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CONTACT INFORMATION

Melody Hildreth (Primary Contact) *
Special Events Coordinator, Monterey District / Big Sur Sector
[email protected]
[email protected]
https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=29834


Back up email contacts
Special Events Coordinator, Monterey District / Supervising Ranger Big Sur Sector
[email protected]
[email protected]


Permits Department, State Parks and Beaches
California Film Commission
7080 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 900, Hollywood, CA 90028 USA
323.860.2960 phone 1
800.858.4749 phone 2
[email protected]
http://film.ca.gov/state-permits/parks-beaches/


* key contact

WEBSITE:
Park Website
California Beaches Website - Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
Day Use Camping

Keywords: Beachfront; Coastal; Mountains; Plateau; Stream / Creek; Trails; Trees / Tree Canopy / Tree Tunnel; Wilderness

Site Condition: Waterfall viewpoint pedestrian observation bridge / Waterfall Trail is opposite and north of the cove and is mostly crumbling down the cliffside. The trail is open about 200 ft from the tunnel, so visitors can get a view of McWay Falls but little else. The Overlook is closed. The Tan Bark and Ewoldsen Trails are closed. The only area that is open and viable for a small film/photo shoot at the park is Partington Cove. Camping facilities are above the waterfall.

General Notes: updated by: [Hildreth, Melody] 3/4/2025 12:15:15 PM

Usage Restriction: Filming is not permitted on the Overlook Trail until further notice (3/4/25) All drone use is considered an unsafe recreation and is a citable offense (CCR 4319). * * * CLOSED AREAS *** THERE IS NO BEACH OR OCEAN ACCESS IN THIS PARK Cliff areas beyond the fenced boundaries, including the BEACH, SADDLE ROCK and MCWAY FALLS area are completely off limits. Trespassing into these closed areas is a serious offense, resulting in a citation and arrest. The areas are extremely hazardous. Failure to respect the boundaries has resulted in complex rescue operations and tragic loss of lives. Please stay on the trail and out of these closed areas.

Jurisdictions: CALIFORNIA FILM COMMISSION - CFC, MONTEREY COUNTY FILM COMMISSION - FLICS

Within 30-Mile Studio Zone: N

State Property: Y

Closed/Vacant: N

Verified: 10/21/2025

Location Details

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park (SP) - McWay Falls - McWay Cove

United States / Big Sur, California
Location ID: #2199

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park offers a dramatic meeting of land and sea—attracting visitors, writers, artists and photographers from around the world. The same geologic,
climate and marine processes that shape the character of this beautiful park keep it undeveloped, susceptible to natural forces. Wildfires and landslides are common.
The steep slopes of the Santa Lucia Range and the rugged coast embody the essence of the frontier spirit and individualism of its early settlers. Visitors may hike, scuba dive, fish and explore the coastal overlook. Park temperatures range from the mid-80s at higher elevations inland to the mid-40s, with heavy winter rains and frequent coastal fog 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 pan

Location Category:

  • AUDITORIUMS / THEATERS - *;
  • AUDITORIUMS / THEATERS - Amphitheaters / Pavilions;
  • NATURAL LANDSCAPES / PARKS - *;
  • NATURAL LANDSCAPES / PARKS - Camps / Campgrounds;
  • NATURAL LANDSCAPES / PARKS - Forests / Woodlands;
  • NATURAL LANDSCAPES / PARKS - Mountains / Rocks / Geological Oddities;
  • NATURAL LANDSCAPES / PARKS - Open Terrain / Scenic Vistas;
  • NATURAL LANDSCAPES / PARKS - State Parks;
  • WATER & COASTAL AREAS - *;
  • WATER & COASTAL AREAS - Beaches / Coastline;
  • WATER & COASTAL AREAS - Waterfalls
 
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