Julia Pfeiffer Burns

https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=578 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Pfeiffer_Burns_State_Park Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is 12 miles south of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park on California's Pacific coast. A main feature of the park is McWay Falls, which drops over a cliff of 80 feet (24 m) into the Pacific Ocean. The park is also home to 300-foot (90 m) redwoods which are over 2,500 years old. The park is named after Julia Pfeiffer Burns, a respected resident and rancher in the Big Sur region in the early 20th century, who lived in the area for much of her life until her death in 1928.

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park Our Mission The mission of California State Parks is to provide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. Visitors from around the world revere the natural beauty of the park’s rugged coastline, panoramic views, California State Parks supports equal access. Prior to arrival, visitors with disabilities who need assistance should contact the Big Sur Station at (831) 649-2836. This publication is available in alternate formats by contacting: CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS P.O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 For information call: (800) 777-0369. (916) 653-6995, outside the U.S. 711, TTY relay service www.parks.ca.gov Discover the many states of California.™ SaveTheRedwoods.org/csp Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park 11 miles south of Big Sur on Highway 1 Big Sur, CA 93920 (831) 649-2836 www.parks.ca.gov/jpb Julia Pfeiffer Burns photo courtesy of Big Sur Historical Society © 2011 California State Parks crashing surf and sparkling waters. J ulia Pfeiffer Burns State Park including the McWay and Partington families. Homesteaders were offers a dramatic meeting largely self-sufficient—making of land and sea—attracting a living as loggers, tanoak visitors, writers, artists and harvesters or ranchers by using photographers from around only the resources available on the world. The same geologic, the Big Sur coast. climate and marine processes Michael Pfeiffer moved that shape the character of to Sycamore Canyon in 1869 this beautiful park keep it when his daughter Julia was an undeveloped, susceptible to infant. She spent her life in Big Sur, natural forces. Wildfires and Julia Pfeiffer Burns inspired by its terrain, the sea and landslides are common. the wildlife. The steep slopes of the Santa Former U. S. congressman Lathrop Lucia Range and the rugged coast Brown and his wife, Helen Hooper Brown, embody the essence of the frontier spirit purchased property at Saddle Rock as and individualism of its early settlers. a vacation retreat. Julia Pfeiffer and her Visitors may hike, scuba dive, fish husband John Burns leased pasture land and explore the coastal overlook. Park from the Browns at Saddle Rock, near temperatures range from the mid-80s at McWay Falls. The Burnses lived south of the higher elevations inland to the mid-40s, with park at Slate’s Hot Springs (now the Esalen heavy winter rains and frequent coastal fog. Institute), providing tourists with hot meals PARK HISTORY and a bed. Native People The Browns enjoyed Julia’s plainEvidence suggests that the Big Sur coast spoken manner and big heart, and they was inhabited until the early 1800s by donated Saddle Rock Ranch as a state native California Indians who spoke the park dedicated to Julia Pfeiffer Esselen language. They used the forested Burns in 1962. The splendor and terrain as well as the coast for hunting seclusion of the Big and harvesting what they needed for Sur coast continues sustenance, utility and ornament. Surviving to draw vacationers Esselen descendants in Monterey County to this park. continue to honor and practice many of NATURAL HISTORY their ancestral traditions. This four-square-mile park is Early Pioneers situated on the central coast. The area of today’s park was homesteaded Steep canyons filled with ancient by a number of pioneers in the 1870s, redwood trees and sheer cliffs dropping nearly vertically to shore provide habitat for many sensitive aquatic and terrestrial species. Three perennial creeks flow through the park; Anderson, Partington and McWay Creeks begin nearly three thousand feet up in the Santa Lucia Mountains. McWay Creek ends in spectacular McWay Falls at its cove. Old- and second-growth coast redwoods grow within 100 yards of shore, near the southernmost point in California that supports this species. Wildlife and Plants Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park links with the Ventana Wilderness and the Los Padres National Forest to form a wildlife corridor preserving 173,000 acres of contiguous open space for species needing wide-ranging habitats. Native vegetation types in the park include coastal scrub, chaparral, coastal prairie grasslands, mixed evergreen forest, riparian redwood forest and arroyo-willow riparian forest. Non-native California condor Image courtesy of Michael L. Baird Marine Life The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary helps preserve California’s rich marine life in both rocky intertidal and coastal strand zones. The California Sea Otter State Game Refuge, with its extensive kelp forest, reaches Endangered resident of the California from the Carmel Sea Otter State Game Refuge River in the north to Cambria in the south. In the underwater portion of species include blue gum eucalyptus, the park, divers will be amazed by the acacia, mock orange and juba

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park Environmental Camping and Day-Use Area Big Sur, CA • (831) 667-2315 www.parks.ca.gov Located on Highway 1 at mile marker 36 you’ll find Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. This state park is named after Julia Pfeiffer Burns, a well respected pioneer woman in the Big Sur country. The park stretches from the Big Sur coastline into nearby 3,000-foot ridges. It features redwood, tan oak, madrone, chaparral, and an 80-foot waterfall that drops from granite cliffs into the ocean from the Overlook Trail. A panoramic view of the ocean and miles of rugged coastline maybe seen from the higher elevations along the trails east of Highway 1. FEES for day use parking are due upon entry into the park. Fee envelopes for self registration are located at the self pay station near the restrooms. Fee amounts for day use are posted. CAMPING is extremely popular year round and is generally available only by advance reservation. Campers parking vehicles in the main parking lot should display proof of reservation in the windshield. Campers may also check in at the kiosk in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park (12 miles north) to get vehicle tags also valid for day use entrance into other area state parks. PARKING for campers is available inside the main parking lots (with proof of reservation displayed) or along the highway at the southern entrance to the Environmental Camps at your own risk. Camping or sleeping inside a vehicle in the parking lot or on the highway is not allowed. CAMPSITES have a maximum occupancy of eight people. Tents and other equipment must be confined to the delineated space within the site reserved, either #1 Saddle Rock or #2 South Gardens. CAMPSITES have a fire ring, a picnic table and a food box. Please note the only running water is across Highway 1 near the restrooms. There are pit toilet facilities nearby. DOGS are not permitted on trails, dirt fire roads, in buildings, or in the Environmental Camp area. QUIET HOURS are from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Noise from radios and other devices must not be audible beyond your immediate campsite, regardless of the time of day or night. CLOSED AREAS include all cliff areas beyond the fenced boundaries of each campsite, including the beach, Saddle Rock and the McWay Falls area. Trespassing into the closed areas may result in citation and ejection from the park. ROPES, lines, swings or hammocks may not be fastened to any plant, fence or park structure. Attach lines to your own property only. BICYCLES are not allowed on any hiking trails within the park. FIREARMS/WEAPONS OR HUNTING is not allowed. Possession of loaded firearms and air rifles is prohibited. This includes anything that shoots a projectile, including, but not limited to, arrows, pellets, BBs and paint balls. FIRES are allowed only in the provided metal fire rings. Wood must be small enough to fit inside the ring and be completely contained. Do not gather firewood in the park. You may purchase firewood from the camp hosts at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park (12 miles north). All fireworks are prohibited. REFUSE, including garbage, cigarettes, paper boxes, bottles, and other rubbish shall be placed in the provided designated receptacles. Please recycle appropriate materials in the provided bins. EDUCATIONAL & INTERPRETIVE PROGRAMS are usually offered in the summer season for the public and for school groups upon request. Whale watching is available one mile north at the Vista Point on most weekends in January and February. Please check the boards near the restrooms or at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park for further information. PARK PLANTS, ARTIFACTS & ANIMALS are protected and should not be touched or harassed. It is important that you use the provided metal storage bins for all food and scented items to avoid accidentally feeding or having any negative interactions with native park wildlife. Discover the many states of California.TM CAMPING RESERVATIONS: You may make camping reservations by calling (800) 444-7275 (TTY 800-274-7275). To make online reservations, visit our website at www.parks.ca.gov. ALTERNATE FORMAT: This publication is available in alternate formats by contacting the California State Parks at (800) 777-0369 or 711, TTY relay service. Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park Environmental Camping and Day-Use Area Your Site # ________ To Monterey Day-Use Area 1 HI GH W NE O ok rlo ve il AY O SELF PAY STATION ll T ra Observation deck and Waterfall House Remnants fa er W at EA AR Tr a il Pelton Wheel C A SE LO P IF D C IC O CE AN LEGEND k y Wa c M ee Cr Accessible Feature 1 Bridge Environmental Camp Parking (1) Saddle Rock Camp Picnic (2) South Gardens Camp Restrooms Trails To Morro Bay To Highway 1 Maps not to scale. © 2010 California State Parks Viewpoint Water NO BEACH ACCESS For Emergencies Dial 9-1-1.