Reviews are reminders to myself Nice maintained trail…read moreTook this trail because Pfeiffer falls trail was closed. Pfeiffer falls was a bit disappointing because it's more of a man made outlet for some water and not really a natural falls

Located in the Pfeiffer Big Sur Campground, this is a 2 mile total hike to the Valley View…read moreoverlook. It's a very picturesque experience as you start off walking through tall redwoods and end up walking past large areas of Oak trees. We came during sunset and it didn't disappoint. Notes: - Day Use Fee for non-campers. - I would consider this to be family-friendly, but there is a lot of uphill walking required. -Trailhead is across from the restaurant. - Not as aggressive as the Buzzard's Roost Trail.

Main ranger and info station for the Big Sur and surrounding State Parks area. Staff is super…read morepatient and supportive, even with a long line of travelers looking for advice varying from kid-friendly activities to confirming which locations have parking/availability on each day. Staff is knowledgable and friendly. Parking is limited in the front lot but relatively high turnover since lots of folks will drive off after they get info/maps from the station. Rangers are there providing support, info, and safety/direction as needed.

We love to backpack into Big Sur and whenever we do, we time our arrival so that we can pop into…read moreBig Sur Station before heading out to discuss trail conditions, weather considerations, groups they're aware of, and river status. They've saved us a bunch of pain and suffering and provided great advice each trip. If you're planning a back country adventure in Big Sur, I recommend that you check in at the station, let them know what you're up to and get their thoughts and advice. Oh, and then after your adventure, you can buzz back in and get your commemorative patch or t-shirt, too!

Stayed at the Alila Ventana Big Sur and this hike was one of the activities. We started off from…read morethe property onto a dirt road like path up the hills passing a few homes along the way. The first part of the hike is nice and shady with redwoods surrounding you. Eventually, you go beyond the redwoods where it's a little hotter but you get a beautiful view of the coast. This hike is relatively easy with a slight incline. Definitely recommend. Will need to go back next time to do the full hike.

I'm a happily sedentary person, but Big Sur is so uniquely, astonishingly beautiful, I think it…read morewould've offended even my conscience to spend three days there without at least one good hike. We asked someone at our hotel to recommend an easy hike and he suggested Coast Ridge Road. It was a great recommendation, one I'll pass onto anyone else in pitiable physical condition who would nonetheless like to get outside, walk uphill, and drink in some views. I did make the mistake of underestimating either the hike's difficulty or my own decrepitude. It would've been fine if I'd just taken a bottle of water, but I didn't want to carry it and quickly regretted my decision. We walked from the Post Ranch Inn to the Ventana, where the hike begins, and I was already kind of tired by the time we reached the bottom of the trail. Going up a noticeable incline for several more minutes was just kind of a challenge, and I complained heartily and made a few stops before I got accustomed to the elevated activity level. Once I did, though, I really enjoyed the hike. The trail was, objectively, not hard, and it was lush and pretty the whole way through. We walked past tons of trees, which also afforded us cover from the son, and even a lovely waterfall. I don't know how far the trail went, but people were going up there with overnight camping gear. We stopped walking shortly after we lost tree cover and that felt like a good end point. We got to stand on the mountain and admire the endless sky and Big Sur laid out below us, the drama of all that coast and sparkling water. This was a lot of exercise for a lazy person, but it was definitely worthwhile. It was a great way to soak up the beauty of Big Sur.

The seventh stop (07:21) on our southbound trip through Big Sur on the Cabrillo Highway, Little Sur…read moreView Point is clearly marked on Maps as a place where you can stop to park your car to view the Little Sur River Beach and the river that flows through it. We were the only one parked in this decent size turnoff this early in the morning. However, unlike other vista points, there were clear 'No Trespassing signs' along with barbed wire fences (not for safety, but to keep things out) along the ridge. A minute or two after we stopped, a tow truck came zipping by and parked in front of us, just running its engines. My wife called for me to get in the car, and we were on our way.

Our first stop (06:27) during our morning drive down Highway 1 to Big Sur, China Vista Point ended…read moreup being one of our most scenic stops. No cellular coverage. Parking is dirt roadside and could get busy later in the day. There is an easy walk to a platform with nice views. One can take the dirt path further south, and then go down a flight of stairs to get much closer to the ocean.

The fifth stop (07:10) on our southbound journey on the Cabrillo Highway to Big Sur, Hurricane…read morePoint Vista Point is named after the Hurricane Point Peninsula, so named because of the gale-force winds that can whip across this area. Some nice views here facing north.

The third stop (06:57) on our southbound drive on the Cabrillo Hwy near Big Sur, the Castle Rock…read moreViewpoint (also the Bixby Bridge Viewpoint) provides both a nice backdrop of the Bixby Bridge over the creek. It's a large paved turnoff with a lot of unmarked spaces for cars to stop. This is also where the plaque commemorating California's first scenic highway by First Lady Johnson was placed in 1966.

The sixth stop (07:15) of a southbound trip on the Cabrillo highway in Big Sur, the Great Sur Vista…read morePoint continued to provide panoramic views of the cliffs of the Pacific Ocean. There continued to be no cellular service in this area.