Big Sur River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Big Sur River |
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Big Sur River as it passes the campgrounds
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| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| Region | California Central Coast |
| County | Monterey County |
| Physical characteristics | |
| River mouth | Pacific Ocean 0 ft (0 m) 36°16′49.87″N 121°51′35.84″W / 36.2805194°N 121.8599556°W |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries |
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| Type: | Wild |
| Designated: | June 19, 1992 |
The Big Sur River is a beautiful river, about 15.7 miles (25.3 km) long, located on the Central Coast of California. It flows through the stunning Big Sur area, a special place where the Santa Lucia Mountains meet the Pacific Ocean.
The river begins high in the mountains, within a protected area called the Ventana Wilderness. As it travels, it passes through Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, the small Big Sur village, and Andrew Molera State Park. Finally, the Big Sur River empties into the Pacific Ocean, becoming part of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Many smaller streams, like Redwood Creek and Ventana Creek, flow into the Big Sur River along its journey.
Contents
The Big Sur River's Journey
Where the River Flows
The land area that collects water for the Big Sur River is called its watershed. This watershed covers about 60 square miles (155 square kilometers). Most of this important land is found within the Ventana Wilderness, which is part of the Los Padres National Forest.
Higher parts of the Big Sur area receive more rain each year, sometimes over 50 inches (127 cm). Lower areas typically get about 10 inches (25 cm) less. The Big Sur River is the largest river in the Big Sur coastal region based on the amount of water it carries. Each year, about 65,000 acre-feet of water flows down the river. An acre-foot is enough water to cover one acre of land with one foot of water!
Some water from the river is used by local homes. There are no large dams or reservoirs built on the Big Sur River.
How the River Got Its Name
The name "Big Sur" has a long history! In 1769, Spanish explorers, led by the Portolá expedition, were exploring California. They found the coast too difficult to travel, so they went inland. They eventually reached Monterey Bay and founded the city of Monterey.
The Spanish called the large, wild area to the south of Monterey "el país grande del sur." This means "the big country of the south." They often shortened this name to "el sur grande." The two main rivers in this area were then named El Rio Grande del Sur (Big Sur River) and El Rio Chiquito del Sur (Little Sur River).
The name "el Sud" (meaning "the South") first appeared on a map in 1834 for a land grant called Rancho El Sur. Americans started using the name "Sur" in 1851. They renamed a landmark, Point Sur, which the Spanish had called "Morro de la Trompa" or "Punta que Parece Isla."
Water in the River
The amount of water flowing in the Big Sur River changes throughout the year. In 1977, the US Forest Service measured how much water flowed. They found that the most water flowed in February, and the least in other months. The total amount of water that flowed that year was about 126,200 acre-feet.
A Dam That Was Never Built
In the late 1800s, a company called Ventana Power Company had a sawmill near Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. They planned to build a dam on the Big Sur River to create electricity for the city of Monterey.
They started building a channel to move water, but a big earthquake in San Francisco in 1906 caused the company to run out of money. So, they stopped the project. You can still see parts of the old stonework from that channel today.
A Protected River
About 19.5 miles (31.4 km) of the Big Sur River are protected as a "Wild and Scenic River." This means the river's natural beauty and environment are kept safe from development. This special designation helps preserve the river from its starting points down to the edge of the Ventana Wilderness.
Plants Along the River
The plants around the Big Sur River are very diverse. Along the riverbanks, you'll find trees like California sycamore and white alder. Giant, old redwood trees grow tall in the moist canyons and on cooler slopes.
Higher up, there's a forest with different kinds of trees, including madrone, tanoak, coast live oak, and canyon oak. You might also see ponderosa and Coulter pine. A special and rare tree, the Santa Lucia fir, grows only in these mountains. You can find small groups of them, even near where the Big Sur River meets Ventana Creek.
On the sunny, steep hillsides, you'll see chaparral. This is a type of scrubland with plants like chamise and manzanita. Some ridgetops have open grasslands and pine forests.
Fun Things to Do
The popular Pine Ridge Trail, about 26 miles (42 km) long, follows the Big Sur River for some distance inland. Many campsites are found along the river, such as Ventana Camp, Barlow Flat Camp, and Sykes Camp.
Near Sykes Camp, about 10 miles (16 km) inland, there used to be a hot spring. Small pools were built there, but floods in 2017 and 2018 washed them away. The US Forest Service decided not to allow these pools to be rebuilt, as they want to keep the wilderness natural.
From Sykes, the trail crosses the river and reaches Redwood Camp, which is by Redwood Creek. The trail then climbs over 3,000 feet (914 m) to Pine Ridge, eventually leading out of the wilderness. The trail was closed for a time due to damage from the Soberanes Fire, which started from an illegal campfire in 2016. Hikers should always check current trail conditions before visiting.
See also
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