Bixby Creek Bridge
DETAILS:
Location: Approximately 13 miles south of Carmel on Highway 1
Hours of Operation: No set hours, but I’d advise using a sunrise to sunset philosophy.
Parking: Limited free parking turnout available at the northeast end of the bridge.
Cost: Free!
Time Commitment: 30 minutes.
Miscellaneous:
Traffic congestion around the bridge can get pretty heavy, which has become a major bone of contention with locals, so please be aware of both when visiting. Try your best to be respectful of the bridge and surrounding area by not littering, tailgating, parking outside of designated turnouts, or walking across the bridge which is not allowed.
Weather conditions can restrict access to the area. Please check the website provided below (under “resources”) before visiting to see access availability.
Golden Gate Bridge, Tower Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge… you know a bridge has to be pretty spectacular when it is the destination and not just the thing you have to cross over in order to get to the other side. Another bridge that would definitely fulfill that criteria is Bixby Creek Bridge in Big Sur. While you may not be familiar with it by name, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve seen it a good number of times on film or TV, and especially if you’ve ever watched the opening credits to HBO’s Big Little Lies.
Bixby Creek (and subsequently the bridge) is named after Charles Henry Bixby, an east coast businessman who established a major sawmill operation in the area in the late 19th century in order to take advantage of the booming Northern California timber industry. Bixby Creek Bridge was completed in 1932 in order to help create Route 56 (the precursor to Highway 1), connecting the coastline through Big Sur over Bixby Creek for the first time in history. It was either that or the much more expensive option of tunneling through the Santa Lucia Mountains which would’ve also caused a significant detour up the coast. Another cost-saver was the decision to use concrete over steel which had the side benefit of helping maintain a natural aesthetic with the surrounding environment. Sometimes simple & cheaper is the best option! Measuring in at 714 feet long and 280 feet tall, Bixby Creek Bridge is still one of the largest concrete bridges in the world.
I could go on and on with historical facts and figures, but its majestic location along the coast unifying the Pacific Ocean with heaven and earth is the only detail that matters. I promise that the sight of Bixby Creek Bridge off in the distance will make you want to stop and take it all in for a moment (or several) when you finally draw close. Thankfully, there’s a turnout just north of it that allows for such reverence, so why not take advantage of it?!
