A popular hiking trail damaged during a major winter storm is back open again after being closed for over two years.
California State Parks said Monday that the three-quarter mile Pfeiffer Falls Trail in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park near Big Sur has reopened.
In January 2023, the trail bridge, which carries hikers over a gorge to a 60-foot-tall waterfall, was destroyed when a redwood tree fell on it during a winter storm, closing the trail.
It was not the first time the trail had been impacted by a natural disaster.
In June 2008, the park was devastated during the Basin Complex Fire, which burned 162,818 acres in the Big Sur area, including the trail.
State Parks partnered with the Save the Redwoods League to redesign the closed trail after the fire, including building the bridge.
Save the Redwoods League is a San Francisco-based nonprofit that protects and restores redwood forests throughout Northern California.
The trail was reopened in 2021,13 years after it first closed.
According to State Parks, an estimated 750,000 people visit the park annually, many using the trail to see the waterfall.
“State Parks staff have worked hard to replace the damaged portion of the bridge so visitors can enjoy this lovely hike through the redwoods again,” said Jim Doran, maintenance chief of the State Parks Monterey District.
Doran’s crew worked with Save the Redwoods League and Cailfornia Conservation Corps to reconstruct the bridge, salvaging most of the original bridge and replacing 15 feet of materials.
“It’s unfortunate that the trail had to close so soon after our original renovations, but our close partnership with California State Parks allowed us to rebuild the bridge better than ever,” said Matthew Gomez, senior parks manager for Save the Redwoods League. “We’re excited for people to head back out to the park and enjoy this beautiful redwood trail again.”
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