Scenic Big Sur Trail Reopens After Years of Repairs
One of Big Sur’s most scenic trails has reopened to the public following extensive, multi-year repairs. The reopening provides hikers access to vistas that were previously impassable. The restored trail is expected to boost local tourism, which is a critical part of the region's economy.
- The reopened trail is the 0.75-mile Pfeiffer Falls Trail in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, a popular hike that leads through a redwood gorge to a 60-foot waterfall. This trail is a major attraction for the park, which receives an estimated 750,000 visitors annually. - This reopening marks the second time the trail has been restored in recent years. It was first devastated by the 162,818-acre Basin Complex Fire in 2008 and remained closed for over a decade. - Following a nearly $2 million renovation, the trail reopened in June 2021. This major project, a partnership between California State Parks and Save the Redwoods League, involved removing fire-damaged infrastructure and realigning the trail to better protect the ecosystem. - A key feature of the 2021 renovation was the construction of a new 70-foot-long pedestrian bridge over the Pfeiffer Redwood Creek ravine, which eliminated the need for hikers to walk through the sensitive streambed. - The trail was forced to close again in January 2023 after a storm caused a large redwood tree to fall and destroy a 15-foot section of the newly constructed bridge. - The most recent repairs were a collaborative effort involving California State Parks, Save the Redwoods League, and the California Conservation Corps. Crews were able to salvage most of the original bridge structure during the reconstruction.
