# McWay Falls
**McWay Falls** is an 80-foot waterfall in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park on the [Big Sur](https://www.edgepedia.org/big-sur) coast of [Monterey County, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/monterey-county-california), that drops from a granite sea cliff onto the beach in McWay Cove.[1](https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=578&sfns=xmwa) It flows year-round from McWay Creek, and because it can spill directly into the [Pacific Ocean](https://www.edgepedia.org/pacific-ocean) at high tide it is often described as a "tidefall," a waterfall that empties into the sea.[2](https://mcwayfalls.com/) • [3](https://stateparks.info/julia-pfeiffer-burns-mcway-falls-view/) The falls are one of the most photographed sights along the Pacific Coast Highway and the centerpiece of the state park that bears the name of Julia Pfeiffer Burns, a well-respected pioneer woman of the Big Sur country.[2](https://mcwayfalls.com/) • [1](https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=578&sfns=xmwa)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, 37 miles south of Carmel on Highway 1, Big Sur, Monterey County, California[1](https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=578&sfns=xmwa) |
| Height and source | 80-foot drop from granite cliffs, fed year-round by McWay Creek[1](https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=578&sfns=xmwa) • [4](https://www.worldatlas.com/falls/mcway-falls.html) |
| Tidefall status | Capable of spilling directly into the ocean; it reaches the surf only when high tide waves roll ashore[2](https://mcwayfalls.com/) |
| Cove formation | A 1983 landslide deposited sand at the base of the falls and created the sandy beach in McWay Cove; before then the water landed directly in the ocean[2](https://mcwayfalls.com/) |
| Namesake | Christopher McWay, an early Big Sur pioneer who homesteaded the land in 1887[5](https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mcway-falls-and-waterfall-house-ruins) |
| Viewing trail | Waterfall Overlook Trail, 0.5 miles roundtrip, closed for a retaining wall repair project into 2026[6](https://parks.ca.gov/?page_id=29888) |
| Access rules | No beach or ocean access at McWay Falls; the beach, Saddle Rock, and the falls area are completely off limits[1](https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=578&sfns=xmwa) |
| Day-use fee | $10 per vehicle[7](https://parks.ca.gov/?page_id=29883) |
## The waterfall and its cove
Whereas most waterfalls are merely one drop in a creek's or stream's path, McWay Falls instead falls directly onto the sand of McWay Cove, a small inlet along the Big Sur coast.[2](https://mcwayfalls.com/) The waterfall drops from a notch in the sea cliffs into the waters of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.[1](https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=578&sfns=xmwa)
The shape of the cove is recent. Formerly, the 80-foot falls dropped directly into the sea, until a landslide in 1983 left sand beneath the waterfall, forming the cove's present-day beach. Now the falls only meet the ocean when high tide waves roll ashore, which is why the falls can be categorized as a "tidefalls."[2](https://mcwayfalls.com/) Depending on the tide level, the water either crashes into the surf or onto the pristine, inaccessible beach below.[3](https://stateparks.info/julia-pfeiffer-burns-mcway-falls-view/)
## Naming and the McWay ranch
The falls, McWay Creek, and McWay Canyon were named after Christopher McWay, an early pioneer in Big Sur.[2](https://mcwayfalls.com/) • [4](https://www.worldatlas.com/falls/mcway-falls.html) Huge tracts of California wilderness were deeded to pioneers willing to work them, and a large parcel of Big Sur went to [Christopher](https://www.edgepedia.org/christopher) and Rachel McWay, who first homesteaded the land in 1887.[5](https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mcway-falls-and-waterfall-house-ruins)
**The Waterfall House.** Lathrop and Helen McWay later owned a ranch on the site, and a terrace perched above the ocean is all that remains of their residence.[8](https://accessca.org/access-california/explore/explore-detail-view/?site_id=6) The family gave the property to the state in 1962 for use as a park, and the remains of the old house, known as McWay Waterfall House, still stand near the overlook.[8](https://accessca.org/access-california/explore/explore-detail-view/?site_id=6) • [9](https://www.californiabeaches.com/beach/julia-pfeiffer-burns-state-park/) One account records the donation as 1961, with the stipulation that the park be named in honor of Helen's close friend, Julia Pfeiffer Burns.[10](https://www.americasstateparks.org/state-park/julia-pfeiffer-burns/) The park itself stretches from the Big Sur coastline into nearby 3,000-foot ridges and features redwood, tan oak, madrone, and chaparral.[1](https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=578&sfns=xmwa)
## Visiting the falls
The standard viewpoint is the Waterfall Overlook Trail, a 0.5-mile roundtrip walk accessed from stairs near the entrance kiosk. The trail passes under Highway 1 and heads north around McWay Cove, overlooking the waterfall and the beach created by the 1983 landslide.[6](https://parks.ca.gov/?page_id=29888) At the viewing site there is a boardwalk, and the trail is described as wheelchair accessible when open.[8](https://accessca.org/access-california/explore/explore-detail-view/?site_id=6) • [10](https://www.americasstateparks.org/state-park/julia-pfeiffer-burns/) The trail has been closed for a long-term retaining wall repair project expected to continue into 2026, which also limits parking inside the park.[6](https://parks.ca.gov/?page_id=29888)
Access rules are strict. There is no beach or ocean access at McWay Falls: the cliff areas beyond the fenced boundaries, including the beach, Saddle Rock, and the McWay Falls area, are completely off limits under a District Superintendent's Order. Trespassing is a serious offense resulting in citation and arrest, and the park notes that failure to respect the boundaries has resulted in complex rescue operations and tragic loss of lives.[1](https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=578&sfns=xmwa) • [11](https://parks.ca.gov/?page_id=29887) Pets other than service animals are not permitted on the trail, and drones are prohibited.[2](https://mcwayfalls.com/) • [11](https://parks.ca.gov/?page_id=29887) The vehicle day-use fee is $10, and the park is open for day use from 8 a.m. to sunset.[7](https://parks.ca.gov/?page_id=29883)
The park's other trails have been repeatedly closed by fire and storm damage. The Canyon Trail, a 0.25-mile walk along McWay Creek to a separate 60-foot waterfall, and the backcountry trails east of Highway 1 have been closed due to damage from the Dolan Fire of 2020, debris flows, and later fire suppression work.[6](https://parks.ca.gov/?page_id=29888) • [1](https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=578&sfns=xmwa) Highway 1 itself has closed at times because of landslides south of the park, cutting off access from the south.[2](https://mcwayfalls.com/)
## The surrounding park and coast
Between Partington Point and McWay Creek lies the Julia Pfeiffer Burns Underwater Area, established in 1970 and now a scuba diving area.[7](https://parks.ca.gov/?page_id=29883) Offshore, visitors may spot sea otters and sea lions, and gray whales swim past during December and January as they travel toward the [Baja California](https://www.edgepedia.org/baja-california) bays where they breed and calve.[8](https://accessca.org/access-california/explore/explore-detail-view/?site_id=6)
The falls drop into the ocean waters of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, and the higher elevation trails east of Highway 1 offer panoramic views of the sanctuary and miles of rugged coastline.[1](https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=578&sfns=xmwa) Winter brings the waterfall at peak flow with dramatic storm light, while fall, from September to November, offers clear weather, thinner crowds, and warm days.[10](https://www.americasstateparks.org/state-park/julia-pfeiffer-burns/)
## References
1. [Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, California State Parks](https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=578&sfns=xmwa)
2. [McWay Falls, California](https://mcwayfalls.com/)
3. [Julia Pfeiffer Burns: McWay Falls View, State Parks](https://stateparks.info/julia-pfeiffer-burns-mcway-falls-view/)
4. [McWay Falls, WorldAtlas](https://www.worldatlas.com/falls/mcway-falls.html)
5. [McWay Falls and Waterfall House Ruins, Atlas Obscura](https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mcway-falls-and-waterfall-house-ruins)
6. [Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park: Trails, California State Parks](https://parks.ca.gov/?page_id=29888)
7. [Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park: Day Use, California State Parks](https://parks.ca.gov/?page_id=29883)
8. [Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Access California](https://accessca.org/access-california/explore/explore-detail-view/?site_id=6)
9. [Julia Pfeiffer Burns Beach in Big Sur, California Beaches](https://www.californiabeaches.com/beach/julia-pfeiffer-burns-state-park/)
10. [Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park in California, Americas State Parks](https://www.americasstateparks.org/state-park/julia-pfeiffer-burns/)
11. [Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park: Special Events/Filming, California State Parks](https://parks.ca.gov/?page_id=29887)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Places and geography › Waters and hydrographic features › Springs, waterfalls, and wetlands › Waterfalls › Individual named waterfalls › Waterfalls of the Americas and Oceania › Waterfalls of California*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license