Pfeiffer Beach

Pfeiffer Beach
Franciscan Complex,
Pfeiffer Beach is located in California
Pfeiffer Beach
Location in California
Coordinates: 36°14′19″N 121°49′03″W / 36.23861°N 121.81750°W / 36.23861; -121.81750
LocationBig Sur, Monterey County, California
AgeCretaceous
Elevation0 m
Topo mapUSGS Pfeiffer Point

Pfeiffer Beach is located in the Big Sur region of California. It is one of the most popular beaches on the Central Coast[1] and is well known for Keyhole Rock, a popular photography subject. On a limited number of days in December and January each year, photographers crowd the beach to obtain pictures of the setting sun visible through the arch. Due to the steep terrain prevalent along the Big Sur coast, it is one of the few ocean access points within Big Sur[1][2]

Pfeiffer Beach panorama
Pfeiffer Beach panorama

The road and the beach are within the Los Padres National Forest. The road is named for the Western Sycamores that grow along the road and near the beach.[3]

The weather from June to August can be foggy and cold, known locally as "June Gloom".[4]

Keyhole arch in offshore rock at sunset.

Eytomology

The Pfeiffer family built the first home in Sycamore Canyon near the coast in the winter of 1869. Micheal and Barbara Laquet Pfeiffer were on their way to the south coast of Big Sur when they were forced to stop for the season in Sycamore Canyon. They liked the area so much they decided against moving south again the following spring. Their eight children married and lived in the area for several generations. The family established the Pfeiffer Ranch Resort at their home in 1910.[5][6] An Esslen midden site is near their home.[3]

Their son John and his wife Zulema Florence Swetnam built a cabin near the north bank of the Big Sur River in 1884.[7] John donated the initial 700 acres (280 ha) of land that became Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park to the state of California.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b "Pfeiffer Beach". Outdoor Project. Archived from the original on 28 December 2019. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  2. ^ "Pfeiffer Beach Keyhole Rock - a look at the varying moods found here". Discover Central California. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  3. ^ a b Henson, Paul; Usner, Donald J. (Dec 10, 1996). The natural history of Big Sur. University of California Press. pp. 337–339. ISBN 978-0520205109.
  4. ^ "June Gloom: What California Beaches Are Really Like in the Summer". TripSavvy. Archived from the original on 10 July 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2020.
  5. ^ "Hiking in Big Sur - Oak Grove Trail Loop". HikingInBigSur.com. Archived from the original on 2019-11-24.
  6. ^ Heid, Analise Elliot (2013). Hiking & backpacking Big Sur: a complete guide to the trails of Big Sur, Ventana Wilderness, and Silver Peak Wilderness (Second ed.). Wilderness Press. p. 84. ISBN 978-0899977270.
  7. ^ "History | About Us | Big Sur Lodge | Big Sur Lodge". www.bigsurlodge.com. Archived from the original on 10 February 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
  8. ^ "Micheal Pfeiffer of Monterey County | 2 Land Patents". The Land Patents. Retrieved 16 April 2020.