Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is located right off Highway 1 and is a popular place for camping and hiking.  There is no access to the beaches and they charge $2 if you want a map.  Alternatively, there is a large map near the parking area that most people take a picture of with their phones.  Because of the fire, the Big Sur area still has some closed trails.  The popular Pfieffer Falls trail was closed when I was there (Jan 2019) but if it was open I would’ve hiked this instead of Valley View.  Check the main state park website for open and closed trails. From Parking Lot #1, I started on Warden’s Path and crossed the two bridges to connect to Valley View trail.  This trail is about 1.8 miles round trip with some elevation gain.  After the trek to the top, I stopped in for a quick look at Big Sur Lodge’s gift shop and took the River Path back to the parking lot.  If open, Ernst Ewoldson Nature Center (hours 10-2pm) is a free museum to take a look at.