description McWay Cove Overview
McWay Cove lies within Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park on California's Big Sur coast. Its defining feature is McWay Falls, an approximately 80-foot waterfall fed by a year-round creek, dropping toward the sand and ocean below. Landslide material and subsequent highway repairs during the 1980s added sediment that helped create the sandy shoreline. The park identifies the falls as a central feature of its coastal setting.
The cove is a place to observe from above rather than a beach destination with public shoreline access. Steep terrain surrounds the inlet, and the beach and waterfall area are officially off limits. The Waterfall Trail overlook is the established viewing location when access is permitted. For coastal photographers and visitors interested in Big Sur's geology, the attraction is the close meeting of a waterfall and an enclosed ocean cove.
The sand also records how a relatively recent change altered the appearance of this stretch of coast.
help McWay Cove FAQ
Where exactly is McWay Cove located?
McWay Cove is situated within Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park along the famous Big Sur coastline in California. It is a coastal inlet directly facing the Pacific Ocean.
Can you walk down to the beach at McWay Cove?
No, the sandy beach below the waterfall is strictly inaccessible to the public due to severe trail erosion and conservation efforts. Visitors must view the cove from an overlook trail situated on the cliffs high above.
What is the famous waterfall at McWay Cove called?
The cove is best known for McWay Falls, an approximately 80-foot waterfall that flows year-round. It is highly notable because it drops directly onto the pristine, untouched sandy beach below.
Does McWay Falls drop directly into the ocean?
While it currently flows directly onto the beach, the waterfall actually used to drop straight into the ocean before a massive landslide in 1983. That landslide extended the beach outward, meaning the water now lands on the sand except during the highest tides.
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