Pfeiffer Beach
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Pfeiffer Beach is a beach in California, at a recorded elevation of 5 m. Chews Ridge stands 1,549 m to the east-northeast, 15 miles off. The nearest named place is Keyhole Arch, a natural arch 0.1 miles away. Big Sur Coast Highway - Route 1 passes 1.9 miles off.
The story
Pfeiffer Beach is located in the Big Sur region of California. It is one of the most popular beaches on the Central Coast and is well known for Keyhole Rock, a popular photography subject. On a limited number of days in December and January each year, photographers crowd the beach to obtain pictures of the setting sun visible through the arch. Due to the steep terrain prevalent along the Big Sur coast, it is one of the few ocean access points within Big Sur
The road and the beach are within the Los Padres National Forest. The road is named for the Western Sycamores that grow along the road and near the beach.
The weather from June to August can be foggy and cold, known locally as "June Gloom."
From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Wikidata Q49322515, referenced by the OpenStreetMap record.
What the record says
- Elevation
- 5 m
How to reach it
- 1.9 mi off the Big Sur Coast Highway - Route 1, National
Overlooks nearby
- Julia Pfieffer Burns Vista Point · 9 mi
- Sea Otter Refuge View Point · 9 mi
- Hurricane View Point · 9 mi
- Bench · 9 mi
Named places within 25 miles
- Cooper Point: 1.3 mi
- Manuel Peak: 3.6 mi
- Post Summit: 3.7 mi
- Cabezo Prieto: 3.9 mi
- Andrew Molera Peak: 4.1 mi
- Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park Day Use Area: 2.2 mi
- Point Sur State Historic Park: 6.4 mi
- Point Sur Lighthouse Reservation: 6.6 mi
- Cachagua Community Park: 14.0 mi
- Carmel Valley Community Park: 17.4 mi
- Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park: 2.6 mi
- Andrew Molera State Park: 2.8 mi
- Point Sur Dunes Natural Preserve: 6.5 mi
- The California Sea Otter State Game Refuge: 7.7 mi
- Brazil Ranch: 8.8 mi
- Tractor: 5.1 mi
- Tin House: 8.7 mi
- Bixby Creek Bridge: 10.3 mi
- Suzuki-Roshi: 14.7 mi
- Bill Cotta Memorial: 15.6 mi
- Albino Redwood Tree: 2.0 mi
- Pelton Wheel: 10.0 mi
- Bixby Creek Bridge: 10.3 mi
- Esalen Institute: 12.8 mi
- Galante Winery: 16.5 mi
- Pfeiffer Falls: 2.4 mi
- Highbride Falls: 2.6 mi
- Firehose Falls: 6.5 mi
- Pico Blanco Falls: 7.5 mi
- McWay Falls: 9.9 mi
- Lafler Creek Spring: 6.1 mi
- Cold Spring: 7.9 mi
- Pat Springs: 9.5 mi
- Cahoon Spring: 15.7 mi
- Quail Spring: 16.1 mi
- Wreck Beach: 1.2 mi
- Gibson Beach: 19.7 mi
- Hidden Beach: 19.9 mi
- Weston Beach: 20.1 mi
- Monastery Beach: 20.6 mi
- Ventana Wildlife Discovery Center: 3.5 mi
- Picard Trade Bead Museum: 19.5 mi
- Whalers Cabin and Whaling Station Museum: 20.5 mi
- Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo Museum: 21.7 mi
- The Sir Harry Downie Museum: 21.7 mi
- Arroyo Seco Day Use: 18.9 mi
- East Picnic Area: 22.4 mi
- Monterey Pines Group Area: 22.6 mi
- Talcot Bates Grove and Picnic Area: 22.7 mi
- Outdoor Navy Dining Area: 24.9 mi
- Puente Big Creek Bridge: 16.9 mi
- Images of Pebble Beach: 23.9 mi
- Mural by Hijos del Sol: 24.8 mi
- Keyhole Arch: 0.1 mi
- Point Sur Lighthouse: 6.6 mi
- Sykes Hot Spring: 7.2 mi
- Los Padres Dam Slide: 13.0 mi
Summits around it
The highest named summits within 18.6 miles of Pfeiffer Beach. Elevation from each summit’s own record; bearing measured between the two coordinates.
| Summit | Bearing | Elevation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chews Ridge | ENE 70° | 1,549 m | 14.8 mi |
| South Ventana Cone | ENE 76° | 1,517 m | 10.4 mi |
| Black Butte | E 83° | 1,497 m | 15.5 mi |
| Ventana Double Cone | NE 55° | 1,477 m | 7.0 mi |
| Uncle Sam Mountain | NE 41° | 1,445 m | 9.4 mi |
| Ventana Cone | ENE 68° | 1,434 m | 8.4 mi |
| Kandlbinder Peak | NE 49° | 1,418 m | 6.2 mi |
| Black Cone | E 98° | 1,363 m | 12.7 mi |
When to go
Light through the year
| Date | Sunrise | Golden hour | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 07:12 | 18:45 | 19:19 |
| June solstice | 05:51 | 19:51 | 20:29 |
| September equinox | 06:56 | 18:32 | 19:06 |
| December solstice | 07:16 | 16:17 | 16:57 |
Local time (America/Los_Angeles).
Climate normals
Months averaging 50–80 °F: year-round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °F | 51 | 52 | 54 | 55 | 58 | 61 | 63 | 64 | 64 | 61 | 55 | 51 |
| Precip in | 9.5 | 8.6 | 6.7 | 2.9 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.9 | 4.2 | 9.2 |
1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA NCEI — BIG SUR STN, 2 mi away.
Where this comes from
Location and category confirmed against OpenStreetMap.
OpenStreetMapWikipediaWikidataOpenStreetMap element way/41230590
Day trips start here
- Carmel Valley · 17 mi
- Carmel · 22 mi
- Carmel Point · 22 mi
- Monterey · 25 mi
- Seaside · 26 mi
- Pacific Grove · 27 mi
Take the scenic way to Pfeiffer Beach.
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