Pfeiffer Beach
Purple sand and the Keyhole Arch sunbeam
A hidden Big Sur cove with streaks of purple-pink sand (from manganese garnet in the cliffs) and Keyhole Rock, a sea arch that — for a few weeks each winter — catches the setting sun in a blazing beam straight through the hole. A photographer’s pilgrimage.
The shot
The sunset beam through Keyhole Arch.
Nearby & worth pairing
- Big Sur
- McWay Falls nearby
- Highway 1
- Bixby Bridge
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