Malpaso Creek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Malpaso Creek |
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 Location of the mouth of Malpaso Creek in California
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| Physical characteristics | |
| River mouth | Little Malpaso Beach 36°28′53″N 121°56′17″W / 36.481395°N 121.938060°W |
| Length | 4.25 mi (6.84 km) |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Malpaso Creek → Pacific Ocean |
Malpaso Creek is a small stream along the coast of California. It is located about 5 miles (8.0 km) south of Carmel. This creek is often seen as the northern edge of the famous Big Sur area. Big Sur is a beautiful, rugged part of California's central coast.
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Where is Malpaso Creek?
Malpaso Creek and its canyon also mark the northern boundary of Garrapata State Park. The creek flows into the ocean at Little Malpaso Beach. This beach has soft white sand, cool tide pools, and a small cave.
The famous actor and director Clint Eastwood has spent a lot of time in this area. He even named his film company, Malpaso Productions, after this creek. His property was just south of the creek.
What Does the Name "Malpaso" Mean?
The name "Malpaso" comes from the Spanish words mal (bad) and paso (pass or step). So, it means "bad step" or "bad crossing." The creek got this name because it was very hard to cross the deep canyon before a bridge was built in 1935.
Geography of the Creek
Malpaso Creek is located in the Carmel Highlands, right next to Yankee Point. It forms the natural northern border of the stunning Big Sur coast.
Long ago, there was a coal mine near the creek. It was called the Malpaso Coal Mine or Carmelo Coal Mine. It was located on the north side of the creek.
Animals and Plants Near Malpaso Creek
Many interesting plants and animals live in and around Malpaso Creek. The fast-growing Monterey pine trees used to only grow south of this creek. Now, they are planted in many places.
You can find different kinds of seaweed and algae on the rocks near the creek. These include Pelvetiopsis arborescens and Rhodophysema elegans. Other types like Callophyllis linearis and Gloiopeltis furcata also grow here.
In the tide pools, you might spot sea cucumbers like Cucumaria curata. People who like to fish often come to the south shore of the creek. They fish for surfperch and rockfish.
The Highway 1 Bridge
The Malpaso Creek Bridge (Number 44-17) was built in 1935. It cost $24,000 to build. The bridge has a special design called an open-spandrel concrete arch. This design is similar to the famous Bixby Creek Bridge, which is about 8 miles (13 km) south.
The Malpaso Creek Bridge is 210 feet (64 m) long and 24 feet (7.3 m) wide. It is located about 4.5 miles (7.2 km) south of the Carmel River on California State Route 1. This bridge, along with six other bridges in Monterey County on Highway 1, is considered very important historically. They are known as the Big Sur Arches. Many people think they are some of the best examples of bridge building by the California Division of Highways.
Malpaso Creek in Popular Culture
Actor Clint Eastwood bought a large piece of land near Malpaso Creek in the 1960s. He owned about 283 acres (115 ha) of land on the south side of the creek. He named his production company, The Malpaso Company, after this special place. The company started in 1967 to make the film Hang 'Em High.
Later, Clint Eastwood bought even more land, owning about 650 acres (260 ha) in total. This land stretched from Highway 1 all the way to the coast. In 1995, Monterey County bought the land from him for $3.08 million. The county made sure that this Malpaso property would be protected forever.
Images for kids
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Headstock of the Carmelo Land and Coal Company mine in upper Malpaso Canyon, south of Carmel, California, in 1895.
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Remnants of the Carmelo Coal Company mine near Malpaso Creek in 1919.
