Hike-in
environmental campsites, like Molera. But nicer.
And, cost more. Price here is $14 per day in the
In-Season, and $11 per day in the Off-Season.
There are two sites, each accommodates up to 8
people. No water. No toilets. You have to hike
back to the park entrance for those. The hike
from the park's vehicle parking area is about
1/3 mile. But, the campsites can be reached from
the road by foot (there's a closed gate at the
trail to the camp sites), and that cuts the hike
in half.
The
sites have a cupboard, table, typical camp
charcoal stand, and a fire pit.
(Sorry,
dogs are not allowed.)
These
sites have something rare and exhilarating.
Set
on the south side of the promontory that forms
the threshold for McWay Falls, the camp sites
face Saddle Rock - a unique scene of
extraordinary beauty - and the granite coves of
the south side of this point.
The
views are breathtaking. The campsites are
situated among granite boulders, in a pine and
cypress forest.
Two
other features of Pfeiffer Burns are worth
mentioning. McWay Falls is an 80 foot drop over
a granite precipice, into the ocean tide on a
pristine beach in a cove that is completely
unmolested by humans - except there is a trail
high up the granite cliffs on the opposite side
where people trod a well beaten path to view one
of this continent's most exquisite
sights.
The
other mentionable feature is a picnic area near
the Park entrance.
It
is in a Redwood canyon along the McWay creek -
as delicious and idyllic a scene as any
Hollywood set creator could dream up.
There
are ancient Redwoods that were not harvested 125
years ago because they had anomalies --like
twisted trunks or great burl out growths that
diminished their commercial values. But left to
grow they are magnificent reminders of what the
forest was like. They are like huge holy
creatures. The forest floor is a soft bed of
fluffy needles accented by glossy green ferns,
sunlight beaming through the forest canopy onto
the busy, gurgling stream --which is flopping
over colorful, mossy rocks in a gentle meander
to its thunderous fate in the spectacular falls
into the Pacific Ocean.
If
you do not see it for yourself, you will not
believe it.
