Pfeiffer Beach

Pfeiffer Beach is in the Big Sur area of California. Roughly a mile long, it is located down a twisting and unmarked two-mile paved road that is unsuitable for RVs and trailers as it has only five points at which vehicles are able to pass one another in opposite directions.

However, this beach more than makes up for the slight difficulty in getting there in sheer beauty. Its main attraction is Keyhole Rock, a large mass of rock in the waves with a naturally-formed arch right at its centre.

Its sands are also quite unique, since they contain a hint of purple that comes from the breakdown of rocks with large quantities of the element manganese. The purple grains are most obvious at the northern end of the beach, which is also the area most frequently by nudists.

The presence of underwater rocks and cold water temperatures makes swimming hazardous, though the rocks do provide access to tidal pools at low tide. Facilities are limited, and include a handful of picnic tables.