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Andrew Molera State Park
Nearby Parks:
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
Garrapata State Park
Point Lobos State Reserve
John Little State Park
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| State Park Contact Information: |
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Andrew Molera State Park
2211 Garden Road
Monterey, California 93940
Phone: 831-649-2836
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| Adopt-A-Park Contacts: |
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| State Park Overview: |
| In the spectacular Big Sur area, this park is still relatively undeveloped and offers visitors great hiking, fishing and beachcombing.
Miles of trails wind through meadows, beaches and hilltops. A primitive walk-in trail camp, popular with hikers and bikers, is located approximately one third mile from the parking area. |
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| Area Activities |
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| Camping: |
| Andrew Molera SP Trail Camp:
There are 24 identified sites. Camping is allowed only at these sites with a maximum of four people per site. Registration will continue to be on a first-come, first-served basis.
The establishment of 24 sites with a limit of four people per site will allow for maximum availability of individual campsites, yet continue to meet the required carrying capacity. Due to these changes, however, group camping at Trail Camp is no longer feasible. Please contact the park for additional information. |
| Trails: |
| Beach, Headlands Trails
3 miles round tripMountains, meadows and the mouth of Big Sur River are some of the highlights of a walk through Andrew Molera State Park, largest state park along the Big Sur coast. More than 20 miles of trail weave through the park, which has a diversity of ecosystems. You can hike along the bluffs overlooking three miles of beach, and climb through meadows and oak woodland. At the river mouth are a shallow lagoon and beautiful sandy beach.
In 1855, Yankee fur trader Juan Bautista Roger Cooper acquired this land, formerly part of the Mexican land grant Rancho El Sur. Grandson Andrew Molera, who inherited the ranch, had a successful dairy operation. His Monterey Jack cheese was particularly prized.
A good leg-stretcher walk is to take Beach Trail to the beach at the mouth of the Big Sur River, then return via Creamery Meadow Trail. Beach Trail and a number of other park roads are old dirt roads, which allow side-by-side walking, thus appealing to sociable hikers. A longer tour of the park can be made via the Bluff, Panorama and Ridge trails. The coastal views from these trails are magnificent.
You may hear a number of foreign languages en route. The state park?s walk-in campground is very popular with European visitors.
Note that the round trip loop described below relies on wading across the mouth of the Big Sur River. At times of high water, you?ll have to make this trip an out-and-back or get your feet (and possibly much more) wet by crossing the river.
Directions to trailhead: Andrew Molera State Park is just off Highway 1, some 21 miles south of Carmel.
The hike: From the parking lot, cross the Big Sur River on the seasonal footbridge. Walk 100 yards of so along a broad path that soon splits. Bear right onto Beach Trail. (The left fork joins Creamery Meadow Trail, an ideal return route for those who like loop trails.) The trail stays near the river, whose banks are crowded with thimbleberry and blackberry, honeysuckle vines, willow and bay laurel.
At 0.3 mile, you pass through the park?s campground. A side trail leads to Cooper Cabin, an 1861 redwood structure that?s the oldest building on Big Sur?s coast.
At the river mouth is a small beach and shallow lagoon, frequented by sanderlings, willets and many more shorebirds. A short path (Headlands Trail) leads above the beach to Molera Point, where you can watch for whales (January through April) or passing ships. The beach to the south is walkable at low tide.
Loop around the point and then either return the same way or via Creamery Meadow Trail on the south side of the Big Sur River. |
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| Related Links: |
| Andrew Molera State Park Trails - Ventana Wilderness Alliance On-line Trail Conditions Report for Andrew Molera State Park ... the Northern Santa Lucia Andrew Molera State Park Trails Pico Blanco from the Redwood Saddle ... | | Molera State Park - Pelican Network - ... Membership Member's Comments PelicanNetwork Links Andrew Molera State Park - Big Sur EcoGuide to California Central Coast ... a wild and scenic river - Andrew Molera State Park is a great ... | | Big Sur Camping, Andrew Molera State Park, Coastal camps, Walk-ins - ... head or get off the busy coast Highway 1. Click here to see plenty of backroads campings options. Andrew Molera State Park Official Site Lodge | Activities | Destinations | Trip-Ease | Site Map | ... | | Andrew Molera State Park Map - Monterey County California Regional Search Engine and Guide Explore Monterey County Parks Tour Parks Tour Parks MAP Coastal Bike Path Fort Ord prt1 Fort Ord prt2 Pinnacles Salinas River National Parks ... | | Big Sur coast. Andrew Molera State Park, California, USA. - naturalphotos -- sekercioglu: california coast / CAL14-BigSur-Beach Big Sur coast. Andrew Molera State Park, California, USA. | | Andrew Molera State Park - ... Back to Camping Guide Bay Area Camping Guide: Andrew Molera State Park Multi-Agency Facility, Big Sur Big Sur Station #1 Big ... on the map, but Andrew Molera State Park exhibits all the ... | | Area Campgrounds | | |
| Directions: |
| The park is 20 miles south of Carmel on Highway 1, Latitude/Longitude: 36.2833 / -121.8333. |
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