountainous forests. I complain as is usual lately. Chris and I reminisce about previous long and/or steep hikes we have taken in the past: the 11 mile, unshady round trip along the Columbia River in Wenatchee-East Wenatchee WA on a hot day, the long, steep hike up Two Sisters Mountain in Rocky Mountain National Park that we never finished, the 600 plus stairs up the Mississippi River bluffs in John Latsch State Park, and others. I am glad we did those when I was younger.
Pfeiffer Falls
Waterfalls are fun to find and watch. Pfeiffer Falls is nice but not overwhelming. We meet a much younger couple and we give them hints about other waterfalls they should seek out. They are shocked that we are married as long as we are; we are shocked that they are dating since she lives in NYC and he lives in New Zealand. In any event, Chris and I make it back to the trailhead safely. Lunch is our first crackers and peanut butter on this trip.
McWay Falls in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
After lunch we drive south along CA 1, the coastal highway, making several stops for ocean views. McWay Falls is our second destination of the day. McWay spills out of the rocks and lands on the beach sand. One is unable to walk down to the beach so our views and pictures are limited. The falls are a popular stop, they are part of Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. The first Pfeiffers arrived here in 1869. When a developer wanted to buy land and build homes, Pfeiffer’s son John (who was then the owner) refused and sold the land to the state in 1933 and the land was the beginning of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. The CCC built many of the trails and bridges in the park. They also built the lodge, completing it in 1941. Friends of John and Florence Pfeiffer’s daughter Julia donated the land that became Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park in 1962.
Two large, freshly made sandwiches from the Big Sur Deli and Bakery made up dinner, along with chips and Coke. After picking up the sandwiches, we stopped at a multi-agency visitor center where the staff person helped us figure out how to actually get to the ocean. He was the only one who also knew where to find the Calla lilies blooming in the wild. I had read about these but the directions to find them were vague.
Friday morning the 3rd, we packed up and headed north on CA 1 looking for Garrapata State Park. According to yesterday’s information, the park is basically undeveloped and we had to park on the side of the road just past the bridge construction. We found the parking spot and located the trail leading down to the beach. Finally, ocean waves are at our feet, not hundreds of feet below us. Chris loves ocean waves so she is particularly happy. The beach going north should lead to the trail along the canyon/valley of the Calla lilies.
The canyon is full of running water, our information person yesterday thought the water would have receded by now. In some ways, it was just as well. The walk along the beach had one area with very little space between the cliff and the ocean waves. We did not know if the tide was coming in or out. Walking back to the stairs up the cliff guaranteed we were not stuck on the beach with the tide coming in. An alternate trail to the lilies ran along the top of the cliff, through greenery that was about to explode with blooming flowers. Not the Calla lilies but these will be beautiful in a week or two.
Calla lilies blooming in the wild
We got back to the canyon and found the wild growing lilies. They are abundant in a confined area. A few other couples are taking pictures. What appears to be a formally dressed party of Vietnamese are having a photo shoot. We stay out of their way and take our photos around them. I am pleased we made it here; it is not a riot of color or a huge area but it is something unique we were able to find.
The rest of Friday will be combined with Saturday as we explore Monterey.
Along CA 1 south of Big Sur
Ed and Chris Monterey March 4
Chris Klejbuk and Ed Heimel travel adventure 
So glad you had some beautiful weather to enjoy Big Sur. You’re very close to the time when the ice plant bursts into bloom. My parents visited my uncle at that time of year and said it was amazing and beautiful!