The Mitteldorf Preserve in

Big Sur, California Big Sur () is a rugged and mountainous section of the Central Coast of California between Carmel and San Simeon, where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. It is frequently praised for its dramatic scenery. Big Sur ha ...

, is owned by to the Big Sur Land Trust. It is located between

Joshua Creek Canyon Ecological Reserve The Joshua Creek Canyon Ecological Reserve in Big Sur, California, is owned by to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. It is located between Big Sur Coast Highway to the west, Palo Corona Regional Park and Mitteldorf Preserve on the ...

to the south,

Palo Corona Regional Park The Palo Corona Regional Park is a park owned by the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District on land east of Big Sur Coast Highway and Garrapata State Park in California. The property stretches southeast about from the near the Carmel Rive ...

on the north, and

Santa Lucia Preserve The Santa Lucia Preserve () or The Preserve (formerly Rancho San Carlos) is a private, gated development permitting 297 homesites. It is located in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Range between Palo Corona Regional Park and Carmel Valley, C ...

to the east. It is only accessible through the Santa Lucia Preserve, a private, gated, community of about 300 homes on in

Carmel Valley, California Carmel Valley is an unincorporated community in Monterey County, California, United States. The term "Carmel Valley" generally refers to the Carmel River watershed east of California State Route 1, and not specifically to the smaller Carmel V ...

. Arthur Mitteldorf, an inventor and former president and chief executive of Spex Industries and his wife Harriet searched for property containing a pristine stand of Redwood trees and donated the funds to purchase the property to the trust in 1990. Mitteldorf conserves the largest Redwood trees in Monterey County. It also protects madrone, oak woodland, coastal chaparral, and grassland habitats. Williams Canyon Road through the preserve provides emergency access first responders. The road is an essential road for the California Department of Forestry Palo Corona Fuels Reduction Project. The trust began developing infrastructure for a nature camp and research program when the

Soberanes Fire The Soberanes Fire was a large wildfire that burned 57 homes and killed a bulldozer operator, and cost about $260 million to suppress, making it at the time the most expensive wildfire to fight in United States history. The Soberanes Fire was ...

destroyed the barn and burned much of the habitat. Public access is allowed by reservation only.

References

{{Big Sur, state=collapsed Big Sur Monterey County, California