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Big Sur Facts & Worksheets

Big Sur is a breathtaking tract of terrain off the famous Pacific Coast Highway.

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Big Sur is a breathtaking tract of terrain off the famous Pacific Coast Highway. Big Sur, bounded by the Santa Lucia Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, has unrivaled scenic beauty and a unique vibe you won’t find anywhere else. Big Sur is well-known for its stunning coastline, towering redwoods, and epic hiking trails, as well as its world-class hotels, inns, boutique stores, restaurants, and parks.

See the fact file below for more information on Big Sur, or you can download our 29-page Big Sur worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

BRIEF HISTORICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL BACKGROUND

  • Big Sur is about 150 miles south of San Francisco and 300 miles north of Los Angeles on Scenic Highway One. 
  • Big Sur got its name from the undiscovered and unmapped wilderness area that runs along the coast south of Monterey. It was known as El Sur Grande or The Big South. 
  • Highway One runs the length of the state, with the picturesque Santa Lucia Mountains on one side and the rugged Pacific Coast on the other.
  • The Spanish first occupied Big Sur in the 1830s, but its first significant communities were established during the Gold Rush. 
  • It was initially inhabited by the Esselen, Salinan, and Ohlone Native Americans. Despite the difficult access, the lumber industry prospered in Big Sur in the late 1800s. 
  • Although two Mexican land grants were granted in the 1830s that comprised much of the territory north of the Big Sur Valley, neither grantee settled on the land. 
  • The first permanent settlers came to Big Sur just over a century ago. Other hardy persons followed and staked down their homesteads in the following decades.
  • Many early immigrants’ names bear Mt. Manuel, Pfeiffer Ridge, Post Summit, Cooper Point, Dani Ridge, Partington Cove, and other locations. Some of their descendants still live in Big Sur.
  • At the beginning of the century, Big Sur had a more significant population than today. A thriving redwood lumbering sector employed many people. 
  • The Old Coast Route, the only link between homesteads, was little more than a wagon trail. Steamers brought heavy goods and supplies and docked at Notley’s Landing, Partington Cove, and the Little Sur River mouth.
  • Because navigation was dangerous, the Point Sur Lighthouse Station began sending its powerful beam to safeguard ships from the risks of the shoreline in 1889.
  • Big Sur’s population was more extensive than it is today.
  • Highway One’s construction in the 1930s altered Big Sur, making its magnificence accessible to all rather than just the most daring. 
  • The current roadway was completed in 1937 at a high cost, after eighteen years of building, even with the assistance of convict labor. 
  • Since being designated as California‘s first Scenic Highway, it has provided an unparalleled driving experience in natural beauty and scenic variation.
  • Electricity did not come to Big Sur until the early 1950s, and it still does not reach the entire length of the coast or into the more remote mountainous sections.
  • The Pacific Ocean’s proximity ensures a mild climate. Winters are pleasant, with rainy days interspersed by bright sunshine. The various streams that pour down the redwood-lined gorges are fed by an average rainfall of more than 50 inches. 
  • Summer mornings are cooled by coastal fog, which usually lifts by early afternoon. The most excellent weather is generally found in the spring and fall.
  • Packing for Big Sur should include both warm and cold weather gear. A rainy, foggy morning can give way to a warm afternoon. 
  • Temperatures are more extreme in the Wilderness Area’s inner valleys; the fog bank rarely reaches the coastal ridge. Therefore the days are likely to be scorching and the nights frigid.
  • The natural grandeur of the coast, which emerges from the towering geological features, rich vegetation, and dramatic meeting of land and sea, is the area’s most important draw for visitors. Big Sur has a worldwide reputation for its breathtaking beauty. Hiking, backpacking, and scenic drives are among its popular activities.

FLORA AND FAUNA

  • Today, although Big Sur connects flora and fauna of Northern and Southern California, the climates of those regions differ significantly due to the sheer topography of the Santa Lucia Range. As a result, it has diverse ecosystems, including a coastal scrub stretching along the coast, chaparral, particularly in the Ventana and Silver Peak Wildernesses, redwood forests, and riparian (riverside) woodlands. Grasslands along the Santa Lucia Range’s slopes, oak woodlands, and mixed evergreen forests nestled along deep, dark canyon floors on the dry, rocky slopes of Santa Lucia.
  • The high peaks of the Santa Lucia Range, such as the Ventana Double Cone and Pico Blanco, are composed of various types of granite, marble, schist, and gneiss. These rocks formed over millennia as sandstone, siltstone, and limestone solidified.
  • The ocean off the coast of Big Sur is a designated Marine Sanctuary and Sea Otter Refuge, with kelp beds, offshore boulders, and deep undersea canyons providing a variety of marine habitats.
  • Big Sur, one of California’s few unspoiled coastlines, is home to many protected species. Observe the endangered California condor, North America’s most giant land bird, soaring overhead or perched on rocky outcroppings along the route. 
  • There are also southern sea otters floating and bobbing in the surf near the shoreline. Such as northern elephant seals, formerly hunted to near-extinction, as they meet twice a year on the beaches of San Simeon to procreate. 
  • In the winter and summer, the peak of spouts of migrating blue, gray, orca, and humpback whales.

ATTRACTIONS

  • Big Sur is more of an experience than a destination. Headlights shine across spectacular seaside sunsets as the state-spanning Highway 1 slows with hairpin twists. Early morning fog regularly envelops the region, but it usually clears by the afternoon, revealing a fascinating landscape of redwood canyons and 300-foot seaside cliffs. Below are some of the most famous attractions in Big Sur:
  • Pfeiffer Beach: The massive sea stacks at Pfeiffer Beach are awe and unique, set against the rugged Santa Lucia Mountains, with turbulent waves adding a mesmerizing and constant force. It is also a perfect spot in Big Sur to watch the sunset. Keyhole Rock is the primary attraction in Pfeiffer Beach. This massive rock formation is frequently seen and photographed, and it features a spectacular natural arch that pulses with seawater and sunshine.
  • Bixby Bridge: The Bixby Bridge is an iconic emblem of the Big Sur coastline, and tourists worldwide visit to photograph it. This modern engineering marvel, also known as the Bixby Canyon Bridge, was finished in 1932 and stood 260 feet above Bixby Creek. Driving across the gorgeous span of the bridge is nothing short of a bucket-list-worthy California experience. Many visitors will recognize the bridge and ocean scene from television and film. And it certainly is a breathtaking sight, unparalleled along the coast.
  • Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park: Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is named after a prominent Big Sur pioneer. The state park offers elevated sceneries to explore alongside the seashore. The park’s most notable feature is the beautiful McWay Falls, which can be seen from a high viewing point cascading over 80 feet into the ocean. Natural occurrences such as mudslides and wildfires can impact path conditions within the park. When visiting, be aware of any posted closures.
  • Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park: Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is one of the most popular state parks on the coast, located along the banks of the Big Sur River and bordered by the rugged Santa Lucia Mountains. Every acre of this state park is surrounded by breathtaking beauty, especially on the paths that follow the Big Sur River and wind through massive redwood woods.
  • Point Lobos: Point Lobos, located at the northern extremity of the Big Sur coast, is popular with photographers, scuba divers, and wildlife. Numerous hiking routes traverse the perimeter and interior of this exceptionally scenic coastal point, allowing visitors to take in the nature reserve’s lush meadows and stunning shoreline.
  • Ragged Point: Ragged Point is sometimes one of the first stops for travelers driving north through Big Sur. A terrific way to enjoy the area is to stop at the Ragged Point Inn and Resort, set above a 300-foot cliff. Visitors enjoy the vista while using the amenities.
  • Garrapata State Park: On the north end of the Big Sur coast, Garrapata State Park provides beach access, coastal canyon hiking paths, and spectacular headland vistas. The state park is accessible via several highway 1 pullout. Garrapata Beach is around mile markers 17 and 18 in the park’s southern section. Inland hiking trails lead up and down Soberanes Canyon further north.

IN POPULAR CULTURE

FILM

  • Big Sur has been the setting for several well-known films, including The Sandpiper (1965), starring Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Eva Marie Saint, and Charles Bronson. 
  • The location was also the setting for the 1974 film Zandy’s Bride, starring Gene Hackman and Liv Ullmann. 
  • Jack Kerouac’s novel turned Big Sur into a movie starring Kate Bosworth, directed by the actress’s husband, Michael Polish, in 2013. 
  • As of 2017, nineteen films had been shot in the Big Sur region, dating back to 1941’s Suspicion.

BOOKS

  • Not Man Apart: Photographs of the Big Sur Shoreline, released in 1995 by noted environmentalist David Brower, featured Jeffers’ poems and pictures of the Big Sur coast. 
  • Morley Baer, a Carmel landscape photographer, merged his iconic black-and-white images of Big Sur with parts of Jeffers’ poetry in the posthumously published 2002 book Stones of the Sur.

SONGS

  • “California Saga: California,” a single from The Beach Boys’ album Holland, highlights the area’s rough landscape and the lifestyle of its residents.
  • Buckethead’s album Colma contains the song “Big Sur Moon,” named after the place.
  • The song “Bixby Canyon Bridge” from Death Cab for Cutie’s album Narrow Stairs discusses the narrator’s trip to Big Sur, where he waits for enlightenment that never arrives.
  • John Adams composed The Dharma at Big Sur for electric violin and orchestra in 2003 for the opening of Disney Hall in Los Angeles.

COMPUTING

  • Apple’s desktop operating system, macOS Big Sur, which was revealed on June 22, 2020, during WWDC is named after the region.

Big Sur Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Big Sur across 29 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets about the Big Sur, a breathtaking tract of terrain off the famous Pacific Coast Highway.

Complete list of included worksheets:

  • Big Sur Facts
  • Fact or Bluff?
  • Historical Throwback
  • Breaking News!
  • Fill Me In!
  • Big Sur Immigrants
  • Trip Itinerary
  • Locate Me!
  • Song Review
  • Acrostic Poetry
  • Promotional Poetry

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Big Sur known for?

Big Sur is the longest and most scenic stretch of coastline in the United States that has not been developed. This means it is an exceptional place that needs to be protected from any kind of building or development. The coastline is gorgeous, with a road along it and a fantastic view.

What is the history of Big Sur?

Formerly known by Spanish settlers as the Big Country of the South, this was a term for describing the untouched lands that stretch along Monterey’s shores in the south. Thousands of indigenous peoples lived here before European adventurers set foot in Southern California during the 16th and 17th centuries.

Is Big Sur worth visiting?

Big Sur is beautiful, with a lot of nature and different cultures. There are incredible places to stay, like the foggy parts, the forest part with lots of tall redwoods, and the coastal views.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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