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Map Satellite A variety of habitats is found in this area. Among them are redwood and mixed evergreen forests, riparian, chaparral, coastal sage scrub, grassland and some coastal strand. The shoreline, most of which is backed by steep bluffs, is generally rocky, though there are some sandy beaches (see Pfeiffer Beach).
In the Big Sur Canyon, one of the deepest gorges in the South Coast Ranges, are some of the finest southern stands of redwood, Sequoia sempervirens. Here, natural re-seeding of the trees has been observed.
The riparian vegetation includes sycamore, Platanus racemosa, big-leaf maple, Acer macrophyllum, black cottonwood, Populus trichocarpa, and willow, Salix sp. The chaparral includes chamise, Adenostoma fasciculatum, Ceanothus sp., coffeeberry, Rhamnus californica, toyon, Heteromeles arbutifolia, and Yucca whipplei.
The juxtaposition of the xeric chaparral and the moist Pacific forest species is uncommon in the South Coast Ranges. Two rare plants, Arctostaphylos edmundsii and Delphinium hutchinsonae, occur here.
Animal life is abundant and typical of the central coastal area. Introduced wild pigs, Sus scrofa, are found here.
Geologically, several formations are present, including the metamorphics of the pre-Cretaceous Sur Series and the Mesozoic, Franciscan formation, the sandstones of the Miocene Santa Margarita formation, as well as various terrace gravels and alluvium. The previous terraces of the Big Sur River are well shown in the area. Dominant structural features are the Sur Hill and Sur Thrust faults. At Pfeiffer Falls there is a good example of differential erosion: at the boundary formed by the Sur Hill fault between the hard Sur gneiss and the easily erodable Santa Margarita sandstones, the creek has cut the waterfall.
Integrity: There is considerable development within the area, both in the park, where various recreational facilities have been constructed, and on Pfeiffer Ridge where residential development is underway. Redwood and tan-oak have been logged in the area, and portions have been grazed. Some of the area was burned in 1972 and, in succeeding years, there have been mudslides. However, much of the area is relatively undisturbed.
Use: Research, educational, observational, present. Much of the westerly portion of the area is private.
Ref: Oakeshott, Gordon B., 1951. Guide to the Geology of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Calif. Div. Mines Spec. Rept. No. 11, 16 pp.
February 1978
Inventory of California Natural Areas
Revision © 2009 Steven Louis Hartman
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