Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
- Status
- Open (per official listing)Daily 8 a.m. – sunset
- Entrance fee
- $10 per dayAnnual pass available
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Statewide rule — see below
- Camping
- Yes
- Official site
- parks.ca.gov(831) 667-1112
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
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In Monterey County, about 26 miles southwest of Greenfield, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park covers about 4,157 acres.
Things to do include wildlife watching, picnicking, and hiking. Overnight options include campsites, with tent sites.
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park | Daily | 8 a.m. – sunset | — |
Official wording
8am to Sunset
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/Los Angeles).
Fees and passes
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Day Use | $10 |
Official wording
Special rates may apply for peak season, high demand holiday periods, and during weekends. Prices are subject to change without notice. • Vehicle Day Use: $10.00
California park passes
- California Explorer Annual Pass — $195. Vehicle day-use entry to 134 state parks incl. high-demand Southern California beaches Details
- Golden Poppy Annual Pass — $125. Vehicle day-use entry to 112 state parks Details
- Historian Passport — $50. Admission for up to four people at per-person-fee State Historic Parks Details
- Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Annual Pass — $50. Entry to State Vehicular Recreation Areas that collect day-use fees Details
- SNO-Park Pass — $40 season / $15 day. 18 SNO-PARK winter recreation areas Details
From the California state guide. Confirm which passes this park accepts.
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Booking system
- ReserveCalifornia
- Phone
- (800) 444-7275
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Pets
See the park’s wording
Are dogs allowed?
Service animals are generally permitted where pets are not. Check with the park for specific areas.
Camping
Overnight facilities: Remote Camping
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Things to do
PicnickingWildlife viewing and birdingHikingCamping
Amenities
Facilities
- Restrooms
- Drinking water
- Picnic areas
- Nature center or museum
- Parking
Camping
- Tent camping
✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.
Accessibility
Overview
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park stretches from the Big Sur coastline into nearby 3,000-foot ridges. The park features redwood, tan oak, madrone, chaparral, and an 80-foot waterfall that drops from granite cliffs into the ocean waters of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. The park straddles Highway 1, about 36 miles south of Carmel and some 10 miles south of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Phone (831) 667-1112 for more information.
Picnic Area
Accessible picnicking is available in the McWay Canyon day use area. Accessible parking & restrooms are nearby.
Trails
The Waterfall Overlook Trail, which is usually wheelchair accessible, is currently not accessible due to a major slide that continues to cut back into the hillside and trail. The slide is located at the accessible portion at the entrance of the trail. Currently, the Overlook Trail can only be accessed from the steps located near the north parking lot.
Official accessibility information
Conditions change. Contact the park to confirm specific accessible features before your visit.
Getting there
- Address
- Hwy 1 & McWay Creek
Big Sur, CA 93920 - Nearest town
- Greenfield — about 26 mi southwest (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 36.1589, -121.6705
- Phone
- (831) 667-1112
Entrances
- Directions point
Google Maps directionsApple MapsOfficial park map (PDF)
Directions from the park
The park is 37 miles south of Carmel on Hwy 1, and 12 miles south of Pfeiffer Big Sur SP on Hwy 1.
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- California State Parks — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026
- California State Parks Listing page (one link per unit, page_id = officialId), unioned with the CSP Enterprise GIS 'ParkEntryPoints' ArcGIS layer (coords, address, county, unit number, management status) and the 'CSPParkUnit_CurrentStatus' layer (open/partial/full closure)
- Wikidata
- USGS PAD-US 4.1 (boundary and acreage)
- Photo: Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Big Sur, United States (Unsplash o9lyHgHybuk).jpg — CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication), Joseph Yates josephyates_
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology