I was raised on this beautiful majestic Central California Coast and have long had a love affaire with the waterfalls on the Big Sur Pacific California Coast; let me be your Big Sur Waterfall guide.

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Black Swift Falls at the Ragged Point Inn and Resort flowing nicely after early spring rainfalls.

Black Swift Falls; over 300 feet high, highest waterfall on the Big Sur California Coast!

• Waterfall Name: Black Swift Falls
• Waterfall Location: Ragged Point Inn Resort on the Pacific Coast Highway 1, Ragged Point California; 74 miles south of Carmel CA, 15 miles north of Hearst Castle San Simeon
  LINK: Custom Google Map, Big Sur Waterfalls, find this and all famous natural Big Sur Waterfalls.
• Contact for Waterfall Information: 805-927-4502 Ragged Point Inn Ocean View Resort :
• Waterfall Height: 300 feet, highest waterfall on the Big Sur California Coast
• Waterfall Access: restricted, falls are best viewed from a scenic overlook on Ragged Point or from along the Ragged Point Inn Beach access trail.
• Season Best Viewing: December / March
• Beach Access Trail Distance: short but steep .3 mile (RT)
• Waterfall Trail Difficulty: Hard
• Falls Elevation: 340 feet
• Falls Lat/Long: +35° 46' 55.20", -121° 19' 51.56"
• Directions and Parking: park in the Ragged Point Resort parking lot, beach access trailhead is at the pagoda; best scenic overlook for the falls is the one furthest west and north on the Ragged Point peninsula.
• Waterfall Summary, more information, comments:
  Black Swift Falls: Located on the Ragged Point Inn and Resort property 15 miles north of Hearst Castle San Simeon; at over 300 feet high Black Swift Falls is easily the highest waterfall on the Big Sur Coast. Black Swift Falls is best viewed during the rainy season from the furthest northwest scenic view point at the Ragged Point Inn and Resort; you can often take the rough steep Ragged Point Inn and Resort beach access trail to the creek and traverse the creek beds rocks and boulders to get a better view from the bottom but the top of the waterfall is an off-limits protected Black Swift habitat.

Black Swift Falls, highest waterfall on the scenic Big Sur Pacific Coast

This famous Big Sur Waterfall is only spectacular after big rains. Black Swift Falls is located at the Ragged Point Inn and Resort. It is the highest waterfall on the Big Sur Coast, falling straight down for more than three hundred feet Black Swift Falls is actually the highest on the whole Central California Coast. The falls at Ragged Point gained their name from the "Black Swift," a rarely seen endangered bird which makes its moss and mud nests exclusively on steep cliffs in the coastal waterfall environment. To help protect the endangered bird's unique habitat the upper waterfall area is closely monitored and the area is off limits to the public.

Play it Safe in the creek bed and around the waterfalls:

Use good common since and consider your physical condition and capabilities. Creeks and waterfalls are dangerous places; it is easy to fall even if you are sober, don't drink. Visiting waterfalls often involves crossing creeks and rock hopping; wet and mossy rocks can cause bone breaking slips. Fast currents can be troublesome and drowning can happen even in shallow still water. Stay away from the cliffs unless you are an experienced climber. Looking down from the top of the falls is usually not really an impressive vantage point anyway. Having a friend along on a waterfall trek once saved my life, TAKE ALONG A FRIEND, it's more fun anyway and you can get in some pictures.

Clothing and Equipment:

It is easy to fall and get wet when visiting a waterfall, I usually do. Wear good boots or shoes and tough old clothing and bring an extra change and towels if you want to be dry. Layering is the best way to dress anytime you adventure outdoors on the Big Sur California Pacific Coast. Bring a map or at least get good directions. Bring food and water; you don't want to drink the creek water and picnics are fun. Bring your camera, accessories and a friend to take a waterfall picture with you in it.

Beach Access Trail

The Ragged Point nature trail is a steep series of switchbacks and the required further rock hopping up 1/8 mile rocky creek bed full of big boulders makes approaching Black Swift Falls an arduous ordeal.

Big Sur Waterfalls
Google Map

Black Swift Falls During the Rainy Season

The area above the falls is restricted; the top of Black Swift Falls is an environmentally sensitive area not to mention dangerous, it is a 300 foot vertical drop and it is this cliff top coastal waterfall environment area that is the nesting place of the rarely seen Black Swift, a small bird which is the namesake of Black Swift Falls. Black Swift Creek flows are very dependant on rains and vary greatly from a torrent to a trickle depending on the season and how much and recent the rainfall.

Purchase Digital Cameras:

Black Swift Falls at the Ragged Point Inn Resort

Black Swift Falls in the Spring

The Ragged Point Inn and Resort is the furthest south of the famous Big Sur Waterfalls; the Ragged Point Resort is the perfect place to end your Big Sur Waterfalls adventure trek!

Waterfall Photography Tips and Tricks;
Digital Camera or Single Reflex Camera and Film?:

You can get the best pictures using a SLR camera and film but digital cameras are getting better every day and many have settings which are comparable or mimic film cameras settings.
Shutter Speeds:What makes waterfall and flowing creek photographs get that soft look is a slow shutter speed and with film use of film with a low ISO; this effect is more pronounced with larger flows of splashing water (don't forget to take care to keep your camera, digital or film, dry). Many digital cameras allow for a slower shutter speed which is usually desirable although it can also be cool under certain conditions to shoot with a fast shutter speed and stop the motion of the water.
Bracket Your Shots:If you are looking for the perfect shot you should bracket (over expose a little usually) your exposures so your water looks nice and white not grey, the correct exposure is especially important if you have people it the shoot too. Many digital cameras have bracket settings for shutter speed as well.
Tripods:With any camera it will be better to shoot using a tripod. Camera motion can blur the picture easier at slow shutter speeds. Use a cable, remote or timer for hands-off the camera shooting for a nice clear shot.
Overcast or Sunlight?: Light overcast days are usually considered to be the best for photographing waterfalls; you can get a softer look although you can sometimes get some cool effects like lens flares, stop-motion, rainbows and light rays filtering through the tree branches when the sun is out. Lens Filters:A polarizing filter will eliminate the reflections and glare off the water and wet surfaces and give your photo a nice rich look. Under certain circumstances a neutral density filter can allow for longer exposures enhancing that soft look.
Camera Angles:Shoot from a variety of angles. No picture is worth getting hurt for but if the terrain allows shots other than straight on can make waterfall photographs much more dynamic and interesting.