Big Sur River
|
|
Big Sur River Mouth
|
Three miles southeast of the village of Big Sur in Monterey County, the Big Sur River
makes a dramatic right-angle bend. The deep, steep canyon of Sycamore Creek is aligned
with the canyon of the Big Sur River upstream of its bend. The canyon was carved by
the Big Sur River when it flowed down a continuous straight canyon and entered the
ocean at Pfeiffer Beach. The river was "captured" by the valley in which it now flows
for its last six miles when a much smaller stream draining that valley eroded its
headwaters closer and closer to the canyon of the Big Sur River. Eventually, the Big
Sur River was diverted into the valley of the smaller stream and permanently shifted
course. As it eroded deeper, the river left the downstream end of its former
course—Sycamore Canyon—high and dry, later to be occupied by the small stream
we see today.
|
|
Pink sand
|
Evidence for this story is provided by the brilliant pink sand, consisting of the
mineral garnet, found at the present mouths of the Big Sur River and Sycamore Creek.
Garnet is found in rocks in the Santa Lucia Range, but is entirely absent from the
rocks drained by Sycamore Creek. The presence of pink garnet sand at Pfeiffer Beach
indicates that the Big Sur River, currently bringing such sand to Andrew Molera State
Park, formerly carried it to Pfeiffer Beach.
Andrew Molera State Park offers walk-in camping, hiking on upland trails or along miles
of sand beach, surfing, and horseback riding. The park's vehicle entrance and parking
lot are on the Highway One, or north, side of the river, while much of the park's land
lies south of the river. Summertime plank bridges allow pedestrian crossing when the
river's flow is low. The campground and trail to Molera Point are accessible all year,
without the need to cross the river.
|
|
Pfeiffer Beach, © Tom Deyerle
|
Andrew Molera State Park boasts a spectacularly beautiful sandy beach, one of Big Sur's
few surfing areas, located about a mile from the entrance parking area. Beachgoers can
cross the Big Sur River near the parking area, then walk along the Beach or Creamery Meadow
Trails to a 300-yard-long sandy beach strewn with driftwood and rocky shore farther south.
Other trails in Andrew Molera State Park include the River Trail, which follows the
south bank of the Big Sur River, and the Bobcat Trail, which follows the north bank.
-Excerpt from: Experience the California Coast: Beaches and Parks From San Francisco to Monterey
from the California Coastal Commission, available from UC Press.
|
