Story at a glance
- Officials with the California State Parks and Save the Redwoods League announced Monday the trail will reopen Friday.
- The trail leads under the famous redwoods down through a gorge to a 60-foot waterfall known as Pfeiffer Falls.
- The trail underwent a $2-million renovation over the years.
A popular attraction in Big Sur, Calif., will reopen to the public this week after a devastating wildfire destroyed access to the park destination nearly 13 years ago.
Officials with the California State Parks and Save the Redwoods League, a San Francisco-based conservation group, announced Monday the Pfeiffer Falls Trail will open to visitors Friday.
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The 0.75-mile trail segment that leads under the famous redwoods down through a gorge to a 60-foot waterfall known as Pfeiffer Falls was damaged in the devastating 162,818-acre Basin Complex Fire in 2008.
Officials said fires in subsequent years delayed construction and long-awaited reopening.
“Before the 2008 Basin Complex Fire, this was one of the most popular trails in Big Sur — a destination for California tourists. With the trail’s many improvements completed, we’re happy to welcome visitors once again,” Jim Doran, a California State Parks official, said in a release.
The trail underwent a $2-million renovation over the years, including the fixing of bridges, retaining walls, railing steps and signage. Officials said “in an effort to reimagine the visitor experience and protect sensitive habitat,” more than 4,150 square feet of asphalt and concrete were replaced with a newly aligned trail and a 70-foot-long pedestrian bridge that spans the Pfeiffer Redwood Creek ravine.
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“This challenging project, 12 years in the making, is a testament to the great and enduring partnership between Save the Redwoods League and California State Parks,” Jessica Inwood, senior parks program manager for Save the Redwoods League, said in a release.
“Together, we were able to reimagine a new trail with the long-term protection of this sensitive coast redwood ecosystem in mind.”
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