Our Mission The mission of State Parks is feiffer Pfeiffer to provide for the health, inspiration and P education of the people of California by helping State Park is loved Big Sur to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for the serenity of its State Park for high-quality outdoor recreation. forests and the pristine, fragile beauty of the Big Sur as it meanders California State Parks supports equal access. Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who through the park. need assistance should contact the park at (831) 667-2315. If you need this publication in an alternate format, contact [email protected].

CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS P.O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 For information call: (800) 777-0369 (916) 653-6995, outside the U.S. 711, TTY relay service www.parks.ca.gov

SaveTheRedwoods.org/csp

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park 47225 Highway 1 Big Sur, CA 93920 (831) 667-2315 • www.parks.ca.gov/pbssp © 2013 California State Parks (Rev. 2015) O n the western slope of the Santa Big Sur Settlers In the early 20th century, a developer Lucia Mountains, the peaks of Pfeiffer Big In 1834, Governor José Figueroa granted offered to buy some of John Pfeiffer’s land, Sur State Park tower high above the Big acreage to . planning to build a subdivision. Pfeiffer Sur River Gorge. This is a place where the Alvarado’s El Sur Rancho stretched from the refused. Instead, he sold 680 acres — which land, the sea, and forests of giant redwoods River Chiquito del Sur (in today’s Carmel became the nucleus of today’s park — to the adjoin in a rugged landscape jigsaw puzzle. Valley) to below the Big Sur River. State of California in 1933. In winter, temperatures range from the ceded California to the U.S. in The Civilian Conservation Corps 20s to the 50s. Summer mornings bring , 1848, at the end of the Mexican-American The Great Depression was in full force in which usually burns off by midday. War. Beginning around 1862, the area was the early 1930s. One of President Franklin settled by people whose names — Pfeiffer, PARK HISTORY D. Roosevelt’s first official acts was to create Partington, Post, Gamboa — are still found The and Rumsien People the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). on local street signs and businesses. Early archaeological evidence of the Esselen The CCC employed young men to develop The park’s Manuel Peak was named for a and Rumsien (also known as Costanoan) recreational areas and conserve natural member of the Chumash tribe, Immanuel presence on the Central Coast dates back resources. From 1933 to 1942, nearly 2.5 Innocente, head cattle wrangler at El Sur about 8,000 years. Though physical remnants million CCC corpsmen built roads, trails, and Rancho. In 1868, Innocente moved his family of these prehistoric Native have structures in more than 800 state and federal north from San Buenaventura to the Big Sur not been well documented, a few items parks and planted nearly three billion trees. area. That year they bought property along discovered in the area — projectile points, The men here at CCC Camp S.P. 12 the river in what is now the park. bedrock mortars, and various shells — have built campgrounds, buildings, fences, a Michael and Barbara Pfeiffer arrived here been attributed to them. footbridge, and trails in this park. Their wood in 1869, settling at the mouth of Sycamore Esselen and Rumsien people still live and stone “park rustic” style used redwood Canyon to ranch, farm, and keep bees. Their in the Big Sur area, where they honor and lumber and river rocks as building materials. son, John, lived along the Big Sur River, near practice the traditions of their ancestors. Between construction jobs, they tackled fires the site of the Homestead cabin. and problematic poison oak.

Before and after Highway 1: In 1937, the new highway was completed, forever changing the serene ranch lands. Following World War II, the state high- way brought travelers enthralled by the beauty of the area to the park. These photos from 1954 show remote Big Sur’s increasing popularity.

Interpretive hike Big Sur Lodge Swimming hole at Big Sur River the creeks. On hillsides, manzanita, Camping — More than 150 recreational buckeye, and coast live oak have spread. vehicle and tent sites lie along the Big Sur Scientists are concerned that increased River. Hike/bike sites and two group tent temperatures and decreased fog from sites are available to campers; no RVs are climate change threaten the survival of the allowed in these sites. Reserve campsites coast redwoods forest. up to seven months ahead at www.parks. ca.gov/pbssp or call (800) 444-7275. , 2008 The Basin Complex Fire Campfires are held in the evenings. Ask On June 21, 2008, lightning strikes caused a for an interpretive program schedule. NATURAL HISTORY that burned more than 160,000 acres Wildlife — Cooper’s hawks, spotted owls, along the Big Sur coast. Still-recovering parts ACCESSIBLE FEATURES and purple martins perform sky acrobatics. of the park may not yet be available for use. Several campsites, the picnic areas, and the Endangered or threatened animals include RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES restrooms are accessible. For accessibility California condors and steelhead. On the — A visitor center for the updates, visit http://access.parks.ca.gov. ground and in the air, ringtails, bobcats, area parks is south at 47555 Highway 1. Steller’s jays, gray foxes, and belted PLEASE REMEMBER Big Sur Lodge — The lodge concession has kingfishers go about their business. • All park features are protected by law 61 rooms, cottages, a conference center, a Plants — Coast redwoods, near the southern and may not be disturbed. Stay on trails cafe, a gift shop, and a grocery store. Visit end of their natural range, flourish in creek to avoid poison oak throughout the park. www.bigsurlodge.com for details. drainages and along the Big Sur River. At • Protect fish nests in the river; do not Day Use — Valley View Trail’s east fork their feet are ferns, redwood sorrel, and move rocks, branches, or other materials. to a 60-foot waterfall. The many miles of other shade-tolerant plants. Big- • Please do not feed wildlife. park trails adjoin 200 miles of trails in the leaf maples, sycamores, alders, • Except for service animals, pets may not nearby of Los Padres cottonwoods, and willows use trails, the river, or other natural areas. National Forest. Visitors may play softball grow along the river and All animals must be on a six-foot leash. on the field near Big Sur River. NEARBY STATE PARKS • Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park 11 miles south of Big Sur on Highway 1 Big Sur 93920 (831) 667-2315 • 4 miles to the north on Highway 1 Big Sur 93920 (831) 667-2315

This park receives support in part from a nonprofit organization. For more information, contact: Big Sur Natural History Association P.O. Box 274, Big Sur, CA 93920 Belted kingfisher 1000 1600 3200 1200 3000 1400 800 2600 2800 l Tr P Day-Use Lot 1 600 re Kiosk atu 1800 N to Los Padres Redwood 3200 P Day-Use Lot 2 National Forest el T u rl 2000 Grove an 2400 M t 2200 Nature 3000 Legend Pfeiffer Big Sur M Center 2800 State Park Major Road 1 Big Sur to Monterey Station Paved Road 2600 B PFEIFFER 1400 uz 2400 Trail za r r e d v 800 1000 i er ’s iv 1200 R R 1 R P A r r G Trail: Accessible 600 o Su o u o g s S r i t Day-Use g B g e T i Big r P a T B Lot 3 2200 r Accessible Feature i

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1800 1000 PROPERTY Campground: Group Group Camp A Big Sur Station Campground: Lodge Hike & Bike 1000 Cabins 1000 Group Camp B BIG SUR Campfire Center LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST Park Entrance 800 Pfeiffer 600 Laundry Big Sur Lodge 1400 800 l Trail Locked Gate ue 1200 600 Buzzard’s Roost Trail P an M 1000 800 t M 400 Nature No Public Access r 600 Center ive 800 Big Sur R 600 600 800 Parking Station 1000 Pin 1200 e R 1400 Buzzard’s Big Sur idg 400 e 1400 Picnic Area: Group Roost T 1600 ra 1600 1800 2000 2200 P il Restrooms Homestead Cabin STATE RV Sanitation Station 1400 Andrew 1600 Molera SP Showers

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