A Meeting of Worlds

Big Sur bridges the flora and fauna of Northern and Southern California, yet its distinctive topography creates ecosystems unlike anywhere else in the state.

Here, coastal scrub and chaparral give way to ancient redwood forests in shaded canyons, while the riparian woodlands trace the region’s flowing rivers. Along the slopes of the Santa Lucia Range, open grasslands and oak woodlands flourish, and high above, mixed evergreen forests thrive on rocky ridges.

The Pacific waters below are part of a designated Marine Sanctuary and Sea Otter Refuge, home to vast kelp forests, offshore rocks, and deep underwater canyons that sustain a rich variety of marine life.

A Sanctuary for Wildlife

As one of California’s last remaining stretches of unspoiled coastline, Big Sur provides a refuge for countless species, some found nowhere else on earth.

Look to the sky for the California condor, the largest land bird in North America, gliding effortlessly on the wind or perched along a rugged cliff. In the surf, watch for southern sea otters floating through the kelp beds, their playful movements a symbol of resilience and recovery.

Along the beaches of San Simeon, northern elephant seals, once hunted nearly to extinction, gather twice a year to breed. And far offshore, the Pacific teems with life as blue, gray, humpback, and orca whales migrate through Big Sur’s deep coastal waters.

A Living Landscape

Big Sur’s natural history is one of ongoing creation and preservation, a delicate balance between the forces that shape the land and the creatures that call it home. Its mountains and oceans, forests and canyons remain an enduring sanctuary, reminding every visitor that true wilderness still exists — alive, untamed, and unforgettable.