California’s landscapes never fail to amaze. From its endless beaches perfect for catching waves on a surfboard to steep mountains ideal for a vigorous hike, the Golden State truly has it all. Including a rare and unique natural wonder you won’t find anywhere else in the country.
While California is home to many waterfalls, some enormous like those in Yosemite, others powerful like Sturtevant Falls, this one stands out for two big reasons: it’s one of only three waterfalls in the entire U.S. located on a beach, and the only one that cascades directly onto the sand, while most coastal cascades fall directly into the ocean or over stones and cliffs.
McWay Falls is an 80-foot plunge tidefall located in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park along California’s Big Sur coast. Fed by McWay Creek, (which originates at an elevation of 1,270 feet) the waterfall flows year-round into the Pacific Ocean.
A significant 1983 landslide deposited sand at the base, creating a sandy beach beneath the falls. Depending on the tide, the water either cascades onto the beach or directly into the ocean.
But this waterfall is also unique thanks to its interesting history tied to the local pioneer Julia Pfeiffer Burns. In 1924, Congressman Lathrop Brown and his wife Hélène purchased Saddle Rock Ranch in Big Sur, where they built a home called Waterfall House overlooking McWay Falls.
Hélène was a close friend of Julia Pfeiffer Burns, and when the Browns donated the property to the state in 1961, they requested it be turned into a park named in Julia’s honor. Waterfall House was eventually demolished in 1965 due to funding and access issues, and today an overlook stands on the former home’s site, offering visitors stunning views of McWay Falls.
The beach at McWay Cove is inaccessible by land due to high surrounding cliffs and can be covered by surf at high tide. Visitors can reach the McWay Falls outlet via a 0.5-mile trail starting just east of Highway 1, which leads through a tunnel to an overlook built on the former Browns’ mansion site. From there, it’s possible to see remains of the home’s foundation, landscaping, a funicular railway, and the original Pelton wheel displayed nearby.