McWay Creek
Encyclopedia
McWay Creek is a 2.5 miles (4 km) coastal stream in Monterey County in the U.S. state
of California
. It flows steeply west and south from McWay Canyon, high in the Coast Range of California, and spills into the Pacific Ocean
at Waterfall Cove, after flowing over the famous McWay Falls
. Most of the creek and its watershed are contained inside Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
. The creek is named after Christopher McWay, a pioneer from the state of New York
. A famous structure, the "Waterfall House", originally existed at the mouth of the creek overlooking the falls, while a hydroelectric plant operated by a Pelton wheel
originally was powered by McWay Creek. The creek and its canyon are rich in vegetation types, due to the humid coastal climate with frequent fog and rainfall.
McWay Creek is formed by the confluence of its North and Middle Forks, at an elevation of roughly 1270 feet (387.1 m). The North Fork is the longer of the two streams, beginning at an elevation of 3450 feet (1,051.6 m), and running in a straight course southward to where it joins the Middle Fork. The smaller Middle Fork begins at an elevation of 3182 feet (969.9 m) and flows south-southwest to meet the North Fork and form the mainstem of McWay Creek. After the mainstem is formed, the creek winds south and west through a narrow canyon to where it meets the South Fork at an elevation of roughly 400 feet (121.9 m).
The South Fork, the largest sub-basin in the McWay Creek watershed, begins at an elevation of 2559 feet (780 m) on the east side of a ridge that separates it from the mainstem. After flowing south and turning slightly in a south-southwest direction, it meets McWay Creek. The creek then heads southwest, passing a parking area for Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
and crossing underneath Highway 1 in a concrete culvert
. It spills into the Pacific Ocean at Waterfall Cove.
There are a number of waterfalls in the basin of McWay Creek. The most well-known of the falls is McWay Falls
, which spills 80 feet (24.4 m) onto a sandy beach at Waterfall Cove. A smaller waterfall, the two-tier, 30 feet (9.1 m) McWay Creek Falls, is located upstream of the Highway 1 culvert and the parking area. A small 30 feet (9.1 m) cascade, Canyon Trail Falls, is fed by the South Fork just before it meets McWay Creek. As most of the creek is steep and rocky, there are many unnamed waterfalls that also exist. McWay Creek is fed by a number of springs in McWay Canyon, permitting it to flow year round.
was constructed on McWay Creek, a few hundred yards upstream of Highway 1. The turbine, which is not in use today, originally generated hydroelectricity for Saddle Rock Ranch.
In the 1940s, a well-known limestone
house, the "Waterfall House", was constructed on a bluff on the north side of Waterfall Cove, overlooking McWay Falls. The state park is named after Julia Pfeiffer Burns, who requested that the house be demolished in 1962, after the designation of the state park. It should not be confused with Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
to the north.
Prior to 1983, the creek plunged directly into the ocean. A landslide begun by a wildfire in 1983, coincided with road construction work in 1983-84. These factors contributed to a large amount of material being dumped into Waterfall Cove, creating the crescent-shaped beach. The slide also damaged parts of the Waterfall Trail, although that damage has been repaired.
s also exist in McWay Canyon, but due to salty ocean air, it is said that the ones closer to the shore have not survived healthily. Coastal sage scrub
is the dominant ground cover, specked by monkey flowers, Indian paintbrush
, common yarrow, blue blossom and coast morning glory
. Upstream, oak
s and bay tree
s begin to take presence. Ground cover consists of mostly sword fern, gooseberry
, western wake robin and redwood sorrel
. Forest clearings, found near higher elevations, consist of hedge nettle, bracken fern, and wild iris
. Redwoods are still prevalent in the upstream areas of the watershed with one rumored to be the largest in the Big Sur area. As elevations increase, live oak
, chamise and Coulter pine
begin to make presence.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It flows steeply west and south from McWay Canyon, high in the Coast Range of California, and spills into the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
at Waterfall Cove, after flowing over the famous McWay Falls
McWay Falls
McWay Falls is an 80 foot waterfall located in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park that flows year-round. Like Alamere Falls, this waterfall is one of only two in the region that are close enough to the ocean to be referred to as "tidefalls"...
. Most of the creek and its watershed are contained inside Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is a state-protected park in Big Sur, located in Monterey County, California. The park is administered and maintained by California State Parks. It is located south of Carmel and covers over of land. A main feature of the park is McWay Falls, which drops over a...
. The creek is named after Christopher McWay, a pioneer from the state of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. A famous structure, the "Waterfall House", originally existed at the mouth of the creek overlooking the falls, while a hydroelectric plant operated by a Pelton wheel
Pelton wheel
The Pelton wheel is an impulse turbine which is among the most efficient types of water turbines. It was invented by Lester Allan Pelton in the 1870s. The Pelton wheel extracts energy from the impulse of moving water, as opposed to its weight like traditional overshot water wheel...
originally was powered by McWay Creek. The creek and its canyon are rich in vegetation types, due to the humid coastal climate with frequent fog and rainfall.
Geography
The South Fork, the largest sub-basin in the McWay Creek watershed, begins at an elevation of 2559 feet (780 m) on the east side of a ridge that separates it from the mainstem. After flowing south and turning slightly in a south-southwest direction, it meets McWay Creek. The creek then heads southwest, passing a parking area for Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is a state-protected park in Big Sur, located in Monterey County, California. The park is administered and maintained by California State Parks. It is located south of Carmel and covers over of land. A main feature of the park is McWay Falls, which drops over a...
and crossing underneath Highway 1 in a concrete culvert
Culvert
A culvert is a device used to channel water. It may be used to allow water to pass underneath a road, railway, or embankment. Culverts can be made of many different materials; steel, polyvinyl chloride and concrete are the most common...
. It spills into the Pacific Ocean at Waterfall Cove.
There are a number of waterfalls in the basin of McWay Creek. The most well-known of the falls is McWay Falls
McWay Falls
McWay Falls is an 80 foot waterfall located in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park that flows year-round. Like Alamere Falls, this waterfall is one of only two in the region that are close enough to the ocean to be referred to as "tidefalls"...
, which spills 80 feet (24.4 m) onto a sandy beach at Waterfall Cove. A smaller waterfall, the two-tier, 30 feet (9.1 m) McWay Creek Falls, is located upstream of the Highway 1 culvert and the parking area. A small 30 feet (9.1 m) cascade, Canyon Trail Falls, is fed by the South Fork just before it meets McWay Creek. As most of the creek is steep and rocky, there are many unnamed waterfalls that also exist. McWay Creek is fed by a number of springs in McWay Canyon, permitting it to flow year round.
History
In 1924, Lathrop and Helen Hooper Brown began to purchase land around the mouth of McWay Creek for use as a ranch (the Saddle Rock Ranch). At about this time, they befriended the daughter of the Burns family, who were pioneers in the Big Sur area, Julia Pfeiffer Burns. At around this time, a Pelton wheelPelton wheel
The Pelton wheel is an impulse turbine which is among the most efficient types of water turbines. It was invented by Lester Allan Pelton in the 1870s. The Pelton wheel extracts energy from the impulse of moving water, as opposed to its weight like traditional overshot water wheel...
was constructed on McWay Creek, a few hundred yards upstream of Highway 1. The turbine, which is not in use today, originally generated hydroelectricity for Saddle Rock Ranch.
In the 1940s, a well-known limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
house, the "Waterfall House", was constructed on a bluff on the north side of Waterfall Cove, overlooking McWay Falls. The state park is named after Julia Pfeiffer Burns, who requested that the house be demolished in 1962, after the designation of the state park. It should not be confused with Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is a state park in Monterey County, California near the town of Big Sur on the state's Central Coast. It covers approximately of land. The park is centered around the Big Sur River. It has been nicknamed a "mini Yosemite."...
to the north.
Prior to 1983, the creek plunged directly into the ocean. A landslide begun by a wildfire in 1983, coincided with road construction work in 1983-84. These factors contributed to a large amount of material being dumped into Waterfall Cove, creating the crescent-shaped beach. The slide also damaged parts of the Waterfall Trail, although that damage has been repaired.
Biology
The humid coastal climate of Big Sur and the McWay Canyon area supports a wide variety of vegetation in McWay Canyon. By the coast, the most prominent riparian vegetation consists of willows, alders, western coltsfoot and elk clover, with other species also existing among the dominant plants. Redwood treeRedwood
-Trees:Conifers* Family Cupressaceae *** Sequoia sempervirens - coast redwood**** Albino redwood*** Sequoiadendron giganteum - giant sequoia*** Metasequoia glyptostroboides - dawn redwood* Family Pinaceae...
s also exist in McWay Canyon, but due to salty ocean air, it is said that the ones closer to the shore have not survived healthily. Coastal sage scrub
Coastal sage scrub
Coastal sage scrub is a low scrubland plant community found in the California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion of coastal California and northern Baja California. It is characterized by low-growing aromatic, and drought-deciduous shrubs adapted to the semi-arid Mediterranean climate of the...
is the dominant ground cover, specked by monkey flowers, Indian paintbrush
Indian Paintbrush
Indian Paintbrush most often refers to:* Castilleja spp.Indian Paintbrush may also refer to:* Butterfly weed* Hawkweed* Steven Rales' production company, whose productions include The Darjeeling Limited, Towelhead and Fantastic Mr. Fox...
, common yarrow, blue blossom and coast morning glory
Morning glory
Morning glory is a common name for over 1,000 species of flowering plants in the family Convolvulaceae, whose current taxonomy and systematics is in flux...
. Upstream, oak
Oak Tree
Oak Tree may refer to:*Oak, the tree*Oak Tree, County Durham, a village in County Durham, England*The Oaktree Foundation, a youth-run aid and development agency*Oak Tree National, golf club in Edmond, Oklahoma...
s and bay tree
Bay tree
Bay tree can refer to:* Bay Laurel, the edible Sweet Bay* Umbellularia, the California Bay Laurel* Bay Tree, a Fabergé eggAnd sometimes confused with the poisonous*Prunus laurocerasus...
s begin to take presence. Ground cover consists of mostly sword fern, gooseberry
Gooseberry
The gooseberry or ; Ribes uva-crispa, syn. R. grossularia) is a species of Ribes, native to Europe, northwestern Africa and southwestern Asia...
, western wake robin and redwood sorrel
Redwood sorrel
Oxalis oregana is a species of the wood sorrel family, Oxalidaceae, native to moist Douglas-fir and Coast Redwood forests of western North America from southwestern British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California.-Description:Oxalis oregana is a short herbaceous perennial plant with erect...
. Forest clearings, found near higher elevations, consist of hedge nettle, bracken fern, and wild iris
Wild Iris
Wild Iris is a drama film starring Laura Linney, Gena Rowlands, Emile Hirsch and Fred Ward. Co - Starrings are Miguel Sandoval, Scott Gibson, Amy Stewart and Lee Tergesen....
. Redwoods are still prevalent in the upstream areas of the watershed with one rumored to be the largest in the Big Sur area. As elevations increase, live oak
Live oak
Live oak , also known as the southern live oak, is a normally evergreen oak tree native to the southeastern United States...
, chamise and Coulter pine
Coulter Pine
The Coulter Pine or Big-cone Pine is a native of the coastal mountains of southern California and northern Baja California . Isolated groves are found as far north as the San Francisco Bay Area in Mt. Diablo State Park and Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve...
begin to make presence.
Works cited
- Shaffer, Chris; Bourgo, David; Shaffer, Nicole; Shangle, Joel (2003). The Definitive Guide to the Waterfalls of Southern and Central California. Shafdog Publishing. ISBN 0-97128-142-4.
- Elliot, Analise (2005). Hiking & Backpacking Big Sur: A Complete Guide to the Trails of Big Sur, Ventana Wilderness, and Silver Peak Wilderness. Wilderness Press. ISBN 0-89997-326-4
- Henson, Paul; Usner, Donald J.; Kells, Valerie A (1996). The Natural History of Big Sur. University of California Press. ISBN 0-52020-510-3