Pfeiffer Beach in California

Pfeiffer Beach

There are a lot of picturesque places in the Big Sur area, but this beach is guaranteed to be one of the most memorable.

Guide Sections

Use Pfeiffer Beach's guide sections to understand how this stop fits into the larger park plan.

Beach Access

Pfeiffer Beach Details

Difficulty

Low

Distance

N/A

Estimated time

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Region

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There are a lot of picturesque places in the Big Sur area, but this beach is guaranteed to be one of the most memorable. It is not the easiest site to reach (it requires a 2-mile trek drive down an ungroomed dirt path and a short hike through the cliffs) it is worth the effort once you arrive. The main attraction of the beach is Keyhole Arch, a natural rock arch that begs to be admired and photographed. Its beauty is only amplified by the purple hue of the sand, which gets its unique color from the manganese garnet that comes from the surrounding mountains.