Pfeiffer Falls Trail

The route begins in a more open redwood grove beside a small creek, where ferns and sorrel grow among the leaf litter. After a service-road crossing, the trail tightens into the ravine. Large timber stairs climb beside the canyon-bottom redwoods, then the path cuts across the hillside above the ravine. Short switchbacks and railings carry you toward the bridge. Underfoot, expect uneven steps and packed dirt, not a smooth walk. The return follows the same line downhill, so take your time on the stairs.

The pedestrian bridge spans about 70 feet across the ravine. Pause in the middle and look into the redwood-lined gorge below; it's the route's clearest sense of scale and a good place to see how the trail has been cut into the hillside. If you're taking a photo, keep some of the bridge in the frame so the trees show how high it sits above the ravine.

Pfeiffer Falls drops about 60 feet over moss-covered granite. The water can be a thin ribbon, not a wide, thundering curtain, so the waterfall is best taken as the quiet end of a shaded gorge walk. From close by, the height of the rock face comes through better than it does in a quick glance from the trail. Give yourself a moment to take in the falls and the creek before turning back.

At the fork, Valley View is the longer option. Its exposed climb rises another 300 feet to an overlook above the Big Sur River Valley, with views toward Point Sur and Andrew Molera. Joining it to the Falls route makes a longer loop with a sunnier, more strenuous ridge section. Choose the right-hand Falls branch for the waterfall outing above; take Valley View if you'd trade some shade for a longer climb and open views. That loop is not included in the 1.1-mile Falls distance.

The Basin Complex Fire devastated this trail in 2008. Its later redesign removed the old asphalt and concrete pathing, changed the alignment, and reopened in 2021. Then a fallen redwood damaged the pedestrian bridge in a 2023 storm. Crews repaired it in 2025, replacing a 15-foot section of the 70-foot span. The bridge you cross is part of the route's story, not just a way across the ravine.

Use the signed Pfeiffer Falls Trailhead by Big Sur Lodge; day-use parking is nearby. From the first lot after the entrance kiosk, River Path leads toward the lodge, then the Falls trail starts across the access road. The lodge cafe and small store are handy before or after the hike, but they're a separate stop. Dogs are allowed on River Path and Warden's Path, not on this trail.