Canyon Falls (Big Sur)

Summary: Canyon Falls in is a small and secluded waterfall in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park (Big Sur), reached by a short walk through tall redgum forest.

How to get there: Trail from carpark just off Highway 1
Walking distance to waterfall: 1.6km (return)
Duration: <1 hour
Grade: Easy
Type of waterfall: Segmented
Waterfall Rating: 1.5/5
Height of falls: 20m

Not quite as spectacular (or busy) as the nearby McWay Waterfall, Canyon Falls is a small waterfall in the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, along Big Sur in California. The waterfall is formed by an upper tributary of McWay Creek, which tumbles 20m (according to the official Web site) over three tiers. The waterfall drops through a chute in a granite wall; next to the waterfall is a large redwood tree, with enormous exposed roots. It’s a small and secluded waterfall, in contrast to the more spectacular but often crowded McWay waterfall on the coast.

Getting to Canyon Falls (Big Sur)

The waterfall is reached via the Ewoldsen Trail, which starts from the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park carpark just off Highway 1. It’s about one mile (1.6km) return to the falls, or you can do a longer 4 mile (6.3km loop).