McWay Falls
A 24-meter waterfall in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park that plunges directly onto the sand of a cove on the Pacific. It is Big Sur’s most dreamlike postcard view.
McWay Falls drops about 24 meters from a granite cliff directly onto the sand of a sapphire-blue cove. At high tide the water pours straight into the sea, which is extremely rare in the United States. A roughly 10-minute walk along the McWay Falls trail from the park parking lot leads to an observation platform, and going down to the beach is prohibited. Park entry costs about 10 US dollars, or you can park for free in the roadside lot on Highway 1 and walk in. The falls are about 60 km from Carmel, roughly a 1.5-hour drive. Highway 1 through Big Sur is often closed by landslides, so check Caltrans road conditions before setting out.
Opening hours
About 08:00 until half an hour after sunset
Nearby sights
- Henry Miller Memorial Library
- Nepenthe
- Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
- Pfeiffer Beach
- Andrew Molera State Park
- Point Sur Lighthouse
- Bixby Creek Bridge
- Carmel Valley