Pfeiffer Beach
About
Pfeiffer Beach is a beach in the Monterey Ranger District of Los Padres National Forest in California, about 19 miles from Carmel Valley Village. Late summer into early fall is the driest and warmest stretch. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Big Sur show highs around 77°F in August and September, with almost no wet days. Winter brings highs near 61°F and about 10 to 11 wet days a month. Several trails start close by. Buzzards Roost Trail is about 2 miles away, and Pfeiffer Falls Trail is about 2 miles away. Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park Campground sits about 2 miles off, and the Little Sur River, a canoeing spot, is about 6.5 miles away.
Beach Details
Lifeguards
None
Dogs
Allowed
Parking
Available
Fee
Fee charged
Restrooms
Yes
Accessible access
Yes
As published by the managing agency. Lifeguards, fees and dog rules are often seasonal, so check posted signs before you swim.
Location
Pfeiffer Beach
California
Data: California Coastal Commission, YourCoast public access data. Source metadata
Facts about this place
When to go
Best time to go: Jan–Nov. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 61–77°F and lows of 42–51°F.
Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Big Sur Stn, CA weather station, 2.1 mi away. High / low in °F, and days with snow.
- Jan61° high42° low
- Feb61° high43° low
- Mar64° high43° low
- Apr67° high44° low
- May70° high45° low
- Jun74° high48° low
- Jul75° high51° low
- Aug77° high50° low
- Sep77° high50° low
- Oct74° high48° low
- Nov65° high45° low
- Dec59° high42° low
Where it is
- Monterey Ranger District · Ranger district
- Los Padres National Forest · National forest
- Nearest town
- Carmel Valley Village, California · 19 mi
Conditions
Active alerts for Monterey Ranger District as of Oct 9, 2026:
Monterey Ranger District Emergency Closure Order with Exceptions
critical · posted Oct 5, 2026
San Carpoforo Beach Prohibition of Overnight Camping and Campfires
fire-restriction · posted Aug 24, 2026
Source: USFS forest alerts
Nearby
- Buzzards Roost TrailHiking1.8 mi
- Pfeiffer Falls TrailHiking2 mi
- Valley View TrailHiking2.1 mi
- Pine Ridge TrailHiking2.1 mi
- Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park CampgroundCamping2.1 mi
- Mt. ManuelHiking2.4 mi
- Post Creek TrailHiking2.6 mi
- Little Sur RiverCanoeing6.5 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
