California has so many great hiking trails, but this is one of my all time favorites. I absolutely *love*it here! You can pay $10 and park in the lot, or park on the east side of Hwy 1 and walk in. With certain parks, I tend to be a creature of habit...once I find a trail I like, it's hard for me to try others. The path I trek at Andrew Molera is always the Ridge Trail to the Panorama Trail, to the Bluff Trail, and ending at the ocean. About an hour into my hike, I enter what I call the "enchanted forest". This part of the hike is so magical and kinda spooky! I swear I think there are fairy's and gnomes hiding behind the trees. The eyes I feel on me are more likely those of a bob cat or coyote, but I prefer to think they are the fairies! Tralala through the forest I go! A few hundred yards after emerging from the forest you reach the summit and are met with such a fantastic view of the Pacific. So so so beautiful. And this is the view you get for most of the remainder of the hike. This isn't the most challenging hike, although it does have challenging parts, but doing 9 or so miles, burning close to a 1000 calories, and being filled with peacefulness and appreciation ~ can't beat it :-) I could use a massage though... read more

Andrew Molera State Park - Birds on the beach- Andrew Molera - Parks Near Me - Big Sur, California

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Stopped at the Andrew Molera state park looking for a little hike heading from Big Sur to Monterey. The staff member said that most people come here for the beach and that it was about a mile hike to the beach (it's probably closer to 1.3 miles each way). Trail was well maintained and when we arrived at the beach it was beautiful (sorry no pics, as I was enjoying the experience). We saw some surfers and enjoyed a nice lunch listening to the waves crash on the rocks, which made a unique sound as the water cascaded down. The walk was a bit longer than anticipated, so take that into consideration. read more

Andrew Molera State Park - Footbridge over the Big Sur River - Parks Near Me - Big Sur, California

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This is by far the easiest and flattest hike to the beach. We parked on the road and hiked down. The beach was beautiful and rocky. There was enough space for social distancing during covid-19. read more

Love the trails here and the views were spectacular! Definitely worth trying out. A few beaches you can go to if you just want to sit and read or eat! Done this several times now and it never gets old. Watch out for poison oak! read more

This state park offers camping, horseback riding, and access to sandy oceanfront beaches (if you are a little adventurous). A definite winner. The hikes are short, and the views are stunning. I would caution that the campgrounds don't look like anything special. read more

Andrew Molera State Park - Parks Near Me - Big Sur, California

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I came here a few months ago on the recommendation of one of my parent's coworkers. I have to say the trip was well worth it. The drive there on Highway 1 is spectacular and the scenery is just as amazing once you're inside the park. I took the Beach Trail to get to the water. The walk is fairly easy, so no worries if you aren't a seasoned hiker. As other Yelpers have mentioned, there is a stream you have to wade through. It's pretty shallow and isn't too difficult to cross (although the water was freeeeeezing). Another heads up: there are horse trails and at some point the horse trail converges with the Beach Trail (not sure about the other ones). So in some areas there's lots of horse manure. Just watch your step and you should be fine. Once you get to the water the views are great! The boulders on the beach make for great photo op as well. My only complaint about this part of the hike was that it was VERY windy. I recommend taking sunglasses, windbreaker, etc. It was also great to see some of the wildlife there. On the walk back (i took a different trail), I saw a deer hanging around near the camping sites. Really beautiful. However, it was also very windy near the campground and some people's tents were blowing away. So if you do plan on camping, make sure your tent is secured well. You wouldn't want to come back to find it missing! All in all, this day trip was quite the experience. I hope to find myself there again soon and explore even more of the trails and views this park has to offer. read more

Not sure why yelp says its still closed but it was open for hiking when my group and I went here just this past weekend! This place is beautiful; probably one of my most memorable hikes yet. My group and I did the bluff trail and we ended up doing the whole 8 mile or so loop. The coastal views are fabulous and the two beaches were definitely the highlight. If you go the whole loop and start out at the beaches towards panorama and ridge trail, be warned, it's going to be a workout! I recommend staying on the cleaner paved route instead of going through the hidden trails (short cut) though. Group and I did not foresee all the poison oaks and thorny plants on the hidden trail. We had to bushwack our way through all the weeds and vines. Other than that, I am definitely going to come back here again for sure! read more

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My best friend and I camped at Andrew Molera for 3 nights in July 2011. I'm an experienced camper; both back country and car and this has topped my list of places to camp in California. I found it particularly difficult to find much info on the campground so I turned to Yelp and here I am writing my first review so you can have all the info you need. Things to know that weren't easily determined by online research: $25/night 24 hike-in campsites 4 person max/site All sites have a picnic table All sites have a fire pit with grill All sites have a food storage bin 2 well-maintained restrooms with flush toilets and sinks No showers (but I would suggest a dip in the Big Sur River) Recycle & Rubbish bins near the bathrooms (don't have to hike out garbage) Drinkable water available in 3-4 locations on the grounds Park management sells firewood from 11-7 Trail maps available from Park Mgt from 11-7 Lots of Poison Oak, but easily identifiable because there is so much of it. Because it's a first-come first come campground (we need more of these in CA), during the summer months, you'll want to arrive at the campground around 11:00 a.m. when other campers are departing on Monday-Saturday. You probably won't have too much trouble checking in on a Sunday though. When we arrived at 11:30 on a Thursday morning there were only 2 campsites to choose from and we literally bolted for the camp trail with other campers close on our heels. We are convinced that we had one of the best sites on the grounds (No. 5) except for the broken grill on the fire pit. This is a hike-in campground so you'll want to pack accordingly. We clocked the easy and beautiful 1/2 mile hike from the parking lot to the campsites at about 4 minutes. Probably 6-8 minutes with a lot of heavy gear. There is one set of about 4 steps on the camp trail. We did end up using a rolling cart to schlep firewood to our site. The trail continues past the campground and then it's about 1 mile to the sea. You will have to cross the Big Sur river in order to get to the sea. this is the spot where the Big Sur River flows into the Pacific. We did see climbers experimenting on the sea cliffs along the lagoon too. It was great to have fresh water to wash the sea water off of our bodies. There were so many birds at this portion of the beach in the late afternoon early evening, that I strongly suggest a walk down there for a dinnertime picnic. There are several huts constructed out of driftwood by passerby. You can tell that when people arrive at this beach, they have come to play with Mother Nature. There was no heavy foot traffic on any of the trails in Andrew Molera (in fact I hiked topless for most of it). Most of the trails are easy or moderate and meander along and across the Big Sur River. We found our own personal Eden on the Bobcat Trail. A wonderful mountain pool where we spent a lazy Sunday afternoon after checking out of the campground. This was incredible for intimate camping. No annoying car alarms either. I love this place and plan to go back soon. I'll race you for campsite No. 5. Ready. Set. Camp! read more

If you're thinking about staying here, read the reviews! They are what helped make our trip so amazing! We went Valentine's Day weekend, so it was risky. My husband read up on the reviews and mastered this "1st come 1st serve campground site". If you want to be able to choose the best spot out of the available sites, ARRIVE EARLY!! Even though the rangers don't open until 8 or 9, GET THERE EARLY! We arrived at 6:30AM and there was already four cars in line at the rangers office. When we got there, we told everyone who was waiting in line that they should go ahead and park their cars and scout out the campgrounds. We told everyone because we didn't want to crowd anyone, but no one listened, so we drove around the line, parked our car and walked to the campsite to scout out who was leaving. Don't wait in line and do nothing, the spots will get taken by others who know the drill. Sure enough, the rest of the gang followed us and we all went scouting. It's about a 5-10 minute walk there, so carrying all your things may be a little strenuous, so pack and carry your loads smart. :) Don't bring you things with you for scouting; wait till you have a place and are ready to set up your campsite. As you walk around you'll see clipboards with white signs. These signs say what day the people are leaving the campsite. This way, you can know which ones are possibly available. As the campers began to wake up we respectfully approached them and asked if they are leaving today (some may have decided to stay another night and are going to reserve that spot again). Once you know they are leaving, let them know you're going to the ranger's office and you're securing this site. This way, if anyone else asks them, they can tell them it's already reserved; then you're not wasting anyone's' time and you don't risk two people securing the spot. Once you know which site number you're taking, head back to the ranger's office. In a small box on the outside they have paper where you can leave your information and your $20 (or $25 - I cannot remember) deposit along with it and drop it in the box. (I'd put the time you selected it in case there is a confusion of people securing the same site, we didn't do that, but sometimes I worry too much). Then you are golden, all you do is wait till the people at your campsite leave and it's all yours to start setting up. We stayed at Campsite 13, it was AWESOME. There's a big spot full of trees where a handful of campsites are spread around. On #13 there was a spot under the trees where we put our tent under them and we were able to put up a hammock too, it felt pretty private, as private as you can get at this site. :) We decided to go hiking after we were set up. We did the Creamery Meadow Trail, Regardless of which way you start, you have to cross the river. The river you have to cross is COLD, and the rocks hurt as you walk across. It's pretty strong, but you'll be okay. We started at the parking lot, you can also start over closer to the campsite, but we wanted to end closer to the campsite. So we started off by the parking lot, crossed the river and hiked over to the main Big Sur beach. After you take in this beach, there's an even better one ahead (if you want a more inclusive and private beach. It's still about 1 - 2 miles of a hike BUT WORTH IT. It's so secluded and has a waterfall. We brought some snacks and towels to relax at this beach. Definitely go, it's very special. So we wouldn't back track, we hiked back to the other beach to where the river and beach meet, so here you'll have to cross the river again. This spot is definitely a place you'll want to come back to at night. The stars are AMAZING! It'll take your breath away. We left our shoes on this time as we crossed the river; since we were pretty much done hiking for the day. Your about a 5-10 minute walk to the campsite. This was such an awesome time and I highly recommend trying this place out. There's no way to be bored, you've got the river, the beach and hikes. And the night stars during the bonfire are exceptional! This place is very special to my husband and I since we celebrated our Valentine's Day together and a little early on celebrating our three year anniversary. It's quiet and full of friendly people. Not a lot of people like the inconvenience of having to continue walking back and forth from their car to the campsite, so it leaves a select few people who want to camp here. It was such an awesome adventure, time and memory, including the people we met read more

Andrew Molera State Park - Site #13. Our tent as a small two person tent. You can definitely fit a four person tent here. - Parks Near Me - Big Sur, California

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Two words: hipster campground. We actually saw American Apparel looks being sported! We had bluegrass musicians, mellow surfing bros, and ladies who look like they love the Dirty Projectors as our neighbors. Imagine our WTF-ness upon seeing this sight - to drive 6 hours out of LA only to see a little microcosm of Silver Lake (or the Mission District in SF) slouching all over one of Big Sur's best beaches! It's a longish hike to the campsite, so you will want to pack up light and learn to realize what's really important to you (that you will have to carry 2 miles round trip). It's another little walk down to the beach, where you will have to wade across an inlet to get to the sand (look for the sandbar, and walk across it, and it's not too deep). Because of this one little extra step the beach isn't teaming with humans - just the surfers who really want to surf and the beach bums who really want to catch some sun. If you don't want to expose your precious children to the "dangers" of a less uptight lifestyle, you may not want to take them here. A lot of folks seem to be indulging in the herbal jazz cigarettes or taking mystical mind journeys on this beach. Come on, don't be a narc. It's Big Sur. Pros: - That beautiful, beautiful clean beach, relatively empty -- this pretty much makes it a solid 5 stars in my book. - This is where the "youngsters" seem to be. No RVs and no screaming little tots. Cons: - The campground could use a little more maintenance and love, they could come in and mow things down a little better and plant more trees for privacy's sake. We can probably blame state budget cuts and the Governator for this. - Better get there early to get a spot, you cannot reserve online - come too early and people aren't ready to leave, come too late and you will lose out. - You COULD lose out and have obnoxious neighbors. We happen to love bluegrass so we didn't get annoyed by our neigbors' late night jam session. - Squirrels seem to be in charge around here. And the goddamn raccoons. read more

2nd stop in big sur, while heading north on highway 1. unfortunately, we didn't have much time to explore this park before the sunset, so we took the easy creamery meadow trail to the beach. after hiking up the challenging trail at julia pfeiffer burns state park, this flat, and short trail, was a piece of cake! the creamery meadow trail was listed as 1.0 miles, but i'd say it was closer to 1.5 miles since it took about 30 min to walk the length of this trail from the parking lot to the beach, and i was walking at a relatively brisk pace. note that at the very start of the trail, you have to cross a 1-ft deep creek, so either take your shoes off and go barefoot (like i did) or prepare to walk in soggy shoes (and socks) the rest of the way! since this was a flat trail, we didn't get to see much along the way, but the flowering plants and vegetation was still very nice to look at, and very green (compared to where we live given the current state of drought in CA). once we arrived at the beach, we were greeted by gentle rolling waves and a strong gusty wind. the beach itself is not that big, but it wasn't very populated at the time, so we had some peace and quiet. walking back to the parking lot, we actually got a little lost since there was a fork in the trail (which we supposedly saw going to the beach, but confused us heading back). would advise memorizing your route to and from the beach so that you don't get lost, especially going back. since we'd already visited burns state park, we used the same day parking permit to park here for free. the ranger at the entrance was very helpful in directing us to the trail and there were also single stall restrooms in the parking lot with running water. i'd love to visit this park again and explore the stables and some of the more challenging trails. advice: bring flipflops for the trek across the creek and a windbreaker or sweatshirt for your time at the beach. leave the cell phone at the hotel, or in your locked car since there is no cell phone reception here. read more

Fantastic state park, especially if you find the RV campers of most state parks to be annoying. If you want to grab a camp site on a summer weekend, you'd better get there by 9am on Friday (even though check-out time isn't until noon). It fills up fast, and there aren't clear indications of what's available and what's taken. When we got there we walked a lap around campground, then made a beeline for a site that was being packed up to stake our claim. If you have a choice of spots, the ones in the back seem less densely packed than the ones in the front, and offer a bit more privacy. I can't imagine you'll get a spot at all if you try to show up on a Saturday morning like many people we saw attempted to do. While the beach near the campground is ok, by far the best part of this park is the secluded beach down where the Bluff and Panorama trails meet. It's a 4 mile hike to get there, and makes a great midway point if you are doing the Bluff / Ridge trail loop. We spent about 3 hours there and had the beach to ourselves for a large portion of the time. If you are trying to woo a lady, this is a near-perfect beach. Pink sands, otters playing in the surf and a picnic lunch. Who can resist that? Speaking of the Bluff / Ridge trail loop, be careful not to miss the cutoff for the Ridge trail at the beginning. We missed it and ended up doing the loop backwards, which turned the Panorama trail portion of the loop into a 1000 foot climb over .75 miles or so. Also, if you have any sort of bee phobia or allergy, this may not be for you. A huge portion of the trail seemed to involve walking through fields of wildflowers, which, while pretty, were also swarming with bees. I'm still kind of amazed I didn't get stung. There's also a considerable amount of poison oak, so wear pants since sections of the trail are a bit overgrown. Other than those two issues though it's a great trail with spectacular views. Update after a week: Turns out Poison Oak can take a week to show up? Who knew? read more

If you want to get away from the crowds, camping at Andrew Molera State Park is the way to go. It requires just enough effort (1/2 mile hike in) to discourage most people from camping. When other places are full, there is most likely space here. The sites are the most spacious I have ever seen in a campground anywhere. A few have trees nearby to provide shade, but several near the end of the loop (sites #20 and up) have absolutely no shade and can be brutal in the summer heat. I liked sites #16 (good for kids because of the short walk to bathroom and great shade tree), and #15 (next to a large tree with lots of privacy). The park has made an excellent choice in limiting the number of campsites. They could easily fit three or four times as many sites in the meadow, but have maintained a more natural state with just 22 sites. Beware of the aggressive ground squirrels--one bit my wife's toe and another chewed through another camper's tent to get to food. These critters will jump up on your picnic table to try to steal a bit of your dinner even while you're sitting there! It is a short walk to a great beach with warm water on the river side for swimming and playing. Overall, a great place for those willing to work a little bit to hike in. read more

Andrew Molera State Park - Parks Near Me - Big Sur, California

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We really enjoyed our stay at Andrew Molera. Drove down on a Friday morning and found a nice spot pretty easily. Not every site has shade, but many do, and they all have a fire pit for cooking and warmth. There's a ~10 minute walk from the parking lot to the campground, which might bother some people, but I was trying to impress a girl so I didn't mind carrying a heavy load along the trail. As far as things to do, there's a path from the campground that leads right to the beach. It also connects to other trails in the surrounding hills--lot's of great views! Overall I would highly recommend Andrew Molera, though as another reviewer said below me, you may want to bring your own banana holder for the fire pits. read more

There are a lot of state parks and trails in the Big Sur. Andrew Molera State Park is a good one to stop by if you do not have a lot of time to spend in Big Sur. It is only one mile one way [2 miles round trip] to get to the ocean and see where a river meets the ocean. The views at that point are spectacular. It is $10 to park in the parking lot which also pays for the other parking lots in the other state parks for the day if you want to stop by another one. Of course, you can also park on the side of the PCH and walk down. If you are planning a road trip down the Pacific Coast Highway and looking for recommendations, feel free to message me through Yelp and I can share my itinerary, which includes my Yelp reviews. The information for an electronic copy can also be found in the link via my Yelp profile. read more

This WAS one of the hidden gems of California's state parks. You could find a site even on major holidays, no reservation required. The views are spectacular, the hikes are gorgeous, and the beach is right there. I have gone camping here off and on for 15-20 years now. I just looked at their website to make sure it isn't one of the closed parks due to state cuts, and was glad to see it is still open. So, why give two stars, not the stellar five I'd like to give? 1) they no longer allow group camping. Sites are limited to four people. We are a family of five, so does one kid or parent have to get a second site? Weird rule. And now there are only 24 total sites available. Before, yes, it could get crowded. But that was one of the beauties of car camping on a whim to Andrew Molera. You could pack up the car at 3pm, head down by 4pm, and find a spot by 5 or 6pm. Yes, you'd be next to hippies, next to singing religious groups, and rockers, and families, and single people, basically anyone and everyone who wanted to enjoy the park as much as you.. But you'd have a site, everyone was friendly, and everyone got to enjoy the gorgeous views and outdoors. 2) they don't even allow dogs anymore. That really, really sucks. I've taken my dogs, many departed now and one still living, to this park many times. NO dogs, on beaches, fine. NO dogs on trails, fine. But, NO dogs in campsites either?!? C'mon. What a major bummer. read more

Great campground! We were afraid that we wouldn't get a spot. It was early in the season, and we got there at Friday at 10:30 AM. There were still a couple spots to choose from! We stayed for two nights. I recommend bringing a wagon to roll your stuff/firewood to the campsite as it is a .25 mile hike from the car. Or have a man who is trying to impress you carry everything. The fire pits at the campgrounds are nice, but if you are trying to balance bananas in the notches, they are just a bit too small and the bananas will probably fall into the fire. They are not adequate banana holders. Zip your tents closed at the top so the ground squirrels can't get in. We only made that mistake once... I'm sorry for swearing so loud. read more

Yeee! This was one of the best hikes I've ever been on. Went with the lady friend, she's been to all sorts of insane hikes, my baldy, half dome, and even she enjoyed it. We parked right outside the park near the call box, bought a map for a dolla, and headed out over the river onto the beach trail. Beautiful. Bring your cameras. We got confused from the sign near the beach but make a left onto the bluffs/creamery meadow trail but just keep going straight instead of going left up the giant mountain. We kept going and took a quick detour on the spring trail that led to an abandoned beach. Soooo nice. Then the lame real hike began.... My butt was burning as we went up and and up on the panorama trail. Oh! Along the trail there are these huge ferns, you'll see a small opening, go inside, it's do awesome, 100% shade, and it's really cool. We took the ridge trail to the hidden trail, to the river trail, which was a trail that led straight into a river, back to the parking lot. This trail has it all, meadows, beach, rocks, and FYI, wear long socks or long pants, weather was awesome but there is poison oak everywhere....everywhere! read more

I thought I already left a review. I have been here 3 times. Twice it was cold and once it was almost warm. The hike down is an easy 1.0. Dogs are NOT allowed but if you have a horse it can shit and piss all over the place (stupid). When you hit the beach walk right and check out where the big sur river meets the ocean it's a trip. Campgrounds here are hike in only and are pretty much backpackers only. No loud radios, generators, dipshits, rv's or mickey mouse bullshit. (But you do have to hike everything in. This place rocks! read more

How to get a campsite: Come early and bring cash. You basically want to get there as soon as the campers wake up. Why? Because this is how you will know who will be leaving the campsite that day. Once you find someone who is leaving, ask them if you can take their spot. Then place your tent/belongings near them so people know you have it next. Then you can send someone to go to the ranger's post and place the money (~$25) in an envelope to put it in the box. The campsite: You have to walk ~0.6 miles just to get to the campsite from your car. Don't expect to be able to park your car at your site like other campgrounds. There isn't any shade during the day. There is a food box for you to place your things but it gets very hot in there. You definitely won't want to stay at your campsite during the day. It's ridiculously hot during the summer. There are also a huge amount of squirrels here and they are after your food. Forget about bears, these guys are super sneaky!!! What is great about this campsite is that it's right next to a trail that leads you to the beach. Its about ~1.5 mile walk to get there and you can also hike up the beach and walk along the coast line. There is running water and bathrooms (no showers) at the campsite. Bring a flashlight/lamp with you. The bathrooms don't have lights. read more

This is where the Big Sur river meanders through a flat plain that was a dairy farm long ago. It ends at a beautiful little beach with excellent driftwood and interesting rocks. Like most of the little beaches and coves down the coast, there are remnants of an old wharf. Coastal freighters worked the area well before the highway was built. Nice normally modest waves attract surfers, but no crowds at all. This a a really quiet and picturesque place. You can park at the Park lot, paying an $8 fee. There are decent bathrooms and nice picnic tables. Some people park up on Highway 1 and then walk in. I don't begrudge a fee to keep the parks going. You can take any number of trails, but only two lead directly to the mouth of the river, an easy walk of a mile or so. The trail from the northern end of the lot takes you past a walk-in campground and some old buildings that housed the dairy workers. This ultimately leads to some bluffs from which you can get some good views. The trail that exits from the center of the lot goes directly to the beach proper. You can ford the river and go from one trail to another down at the beach end, but the ease and safety of doing that depends on the water level. Note that this center trail goes over a seasonal footbridge, so there are times of the year when you have to take off your shoes and deal with the slippery rocks. There is an historical ranch house nearby that exhibits the very interesting history of the Molera family and the area. They also offer horse-back tours. I haven't done that, but a relative took her wedding party there and they had a good time. There is a cattle ranch north of the park. I figure that with the theoretical market value of that land (can't be developed) that each cow is worth about $1mil. Big Sur park, Big Sur Bakery, the Post Ranch and other stellar coastal attractions are to the south of Molera. You could pick up lunch from one of these places and eat it at the park, or you could drive down for food after a wonderful day there. Sometimes we pack our lunch in a cooler and it is ready to eat right when we need it. One of the nice places to experience while traveling the coast. I wish I knew how to add a photo to this. read more

Yikes. If you have a choice for hiking, choose elsewhere, since there are so many amazing options in the area, and this one is really a chore to walk through due to lack of trail maintenance. 20 minutes south of this is Partington Cove which is much more accessible, very beautiful, has no park fees, and is 1 mile round-trip (30 min walk). I'd recommend doing that instead. This would have been a 4 star review if it was only for the beach trail. I followed the tips here on Yelp to take the creamery meadow trail to the bluffs, which is indeed the best order to do the 9 mile hike if you are all-in, but the trail was so poorly kept that we pulled out our phones a couple times to see if we were actually on the trail since there was a TON of poison oak and other questionable brush growing right in the middle of the trail, scratching our legs, and making this extremely uncomfortable. I'm a somewhat small Asian girl who loves the rugged outdoors and can fit comfortably on airplane seats (I don't need a lot of width to feel comfortable), but walking through the "trail" here was painful and frustrating, even with long pants on. It seemed like 70% of the time we were worried about getting poison oak on us since it was running across the trail on both sides all the way up to hip height, and we had to walk with our arms all the way up and ignore all the prickliness of the unruly brush on the legs. As others mentioned, the cold river part at the beginning sucked, but it wasn't too bad for the 2 minutes it takes to cross the river. It's pretty dumb that there is a part of the year that they don't put a bridge there, but it's nothing compared to how bad the hike was because no one in charge paid attention to the long areas of the trail where the clearing was no more than 3-4 inches to walk through. I very strongly considered bringing in my own set of hedgers (scissors for bushes) after only mile 2. The views are beautiful where the trail is clear, but until I see a review/update that the 9 mile trail has been newly maintained, I would recommend staying clear of this hike since there are so many other options available in the area. The beach trail is fine (nothing special) if you do that one directly and come back the same way, but why bother going through the river for beach access when you have plenty of other sites nearby that allow for this? read more

Over the river and through the woods, to Andrew Molera's camp site we go! Yes, it's a small hike to get into the campground. For those of you who like to wake up to the wonderful sounds of your neighbor's car/truck/big ass camper van.. this place might not be for you. Convenience is not the selling factor here. But i'll tell you WHY it's worth the small trek to the campground. Space: It's not over crowded and you won't be close enough to hear anything from your neighbors tent that you don't want to. (unless they're really vocal) Beauty: That's why we're camping right? This campground has a trail down to the beach where you can watch the surf, see the sunset, take in some wildlife, do a bit of hiking around. And if it's not foggy, you're guaranteed to see all of the stars... Things you will want in a campground: Bathrooms, sink, picnic tables, food box and a fire pit. Not saying it's going to be easy lugging fire wood to your campsite, but hey you're strong, right? I love this place and can't wait to come back. Who's with me? read more

Andrew Molera SP is a beautiful park with great hiking trails that take you through different terrains from wildflower fields thru a Eucalyptus grove, up a steep, open hill that tops at an awesome view of the Big Sur coastline. There's a 1-mile walk from the parking lot, (the Creamery Meadow Trail), that'll take you to a gorgeous beach. Be warned though, that to get to this beach and most of the park, you must cross the river either by walking across by foot or if lucky, using the seasonal footbridge. I've been to this park twice, and had a different experience each time, which I'll share here: December 2008...went to this park alone, paid the $12(!) parking fee, though I remember some others had parked outside the park but I figured I was making a contribution to keep the park open. I was one of 2 cars there, and thought it was because of the steep parking lot fee but found that the seasonal bridge was out! There was no turning back, so I decided to brave the cold river water, and walked across the slippery riverbed rocks. Fortunately the water was only knee-high and the width crossed was about 10 feet. On the other side, I was greeted by many deer and quail, had a picnic at the beach, and hiked the Ridge Trail, the whole time soaking in the quiet serenity and the relative solitude. May 2010...this time I went with two friends, paid the $10 parking fee (notice it has been reduced!), were told by the park entrance worker that if we walked down the Trail Camp Beach Trail, the river water would be only ankle-deep. Well, when we got to the end the trail to the beach side of the river, we saw some people who had crossed over, soaked to the waist. My friends and I were not feeling that adventurous that day and instead had a picnic alongside the river. The combination of the beautiful blue skies, nice beach along the river, eating yummy Vietnamese picnic food with really good friends, and hearing the ocean waves roaring out of view over the sand bank on the other side of the river--it made the trip precious! My last thought...the challenge of getting to the other side of the river is what I think keeps the park so pristine and a somewhat untouched gem. read more

I've never been past Monterey along the Pacific Coast highway until I visited this place to hike. I don't remember exactly which trails we hiked, but passed by diverse terrain. It's a little bit challenging but about halfway through the trail is a beach (not the one near the parking lot). Definitely picturesque, a nice place to take a breather, meditaye, and take some nice landscape photos. I had no signal in the Big Sur area so I couldn't check-in but it was nice to be off the grid even if it was only for a few hours. read more

One and the only beach hike I like. Open views are amazing, good for photo-shooting. Missing one star for narrow, twisty and uneven routes that kept me looking down almost all the time. Tips: 1. Tissues for drying up after crossing the river at the beginning u don't wanna hike with wet feet 2. Hiking boots high recommend 3. Long pants, some plants do poke 4. Start early and prepare for traffic 5. For best beach and trail exp: start with river trail to hidden trail and the beach loop, you'll start with upslope and end up flat. Reverse is bad :) read more

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Great site but 0.4 mile hike to get there. After we a failed attempt at Plaskett campground we decided to drive up the coast to Andrew Molera campground. Arrived early Friday morning around 8 and checked in with the friendly ranger (I use the term very loosely). She said if we could find a campground we should claim it and then pay (cash: $25/night) for it. We had packed a lot of gear thinking we would be able to drive up and unload but to our dismay we had to make various trips so pack light and smart when staying here. We were lucky campsite one had people leaving and we claimed it quickly. We stayed late October with cold nights and hot days so if you have a shade or easy up I'd recommend you bring it since there are only trees around certain campsites. There are clean bathrooms and running water which is always nice for washing dishes and getting clean drinking water. They also have grill and fire pit that made cold nights bearable next to a warm fire. There is a mile hike to the beach which is beautiful and scenic. General camping info: put all food away we got a visitor one night that was eager to get into our trash after dinner (skunk who we named scooter). It's very secluded and quiet so if you don't mind hiking then this is the place for you. There is a path to the highway that the Rangers use to get into the campsite that we used for quick pick ups after our stay which made packing up way easier than lugging all the camp gear out again although it's probably not advised. There is also a small store about five mins south of the campground for supplies. All in all a clean and beautiful stay in big sur. read more

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Camping here was $15/night + $10 if you park in the parking lot. I never saw a ranger the whole weekend; was a little disappointed because we were unable to get a map from the kiosk at the front. They limit 4 people per site but we had 7 at ours and didn't have any problems. We hiked up the mountain on the other side of Highway 1; the East Molera Trail. It was a steady climb and not much on the trail itself was interesting, but the view of the ocean and park was really nice. To do most of the hikes in the park you have to cross the river. There is a bridge marked on the map posted outside the kiosk, but it was rained over in November. Walking to the beach is awesome, we saw Monarch butterflies in the Eucalyptus grove on the way there! On our way back, we saw a bobcat. Lots of condors, quails, and deer about too, and really friendly squirrels who ate some of our food when our food box was left open! Good website about the hikes here: http://www.pelicannetwork.net/bshikes.molera.htm read more

We did a 10 mile hike. The views are amazing. We hiked the ridge trail. Went up 3 hills. From grazing fields, rocky terrain, redwoods, than went on panorama along the ocean . Very windy but the views are great. We took the beach trail to see the purple sand. The hike is worth it but bring a light coat. read more

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We came here to hike from the parking lot to the beach and took the Creamery Meadow trail. It's a short 1 mile hike to the beach. The beach is nice when you get to the end. However, there is a spot in the front when you first get to the trail where you have to cross a creek. It pretty much requires you take off your shoes, and wade into ice cold water. Be forewarned! You'll have to walk through it twice if come back the same way. Other than that, pretty nice hike and enjoyed the beach at the end. read more

Beautiful tourist attraction near Big Sur. Not many people around compare with near beaches, and it's comfortable walking on the colorful beach. read more

Instead of paying the $10 park fee to park in the lot, I would recommend parking at the top of the hill across the street in the outlet off Highway 1. It's a short walk down to the park, and you save a little cash. The park rangers are friendly, and can answer any questions you may have about the hikes... including the tick bite that my boyfriend left with by the end of the hike as a souvenir. I would definitely recommend wearing clothes that are long, and tuck in your pants and shirts if possible. The Beach Hike is really beautiful, and a short distance from the parking lot. There are no bathrooms along the trail, so you may want to make a pit stop before you begin trekking. You must cross the river to get to the trails, and it's frosty cold during the winter. The footbridge is removed during the rainy months because the bridge can be flooded and destroyed if left standing during those months. You may want to bring a small towel to dry your feet off after forging the river. The River Trail will lead to other wonders, and can be slightly steep at times, but it releases you onto the Hidden Trail, which can be followed through a forest-like environment up to the Panoramic Trail, with the beautiful view. I would highly recommend the Beach Trail, and the Bluff Trail if you are looking for easier hiking and downright spectacular views. read more

This park is amazing. Wonderful hikes, lovely campsite, good restrooms, etc. Too all the people belly aching about the NO DOGS regulation; the world does not revolve around you. It's better to preserve the park for years to come than to satisfy your selfish need to be with your dog. Bringing a dog is akin to smoking, you feel good about it but it bothers everyone around you. The reasons why you can't bring your dog are very reasonable. My friends and I have had to make arrangements for our K-9 family members before heading out to camp and we had a more relaxed time because we didn't have to mind the dogs. From the park's website http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=22870 Why do dogs have to be on leash in developed areas? Dogs are required to be on a leash no longer than six feet and under the owner's immediate control. Loose, uncontrolled dogs can lead to wildlife disturbances, dog fights, and potential dog and/or human injury. Even well-behaved dogs can be unpredictable in an unfamiliar outdoor setting. In the past, Andrew Molera SP allowed dogs on trails, Trail Camp, and the beach. Why the change? Andrew Molera SP had been an exception to allowing dogs on leash outside of developed areas. This exception had evolved in conjunction with the opening of Trail Camp and the uncontrolled number of campers there. With the operational changes at Trail Camp to meet County Health mandated carrying capacity numbers for campers, there was an opportunity to better protect the park's resources and visitors in regards to dog regulations as well by applying the same California Code of Regulations to Andrew Molera. The park's resources are certainly as worthy of protection as other state parks. I always keep my dog on a leash. Why am I being punished? Wildlife viewing is one of the primary attractions for Andrew Molera SP visitors. The beach at Andrew Molera has been identified as a wintering location for the endangered snowy plover. Since wild animals consider dogs predators, their presence can startle other animals and disrupt their natural behavior. The canine scent of dogs is present whether the dog is on a leash or not. read more

This is a nice hike if you're looking for scenic views of Big Sur coast. Parking fills up pretty quickly, so make sure you get there by 11 am. There is also free parking across the street. We took the Bluff Trail to panoramic to ridge trail to avoid as much elevation gain. There is a region on this hike where there is a big patch of poison oak so make sure you wear long pants. I also got bit by a tick after doing this hike, so also tuck in your shirt in your pants to avoid ticks. There is a lot of brush on this hike. read more

Feel like I can't give an adequate review on this park since when we came all of the trails were closed, but from the sounds of it the park will be in disarray for a while so it's definitely worth mentioning. We heard the Creamery Meadows Trail was open, but apparently you have to ford the river to get to it (the person forgot to mention that part when telling us about the area), which was a definite no-go for us. Seems like the only thing this park has going for it right now is the public restrooms (and those aren't that great either)... read more

I think this was the best experience I ever had! Walking a Trail, crossing the river and a amazing experience read more

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I have only been here once, and it was summer, so it was fairly warm (but windy). I like the different "terrains" that you go through at this park (woods, meadows, beach, etc). By far, the coolest thing that happened was we saw a bobcat! It was up in a tree, it looked at us, and turned and walked away. Didn't run. Was probably just annoyed more humans were invading its home :) Wear sunscreen. I paid for forgetting this! read more

My wife and I camped here recently. The only real down side is the hike from the parking lot to the camp site as most people have mentioned and having to cross the borderline icy river to get to the trails although they're only about 30 feet wide. There is firewood for sale at the campsite for $10. The bathrooms are very clean. The scenery is great. My main reason for writing this the view is: We talked to a cop for the State Parks and he basically told us to not listen to the yelp reviewers when it comes to asking people AT the camp site if they're leaving. They've had instances when people are knocking on people's tents asking them when they're leaving and they've even had to break up fights. He told us that he has no problem asking people if/when they're leaving when you see them at their cars in the parking lot. They may even go as far as to get ride of the first come first serve parks due to so many issues. read more

Great great great! The hiking to and from the beach is so easy and so gorgeous! It's a round trail so you don't have to backtrack. But even if you did the views of the mountains back are worth it! Wild flowers everywhere. Saw deer bedding down. Amazing ocean views with sea lions poking their heads out of the water to people watch. Didn't camp here but walked past them, and while they aren't in the redwoods there seemed to be sufficient trees for shade and all looked quiet and peaceful. You'd have to hike a short ways in to camp. We would have been willing to if we camped there. The trail to the camp was flat and easy to walk. If you're in big sure make time for this state park! read more

Came here for a hike with a couple of friends. Did not know what to expect. It met all my expectations. Absolutely beautiful. Very clean and accessible. There a little stream which you must take off your shoes to continue your hike. Awesome! read more

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