Epic Travel → North America → The West Coast → Northern California → Big Sur → McWay Waterfall Trail

Location: Northern Big Sur, California

Distance: 0.64 miles roundtrip

Elevation Gain: 50 feet

Time Required: 15 minutes (although you may spend ten minutes looking for parking)

Red Tape/Notes: Trail is located in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park and should be fairly obvious by the crowd of cars likely to be parked near it; parking is available in the parking lot and also along Highway 1.

What’s Nearby?: Tanbark Trail and Tin House, Partington Cove Trail, Ewoldsen Trail, Limekiln Trails

This stop will likely be overrun with tourists, especially if you’re here on a holiday weekend. I recommend trying to stop here early in the morning if you can, or just mentally prepare yourself for the crowds. I do, however, recommend stopping here. This is one of the iconic places along the Big Sur coast – you’ve probably seen photographs of this place and didn’t even realize where it was, because it looks so much like a little slice of paradise. Nice views of the waterfall and beach can be seen at various points along the walkway, but it’s definitely worth walking to the end where the ruins of the “Waterfall House” are.

Epic Travel → North America → The West Coast → Northern California → Big Sur → McWay Waterfall Trail