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McWay Falls dropping onto the cove beach at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Big Sur

State Park · California

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

The Big Sur park famous for McWay Falls dropping onto a cove beach: a day-use coastal stop with redwood trails along Highway 1.

Turquoise McWay Cove and waterfall seen from the Highway 1 overlook

Field briefing

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park changes fast with season and elevation.

Before you go

Julia Pfeiffer Burns is a day-use Big Sur park built around the McWay Falls view, a waterfall that drops onto a hidden cove beach.

It is a stop, not a stay: there is no drive-in campground, parking is limited, and the dedicated overlook trail has been closed for repairs into 2026, with the falls viewed from a Highway 1 pullout in the meantime. Highway 1 fully reopened in January 2026, but always confirm road status before driving the coast.

Best window
Year-round day use, with clearest coastal views from spring through fall
Signature routes
McWay Falls overlook, Ewoldsen Trail
Pack focus
Water, weather checks, layers

The landmarks worth the trip. Tap any photo to enlarge.

Location
California
Best time
Year-round day use, with clearest coastal views from spring through fall
Entrance
California day-use fee about $10 per vehicle

When to go

Weather, crowds, and what the season changes about the trip.

Spring

High crowds

Mild and green, with wildflowers and some of the clearest coastal air of the year.

Pack Layers for coastal wind and footwear for the redwood trails.

Summer

Peak crowds

Cool and frequently foggy along the coast, even when inland California bakes.

Pack A warm layer and patience for fog that can hide the falls.

Fall

High crowds

Often the clearest season, with warm light on the cove and lighter fog.

Pack Sun cover, a light jacket, and a plan for limited parking.

Winter

Moderate crowds

Cooler and wetter, with storm swell and occasional Highway 1 closures after slides.

Pack Rain shell, traction, and a check of Highway 1 status before driving.

Top things to do

  • McWay Falls overlook

    An 80-foot waterfall that drops onto a sandy cove, one of Big Sur's most photographed views. Note that the dedicated overlook trail has been closed for retaining-wall repairs into 2026; the falls are viewed from a small pullout area along Highway 1 during the work.

  • Ewoldsen Trail

    The park's main hike, a loop climbing through redwoods and a fern canyon with ocean views. It typically stays open even when the McWay overlook is closed.

  • Partington Cove

    A short steep walk to a rocky cove and a historic tunnel, just north of the main park entrance off Highway 1.

How long to spend

Anchor the day around McWay Falls overlook

Keep one flexible slot in the day, because weather, parking, and energy usually decide more than the map does. For one day in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, make McWay Falls overlook the non-negotiable, add Ewoldsen Trail only if the first stop runs clean, and keep Partington Cove as the flexible finish.

  1. 1Start with McWay Falls overlook: An 80-foot waterfall that drops onto a sandy cove, one of Big Sur's most photographed views. Note that the dedicated overlook trail has been closed for.
  2. 2Add Ewoldsen Trail: The park's main hike, a loop climbing through redwoods and a fern canyon with ocean views. It typically stays open even when the McWay overlook is closed.
  3. 3Use Partington Cove as the optional finish, not as a reason to rush the whole day.

Plan your trip

Turn Julia Pfeiffer Burns's conditions into water, pack, and sleep-system decisions.

Big Sur coastline and Highway 1 near Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

Build around conditions

Let season, elevation, and weather set the plan.

Plan your trip

2 quick tools, already seeded for Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. Tune the numbers around temperature swings, footing, layers, and how much margin the route needs.

  1. 01Size your water for a mild day on the trail
  2. 02Find the right daypack size for a day out

What to pack

Start with the gear decisions this park changes: footing, weather, camping, and water.

Pack planning

Decide what Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park asks of your kit before you start checking boxes.

Use this as a constraint check while you are still shaping the trip. The active checklist becomes useful once your route, dates, and sleep plan are set.

  • First constraintHydration and exposureWater, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, Navigationmap, downloaded GPS, or a GPS watch, 3 more
  • Route realityFooting and tractionHiking boots, Hiking socks, Trekking poles
  • Load choicePack and carry systemDaypack
  • Season checkLayers for conditionsMoisture-wicking base layers, Rain jacket, Insulated jacket, 1 more

Checklist mode

15 items, grouped for the trip you are actually taking.

  1. Dates and season are set.
  2. Primary route, campground, or lodge is chosen.
  3. Water, footwear, and overnight needs are sized.

Gear for Julia Pfeiffer Burns

The buying guides that match what Julia Pfeiffer Burns asks of your kit, with our current top picks across budget and use case.

Where to stay

This is a day-use park with no drive-in campground, so plan to sleep elsewhere on the Big Sur coast. Nearby Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and Limekiln State Park offer the closest reservable camping, and the inns and lodges of the Big Sur corridor handle indoor stays. Book well ahead, because coastal lodging and campsites are among the most competitive in California.

Camping reservations

Camping reservations

Julia Pfeiffer Burns is day-use only. Camp at a nearby Big Sur park.

There is no drive-in campground at Julia Pfeiffer Burns, so overnight planning means booking a nearby coastal park or inn and visiting here as a day trip.

Reviewed June 11, 2026

Booking window

Use ReserveCalifornia for nearby Pfeiffer Big Sur and Limekiln state park campgrounds, which can be reserved up to six months ahead and fill early for the coast.

  • The park is day-use only, open roughly 8 a.m. to sunset, with limited parking.
  • The McWay Falls overlook trail has been closed for retaining-wall repairs into 2026; view the falls from the Highway 1 pullout during the work.
  • Highway 1 fully reopened in January 2026, but winter storms can still trigger closures, so check status before driving.

Where to book or verify

Julia Pfeiffer Burns official page

Official California State Parks page with hours, day-use fees, trail status, and alerts.

ReserveCalifornia

Official reservation service for nearby Big Sur campgrounds such as Pfeiffer Big Sur and Limekiln.

Search Recreation.gov

Check for federal campground, backcountry, tour, and permit inventory tied to this park.

Campgrounds to know

Nearby Big Sur campgrounds

Details
Booking
Reserve nearby parks up to six months ahead through ReserveCalifornia.
Season
Seasonal availability varies by park and by Highway 1 conditions.
Sites
Drive-in sites at nearby Pfeiffer Big Sur and Limekiln state parks.
Julia Pfeiffer Burns itself has no drive-in campground.

Getting there and practical info

McWay Falls dropping onto the cove beach at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Big Sur

Plan the handoff from arrival to shuttle.

Parking, pedestrian entrances, and shuttle timing decide how calmly the first morning starts.

Getting there

Get to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, then remove the first-morning friction.

Access rhythm
Car required
Region
California
  1. Car strategy

    Julia Pfeiffer Burns sits along Highway 1 in Big Sur, about 37 miles south of Carmel and roughly an hour and a half from Monterey.

  2. Car strategy

    A car is essential, parking is limited and fills fast, and Highway 1 through Big Sur is prone to slide closures, so confirm the road is open before committing to the drive.

Pair this with lodging: sleep where the park transfer is simple, especially if your route needs an early start.

Frequently asked questions

Can you hike to McWay Falls at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park?

Not onto the beach. McWay Falls is viewed from an overlook, not reached on foot. The dedicated overlook trail has been closed for retaining-wall repairs into 2026, so the falls are currently viewed from a small pullout area along Highway 1.

Is Highway 1 open to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park?

Highway 1 through Big Sur fully reopened in January 2026 after multi-year repairs. Winter storms can still cause temporary closures, so always check the current Caltrans and California State Parks status before driving.

Can you camp at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park?

There is no drive-in campground at the park. The nearest reservable camping is at Pfeiffer Big Sur and Limekiln state parks, both booked through ReserveCalifornia and competitive for the coast.

Keep planning