Limekiln State Park (historic lime kilns)

California

TypeHistory
CategoryRoadside Icons

Four rusted iron-and-stone kilns from an 1887-1890 lime-calcining operation sit half-swallowed by redwood forest a quarter mile off the highway — this kiln shut down in 1890, but lime from Big Sur-coast operations like it fed San Francisco- and Monterey-area construction demand, hauled out by mule before the site went bankrupt in three years.

A genuine industrial-history oddity buried in a redwood grove — distinct from the McWay Falls/Pfeiffer Beach nature stops already on the route page, and pairs with Limekiln's own 100-ft waterfall (Falls Trail) as a two-for-one stop. 56 miles south of Carmel, a natural rescue pin for the corridor's quieter southern half.

Hours, admission, and access change — confirm with the official source before you plan the detour.

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