Pacific Coast Highway — BigSur.
Distance
160 km
Duration
1 day
Climb
1,200 m
Rating
4.9 / 5
1243 reviews
Pacific Coast Highway — Big Sur.
CA-1 between Morro Bay and Carmel-by-the-Sea — the defining coastal road of the American West. Ocean cliffs, elephant seals, McWay Falls, and Bixby Creek Bridge in one unforgettable 160 km day.
Quick facts
SurfacePaved
Distance160 km
Days1
Total climb1,200 m
DifficultyModerate
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The route.
Morro BayStart · Fill up fuel here — no gas for 90 km through Big Sur. Morro Rock dominates the harbor skyline.
Piedras Blancas Elephant Seal RookeryScenic Point · Hundreds of elephant seals haul out on the beach year-round. Free boardwalk directly off the highway shoulder.
Ragged PointRestaurant · Last fuel and food before Big Sur proper. Cliff-edge café with Pacific views and a short trail to a hidden waterfall.
McWay FallsScenic Point · An 80-foot waterfall drops onto a turquoise cove in Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP. Park at the highway turnout and take the short cliff trail.
Pfeiffer Big Sur State ParkRestaurant · Redwood grove and the Big Sur River gorge. The Big Sur Lodge restaurant serves day visitors — good lunch stop.
Bixby Creek BridgePhoto Spot · The most-photographed structure on the Pacific Coast — 1932 open-spandrel arch 85 m above the canyon. Pull into the north overlook for the classic angle.
Point Lobos State Natural ReserveScenic Point · Sea otters, harbor seals, and Steller sea lions in the kelp forest. The Cypress Grove trail is 30 minutes and unmissable.
Carmel-by-the-SeaEnd · Village endpoint with world-class dining on Ocean Avenue. The 1771 Carmel Mission is a five-minute walk.
From riders.
1243 verified rides logged on this route.
4.9/ 5
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
1243 verified rides
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