CHAPTER nine

Andrew Molera State Park

THE LARGEST STATE PARK on the Big Sur coast, Andrew Molera is also one of the few places you can actually get your feet wet rather than just enjoying ocean viewpoints. This is an excellent place for beachcombers, surfers, and anglers, as well as hikers, joggers, bicyclists, and equestrians. Its 7.4 square miles boast more than 20 miles of trails, offering hikers passage across driftwood-strewn beaches, beside rivers lined with redwoods, and atop high ridges that overlook the Santa Lucia Range and broad Pacific. The wild and scenic Big Sur River winds amid the park’s mountains, meadows, and a walk-in campground on its way down to the sea.

Diverse ecosystems shelter a broad range of plant and animal communities. Birders know the park well. In 1992 the nonprofit Ventana Wilderness Society established a research and education center and bird observatory here. The Big Sur Ornithology Lab has documented more than 380 migratory, resident, and transitory birds. Researchers point to multiple factors, including biotic diversity, the mild climate, a healthy lagoon and estuary, and a nearby lighthouse that may attract nocturnal migrants.

DISCOVERY CENTER

Don’t miss the Discovery Center in Big Sur, located at Andrew Molera State Park. At the Discovery Center, you can see and interact with the exhibit Bringing the Condors Home and learn about the recovery efforts to bring the condors back to the wild. Enjoy a picnic or sign up for tours with on-site biologists and naturalists. Best of all, the Discovery Center is open to the public and free of charge.

But this park isn’t just for the birds. Keep watch for sea otters, seals, and sea lions amid the kelp beds and migrating gray whales just offshore. At dusk and dawn, deer graze in the Creamery Meadow as steelhead rise to feed on insects in the Big Sur River. Catch-and-release steelhead fishing is permitted from mid-November through February, while surf casting for rockfish and surfperch is permitted year-round. Fishing regulations change from year to year, so contact the Department of Fish & Game at (831) 649-2870 for current information.

The day-use fee is $8/vehicle, or you can park on the highway and hike in for free. The free turnout is on the west side of the highway, 0.1 mile north of the park entrance. A trail leads from the turnout to Cooper’s Cabin, just west of Trail Camp. If that turnout is full, there’s another 0.3 mile south of the park’s entrance. Water and toilet facilities are available at the official park lot.

The mouth of the Big Sur River is a dynamic place that is subject to dramatic seasonal changes—be prepared to get your feet or more wet if planning to cross.

DIRECTIONS: The park lies at the junction of Highway 1 and Old Coast Road, 22 miles south of Carmel and 4.2 miles north of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. The entrance is on the west side of the highway.

VISITOR CENTER: Big Sur Station: (831) 667-2315. The station is on Highway 1, 4.2 miles south of Andrew Molera State Park and just south of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Open daily 8 a.m.–6 p.m. Memorial Day through Labor Day, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. the rest of the year.

NEAREST CAMPGROUNDS: The park’s Trail Camp walk-in campground (24 sites, $25/night; register at the entrance kiosk) is in a large meadow near the Big Sur River, an easy 0.3-mile walk from the parking lot. Sites are granted on a first-come, first-serve basis and fill up quickly in summer and on holidays. Another option is Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park (218 sites, $25/standard site, $35/river site; reservations recommended in summer and on holidays).

INFORMATION: The park is day use only unless you’re camping. Dogs are not allowed on trails or at Trail Camp. Bikes are permitted only on Ridge, Beach, Trail Camp, and Creamery Meadow Trails. Horses are not allowed on the Hidden, Headlands, or Spring Trails, or in Trail Camp. To reserve a guided horseback tour, call Molera Horseback Tours at (831) 625-5486 or visit molerahorsebacktours.com.

WEBSITE: parks.ca.gov | PHONE: (831) 667-2315