Hello everyone! This is a friendly reminder that any of these fun places we may visit, we are a guest at. Please treat both businesses and trails with the utmost respect. We here at Hidden California follow the 'Leave no Trace' mantra, meaning whatever you bring with you comes back with you. If you see trash on a trail, please do your part to help remove it. Remember, we are not picking up trash from another person but instead cleaning up for Mother Nature. Happy adventures!
Highway 1
Big Sur, CA 93920
36.014144, -121.516879
Hike: 1.6 miles out and back Level: Easy
Dog-Friendly: No Kid-Friendly: Yes
**Check out our list of all hidden gems in Big Sur!**
About the Limekiln Waterfall:
The Hike: Once you’ve parked, head east away from the ocean along the paved road through the campsites and into the redwoods. Look out for a small, wooden bridge and marking showing the beginning of the trail. There will be a sign pointing toward the waterfall trail.
Indigenous History: The Esselen tribe are Indigenous to this region. They have inhabited the Santa Lucia Mountains and the Big Sur coast from Carmel Mission South 40 miles to Pacific Valley for over 6,000 years. Read their story here.
History of the Limekilns: The Rockland Lime and Lumber Company would load the towers of the kilns with limestone and use redwood lumber to stoke fires at their bases to purify the rock before it was hauled out of the canyon and down to the coast where ships were waiting. The lime was eventually used in cement and other products.
While you’re in the area, make sure to visit Pfieffer Beach nearby!
Personal Experience: Like all of the trails in Big Sur, you can expect some of the freshest air you’ll probably ever experience, lush redwood trees, canopies of shade and what feels like an elfin/fairy land. Everything is just so beautiful. Take your time. Try to spend several days AT LEAST in Big Sur if you can to really soak up the experience. It’s a pretty nice waterfall but I couldn’t get a good shot of it unfortunately. Judging from photos on other websites, this waterfall can get far larger than it is here. Go after a good rainfall.
Check out our other site too!
