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big sur
COASTAL CALIFORNIA
No one seems quite to agree on its precise
boundaries, but there’s no mistaking the wild
grandeur of Big Sur, 90 miles (145 km) or so
of precipitous central Californian coastline
that combines a sublime maritime beauty—
clifs that plunge straight into the ocean,
Pacific sunsets, crescent beaches, hidden
coves, dunes, and wave-lashed headlands—
with breathtaking views and a habitat-rich
hinterland of soaring redwood forest, rich
riparian woodland, gentle pasture, mountain
wilderness, and chaparral-covered hills.
DON’T MISS
Nine state parks and Highway 1, one of the world’s
most scenic drives, ofer windows on much of Big
Sur. Highlights include Bixby Creek Bridge, the Point
Sur Lightstation, and the falls, creek, and canyon
along the McWay Waterfall Trail.
McWay Falls in Julia Pfeifer Burns State Park, estab-
lished in 1962 to help protect Big Sur
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R I V E R S & S H O R E S