Offbeat Traveler: Purple sands of Big Sur's Pfeiffer Beach
Offbeat Traveler is heading to the coast this summer. In celebration of the season, we're bringing you colorful beaches around the world -- destinations where the sand is not your typical yellow or beige.
We start with Pfeiffer Beach in Los Padres National Forest along California's Central Coast, where the impressive scenery alone makes it worth a visit. The beach's purple sand, however, makes it unusual.
-- Jason La
Read more: Sea glass supplants sand at Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, Calif.
We start with Pfeiffer Beach in Los Padres National Forest along California's Central Coast, where the impressive scenery alone makes it worth a visit. The beach's purple sand, however, makes it unusual.
-- Jason La
Read more: Sea glass supplants sand at Glass Beach in Fort Bragg, Calif.
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Purple sand( Pamela Ocampo / October 24, 2012 )
Sand derives its color from minerals that compose it, which vary from place to place. Quartz, often clear or translucent, is commonly the dominant ingredient, lending sand its generally light color. Pfeiffer Beach's purple color comes from manganese garnet deposits found in the surrounding rocks.
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