Ewoldsen Trail (Big Sur)
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Big Sur · near Big Sur · Central Coast
Hiking
At a glance
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Route type
- loop
- Distance
- 4.5 miles
- Elevation gain
- 1,600 ft
- Time needed
- day
- Best season
- Year-round (check access — fire/flood closures common) · Spring for greenery & wildflowers
Permits and booking
- Permit required
- No
- How the permit works
- No permit. Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park day-use fee. IMPORTANT: Big Sur access changes constantly — fire, flood, and Highway 1 slides frequently close trails and the highway itself. Check current status before driving.
- How hard the permit is to get
- 1 of 5
What is here
- Features
- Redwoods + ridgeline + ocean in one loop · McWay Falls nearby (tidefall) · Big Sur scenery distilled · Canyon redwoods to coastal views · Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP
Worth knowing
- Dogs
- Not permitted
- Good for a first timer
- Yes
Hiking detail
- Intl tip
- Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is on Highway 1 in the heart of Big Sur — always check Highway 1 and park status before driving, as slides and fires close access regularly. Combine with the McWay Falls overlook, Pfeiffer Beach's purple sand, and the Big Sur restaurants (Nepenthe). This stretch of coast is among the most beautiful on Earth.
The guide
The Ewoldsen Trail packs the essence of Big Sur into a single 4.5-mile loop — redwood-filled canyon, climbing ridgeline, and sw…
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Ewoldsen Trail (Big Sur) — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 36.158, -121.669