Reviews of Andrew Molera State Park (Park)

Mary Mary

A beautiful 3 mile stretch of beach along the Big Sur coastline. The beach is a short 15-20 minute from the parking lot through a calm meadows, some trees, and a charming woodplank bridge over a rippling creek. Possibly not the best if your looking for accesseability for the elderly or with small children, while the walk is quite enjoyable, it is still a ways off and there is only water and restrooms at the parking site not at the beach itself. The parking lot accommodates a good number of cars and there is overflow across the highway on the shoulder of the other side. The beach area also features a shallow freshwater lagoon that is quite enjoyable (it's on the right side after you reach the beach from the trail).

Eric Walmsley

Wonderful coastal park. Would highly recommend the Bluff Trail for a non-strenuous 6mi hike along the ocean.

Myles F. Corcoran

River to deep for us to ford.

Brendan Ebers

I hiked a loop starting with beach trail then bluffs trail -> panorama -> ridge -> hidden -> river trail (it was less complex than it sounds). It was a little over seven miles and absolutely gorgeous.

gary hradek

Great hike to beach

Elizabeth Tertuliano

Yes my love andrew morela state park

Scott Mounier

A great park to hike and enjoy the coast. Plenty of high vantage points. If you are camping at the state parks your use permit is good at this park, too.

Iaroslav Karandashev

Nice as all parks.

Cherri Metzger

This is a beautiful park. The beach is classic central coast and remote. The ridge hike is awesome Last trip there I found a baby rattlesnake on the trail, so keep your eyes open.

John Peterson

Great park. Nice big parking lot. Terrific hiking trails. Nice and easy, kid friendly 1 mile hike to the beach (2 mile round trip). Very clean park with a nice picnic area also.

Eileen Watson

Very poor signage, trails aren't really marked. No staff were there to assist with questions. The beach is gorgeous and secluded, but you have to wade through a quickly flowing thigh high creek & then hike a mile to get there- wear shoes as it is very rocky.

Leon Salas

A jewel I took a mild trek from the parking lot to the beach ,not hard at all I’ll try a different trail next time

Jackie Gardner

Nice hike from parking area, suggest close toed shoes until you reach the beach, plus a wind protector, beautiful view

John Veazey

Beautiful hike to an ocean beach.

Mathilde Skytt

Pretty trek to quite a wonderful beach

Parker Amstutz

Be prepared for a heavy stream crossing this summer if you're taking the trail to the beach!

Oleg Laptenko

Lots of air and water,. Very nostalgic: reminds me about the time when everything so beatiful used to be so simple.

Michael Gordon

Lots of hiking, beach, great views.

Tai Lucas

Easy hike to the beach

Alex Krentsel

Beautiful state park. Has great campsites that are very reasonably priced ($25 which includes parking), with nice bathrooms, water source, fire pit for cooking, and a bear proof locker to keep food in the night. The hiking is gorgeous and not too busy, with beautiful views and very nice beaches.

Kenji Hayashi

I came here for the monarch butterfly, but trail is closed this season. Parking fee is $10. I recommend you Monterey monarch butterfly sanctuary for butterfly.

Lili Hodgins

Gorgeous. Cold and windy but filled with wonder!

Nicole Griggs

Loved it

Sivakumar Gopalakrishnan

Beautiful view of the beach

Tad Stasiak

Beautiful beach

Edgar Chavez

Nice park

Larry Rose

Years of neglect explained by no budget? Trails not accessible after two yrs from fires and river course changes. The place is only a third open and poison oak is everywhere

Darlene Samakese

Beautiful, but super windy!

roxanne wegman

Excellent hiking; be extremely wary of rattlers. I have run the long loop from bluff to ridge trail (9mi) and the views are sublime. This last visit was cut a little short when we found a rattlesnake in the middle of the trail, apparently had been startled by a previous hiker, so we decided to turn back. Be vigilant and where long pants. Definitely bring a camera as these are some of the best views to be had while in B Sur (Bluff Trail).

Steele Snider

Very lucky to have had a chance to visit this place. It's where the Lord of the Rings meets the northern California coastline. Epic views at every turn. Whether you are day tripping or camping, this place is amazing. It is really hard to get a campsite, so you really need to plan a long time in advance if that's what you're wanting to do. It's a fairly big area so you will want to plan on a lot of scenic stops and plenty of hiking opportunities. An absolutely beautiful destination, so whether you are from Cali or visiting, put this place on your list. You won't be disappointed.

A Singh

Only the beach is accessible all the hikes were wiped out during floods and fire. :(

Nicole Rasquinha

Such a beautiful place. Absolutely breathtaking, especially at sunset

Riccardo Fabiani

Beautiful park - we walked for hours here, immersed in the beauty of nature. This is a unique experience to run away from the city and be surrounded by wilderness.

vinod bhat

Restrooms were not clean

1true9r

Beautiful and awesome place...seen little purple sand....great place..

Jon Price

I have been surfing, camping, hiking this state park since 1969 and I never tire of the variety of wildlife, colors, and the multitude of wildflowers and native plants. Years ago the beach was unofficially "free" or nude as they say now. When I go to this favorite it is usually in the late summer, hopefully the river is still flowing. The swimming is wonderful in the lagoon. The surfers and water lovers can get a rinse off from the surf.

Xin Wu

an interesting trail that requires you to across the river.

Ivan Kuznetsov

Stunning views of the ocean. Big Sur river. Great hiking trails - an 8 miles loop that can be completed in 3-4 hours. Parking is limited, better come early. Day parking is $10 - cash only.

Wouter Janse

Amazing State Park on a beatiful location with a small hike to a stunning beach.

John Chism

Great for a day walk or a trip to the beach with the kids. Picturesque and peaceful.

Arles Neon

All 4 elements is one spot. Love it

Frances Wilson

One of my favorite state parks in Cali. If it's been raining, bring swimsuits to ford the little river!

Anna Aiello

NOT DOG FRIENDLY. Dogs are not allowed on any trails here so as not to distrub the wildlife. The trail to the beach is flat and relativly easy except for a small river crossing that gets much deaper and stronger in the winter. This is probably my favorite beach in this area.

Lance Wilshere

Top

Tom Monday

Beautiful oceanfront with unreal tide pools

listra mindo

Windy beach. But worth the hike.

Joseph Aaron

Some of the most beautiful hiking trails you could ever imagine. We cannot wait to go back

Erik Israel

Beautiful trails and a great workout. Keep an eye out for rattlesnakes on the ridge trail. Bring exact change, or plan on paying $20, and contributing that extra $10 to the park as a donation or more likely- the attendant’s beer fund.

Dana Hansen

Pretty excellent. We loved the museum and the volunteer there was beyond friendly to our munchkins. Crossing the creek was fun, I just wished I'd remembered how far the walk to the beach was. Grateful for the drift wood lean-tos people have set up for some shade.

Sam Rezaei

One of the most beautiful trails in the area! Definitely underrated!

Pradeep KS

A mile plus easy hike to this serene beach! Not so crowded. Kids would love this place. Spent around 1 hour. There couple more trails will try that next time.

Paul Morris

1/2 mile hike to and from the parking area gets a little annoying, but the peace and quiet it allows the campsites is much appreciated. Unfortunately, there is a roadway that passes nearby, so you'll still get the occasional sound of a car or truck passing in the night. The creek is big beautiful, and the trails from the parking area and campsite are fantastic!

Tru Hannah

Love it here! Great hiking trails & all sorts of scenery to see. Bring lots of water just in case you make a day from it because you totally can, & USE YOUR MAP. There is a historic building here, although the last I knew it was not open to the public due to a remodel. There is quite a bit of wildlife to see, just be careful of mountain lions. Yes they live here. No dogs allowed on trails but really, as a dog lover myself it was actually nice to enjoy this place without the hassle of my beloved pooch. Day parking only so try to be back by sunset, unless you're there to camp. There is a awesome campground here!

Michael Smith

Day use area open 1/2 hr before sunrise to 1/2 hr after sunset for $10 parking. Camping overnight is first come first serve, $25. Very open camping field. A couple camping spots have tree cover. Rodents are very annoying (skunks, squirrels, raccoons). Trails are great. Not much elevation gain. Bobcats are often seen on these trails (our group saw several).

Joanne Wigmanich

Pretty park.

Libby Troxel

Purple sand and beach itself is absolutely beautiful and a great place to explore. However, the trails were poorly marked, we were unsure of where we could go, and the one accessible trail to the beach lacked any sign of mileage and ended up being about 1.5 miles one way.

Jorge Magana

Great views

Carolina Simon-Pardo

Beautiful beach to walk, sure and swim. The river ends at the beach, you can swim in it's clear and fresh water.

Arturo Arenas

Going hiking is an amazing experience, but make sure you bring lots of water and appropriate clothing because there will be a time where you have to cross a river to get to the trail. Once at the trail there are steep climbs so be mindful of that. It's an 8 mile hike in total and there is a beach trail if you want to go and chill at the beach. Overall, this is a great experience for the people that are into hiking and love the views of nature. Just be sure to bring food and appropriate clothing for this hike

Swan

Situated along rt 1. Pull the car into the lot and start a gentle hike - more like a walk. Bring a pair of flip flops because you have to take your shoes off to cross the river to get to the beach. Trust me it will come in handy.

David Brewer

Wonderful well-marked hiking trails. Great variety of scenery. Abundance of wild flowers, flowering shrubs, and butterflies.

John Caplin

Wonderful trails. We went on the Bluff trail and went to the far beach which involves a climb over logs for the final few yards, but it was worth it. Lovely clean sandy beach, although you can be sand blasted if it is windy.

molly martian

great hiking!

Ben Falter

A great park for day hiking or camping. Ranger Denise was very helpful and nice. Not as developed as other neighboring parks but that can be a good thing. Popular with surfers. Hiking: Know that most trails will require you to start right from the parking lot and cross Big Sur River. Maps will show a ‘seasonal bridge’ not sure if that is code for you will walk through water cause there is no signs that a bridge has ever existed here. Some trails don’t loop or connect- just be aware. ‘Hidden Trail’ is an intense work out as it climbs in elevation fast but connects you to the ridge trail with beautiful views. We weren’t able to get to Molera Point due to flooded out trails. Poison oak is EVERYWHERE in this park so watch out if you are susceptible. Camping: 24 lots that fill up fast on weekends. We got there at 9AM Friday and about ¼ were filled; full by 9AM Saturday. The restrooms were VERY clean; great job rangers. You can hear the ocean’s high tide at night if you listen well. Great open skies so if there is no fog/clouds you can see some great stars (we saw a lot of the Taurid meteor shower while there). Metal lockers near each site & a deep fire ring too. $25 cash/night. Maps: $3 or $5 if you want the nearby park maps too (your admission gets you into all).

Maria-Paola Totaan

Our family yearly volunteers for the Big Sur Trail Marathon. Always a good time cheering everyone on!

Nate Amchan

Good long hike with fantastic views.

Sonia Roman

The long walk to get there is worth it. There's lots of rocks and wood to get creative with. The noise the ocean makes with the rocks is quite enjoyable and relaxing.

Matt Wenner

Wow, this place was amazing. Part of me wanted to give it just one star so that it doesn't get too busy. A mile or so hike takes you to the beach. It wasn't very busy and a short walk down the beach for pure isolation was amazing. On one end of the beach the Big Sur River flows into the ocean. It's quite beautiful. We didn't have time, but it looked like there were quite a few other hikes available.

Genna Arnell

We did the bluff trail to the ridge loop with our 4 little boys, it was challenging but easy enough for them to manage. Spent some well deserved relaxing on the beach in our very own stick hut! So fun!

Tim wrenn

Awesome park with stunning views. Good, well maintained trails.

Margaret James

Easy hike to ocean.. you have to cross a river barefoot

Matteo Morotti

10$ park for a 5 minutes walk, really disappointing

Rumzee Chaudary

Couldn't get in as theybwere closed for parking

Lynn Ryan

Beautiful!

Genaro Morales

The whole area is absolutely beautiful. I'd go every year if I could! The water is cold, so bring a wetsuit! A short walk brings you to the beach, I wild bring water shoes because you have to cross a stream. It gets very crowded on holidays, so be sure to plan accordingly.

Raúl Huerta

Short cool hike

Karl Pohl

Trails are still closed or only accessible walking across a creek

Josh Evenson

This is the jewel of the big sur coastline.

Denise Bentley

They also have horseback riding tours. They start again around April 1st weather permitting.

Cyclink TheWorld

Breathtaking location, with easy access to an amazing secluded beach. Flush toilets and drinking water. No showers or electricity but the location is so good it doesn't matter.

andrew s

Not as crowded as some of the other parks in the area. Nice river running into the ocean that kids love to play at.

Jen Cheng

Beautiful and serene

Lifeline McCoon

Nice but closed right now

Stephen Schur

Andrew Molera State Park has lost its Woodstock vibe since they have restricted the free-form camping in the meadow. The water quality reports vary; I brought my own. This time we camped in the more developed Pfeiffer - Big Sur State park and enjoyed the beach at Andrew Molera free. It's a relatively short hike to the beach for you and your picnic. Too hungry to wait? There's some nice creek-side spots. Even hungrier? There are picnic tables right by the parking lot. You'll some of that red-ish "purple" sand on the beach, just like Pfeiffer Beach.

Naomi Donabedian

Most of the hikes are open. Beach access. Recommend the loop, 9 miles, all spectacular. You will need to cross a creek to get to and from some hikes. Bring exact change for the parking, $10. No cashier when I arrived.

Kerry Harris

This is the best campsite I've ever been to. And I frequent it several times each year. If you are looking into finding a worthy campsite. Good job. You're well on your way.

Jay Edelman

beautiful and wonderful

Lizzie Zabojnik

Beautiful views! Awesome trail!

Taiebeh Tahmasebi

How much more I could this unique location ? There is no word to describe it. I have a toddler, but I was lucky that I was going there with my brother and without my kid. I don't like to expose my kid to the strong windy weather , but there were couple of families going there with their very young kids. So, I think it's family friendly as well...the free parking is a add bonus to your happy/fun trip. But you have to walk about a mile and half to reach to the ocean...I loved it! You walk withing a nature grown rasberry farm and after half an hour walk, you suddenly see a booooom, ocean

J- Rod

Excellent place to visit , take walking shoes .

Angela Sas

Slightly cheaper to park than the Pfieffer “state park,” which is actually privately owned. We preferred to support the state rather than the private owners of the other beach. This park includes a few trails and beaches with purple sand! Just ask the park ranger

Max Poling

A great place to spend the day picnic'ing or exploring. Likely cold, windy and cloudy compared to a half mile inland

Shane Fogarty

Great hiking, beautiful scenery, and a nice beach. You need to fjord a small river to get to any of these places so dress appropriately to get a little wet. I did not camp here but the grounds looked quiet and the nearby road wasn't excessively audible. Really just a beauty of a park for $10 parking.

Charles Johnson

Great beach and the hiking! My dog's favorite place!

Matt Toon

Great hikes and beach, can be foggy!

J S

Amazing place to enjoy what Big Sur has to offer. The coast, the mountains, the trees, the creek, the breeze. Make it a part of your Big Sur agenda.

OldMeanRoy

I have camped here off-and-on for many, many years. The beach is outstanding, The trail to the beach is an easy walk and very picturesque. The camp ground has changed a lot since the management was turned over to Reserve America. The Boy Scouts can no longer camp there as they now limit camping to 40 sites with a 4 person limit for each site and the atmosphere can be somewhat repressive at times. There are still fire rings which can be used most of the year, and toilets are provided, along with picnic tables. This is the only low cost camping in Big Sur unless you drive south for quite a few miles.

ziad ahmed

Closed. Trails not open.

Marcel Mlynarek

Be aware that you have to pass a river to get access to the state park. The river is so deep that you are getting wet till your above legs or hips...There is no bridge to cross it. @andrew molera state Park: Please built a small bridge for the people who dont want to get wet. I cant understand why it isnt even built already :-|

Erik Perez

Beautiful place to visit . Incredibly dreamy and one of our favourite places to go hiking.

Tex

Love the hikes here

Chris Nicholas

Worth the long-ish walk down from the $10 parking lot. Good pebble/sand beach. A lot of seaweed so not great for swimming in, but if you have young children like I do, or if you want a few beers on the beach with a great view, this is a good choice. The walk will late you 20+ mins but it's pretty flat and crosses the river. Along the beach there are 10 ish drift wood wooden igloos. Fantastic for sheltering from the breeze or sunshine.

Trent Somerville

The hike is absolutely beautiful. The hike took us teenagers about 3 1/2 hrs but the reward of being up above to clouds was great.

Silicon Bridges

Amazing views and awesome trails.

nate greig

They closed my favorite trail indefinitely

Andrew Bushnell

Trails closed, museum closed. Nice place. They will need to put money in to open park.

Schuyler Olsson

Wonderful, beautiful park at Big Sur. Well worth the visit and many hiking trails.

Robert Mungary

Limited facilities but great access to some fantastic trails and beach access.

Arvind Menon

Lovely trails through this park, and many of them end up at a beautiful beach! Most of the trails that lead to the beach require wading thrtthe Big Sur river. The river is pretty shallow, and the crossing was quite refreshing.

Brittany Martin

There is a quick hike to the beach as well as a 8 mile loop here so there's something for everyone. Crossing the river to get to the beach is a bit cold but usually only calf leg high.

Doug Duff

Awesome spot with an easy hike in to the beach from the lot on highway 1

Jared Stapor

Had amazing ocean views and really good mix of scenery. The bluff and ridge trails offered a good variation in trail difficulty.

seetha ramani

Breathtaking views in a secluded beach... we lucked out ending up here since Pfeiffer was closed!!

Phil Brown

Beautiful park, lovely beach, some trails still closed 2 years after the big storms of 2017

Kristie Moore

We did a 9 mile hike here. The trails are not too well maintained- a lot of tall bushes and trail should be cleaned more often. Check the weather, might be windy near the ocean or for 2 miles of the hike. Beautiful view of the ocean, not too much shade. $10 parking cash only. Like this review if it’s helpful!

trey peck

Very scenic I love it

Jordan Simon

I'm in love with this place. It's stunning and the hikes are beyond worth it. Really makes you appreciate the California coast. It also makes you want to move out here. I'm definitely coming back the next time we make our way out to Monterey!!!!!!!

Erica Vela

An awesome park that offers different trails depending on your level. The easiest of the trails leads to a secluded shore with gorgeous views of rocks jutting into the ocean and serene views of cliffs in the distance. I recommend bringing tons of water, a sun hat, and water shoes. You’ll have to cross a stream that goes up to your ankles and the water is freezing. Totally worth it though!

L Scoresby

Long, but easy, walk to a beautiful but very windy beach. We didn't try any of the other hikes. Be prepared with a jacket and good shoes. Rangers were very nice and helpful. Bathroom facilities were hot and smelly but functional.

Ben Boulanger

Beautiful spot, but dont expect the beach to be soft sand and easy.. it's all small sharp rocks. About a half mile walk in, easy walking. Very windy when we were there, kicking up stinging sand. Despite all of that, it was worth the stop.

Miladie Yossef

This is a very nice park, the only problem was crossing the river so you can go on the hike, I couldn't do it with my two kids, if you are willing to visit just prepare yourself to cross a river, maybe if you have the right shoes it will b wonderful

Udaya Chandru Panneerselvam

Went on the beach trail. Nice experience.

Deborah

waste of $10 , actually a guy charged us when we entered and then he left , the other people who were coming after were entering for free, maybe we got played idk

mike wendel

Great beach

ale ochoa

loved the beach, the incline hike, loved it all but DO NOT GO THROUGH THE HIDDEN TRAIL UNLESS YOU WANT TO BE CHASED BY RATTLE SNAKES (and i’m not saying just one, i’m saying many) overall, it was amazing, take lots of water! sunscreen! comfy shoes with a good grip (because it is very slippery, especially the hidden trail lol) but like i said, overall, very amazing :)

Anahid Boswell

Really beautiful place.

Bryan Duggan

The campground is currently closed due to storm damage, so the park is day use only right now. It's still a great park for easy hiking to the ocean and for a day on the beach. It's in a beautiful location, and it's not far from any of the other parks in and around Big Sur.

Vlad Patryshev

It's so beautiful here. And the contrast between the hills up there and the ocean shore with the fog covering you... but if you hike up the hills, you are above the fog, with the views of the ocean and the hills around. Majestic.

alberto merino

What a great park! The hike tonite from the parking lot iits a super easy hike and once you get there the little tikkis provide a great resting spot where you can hang out and relax and enjoy the beautiful beach! You can take different trails depending on how much and how hard you want to hike. The water is obviously cold but surfers like this spot also.

Ryan Stephens

So worth the $10 parking fee! The only place to see the Big Sur River meet up with the Pacific Ocean. Such an incredible stop, and so easy to hike, too!

Rajasekhareddy sanikommu

Park was very beautiful

Convivial Supper

Amazing views, spectacular hike.

Nikhil Venkatesh

The trails here are quiet and beautiful. Trails were a bit poorly marked at some places and we had to find our own way back. But pretty awesome place!

Bo Göran Grönquist

No way that you could pass to the beach and No information about It!

Gerald D. Vinci

What an amazing spot. The energy here is amazing and the beach is one of the best in Big Sure. There is about a two mile walk to the beach and currently that includes walking through a stream about two feet high but it all adds to the adventure! We went back two weekends in a row we loved it so much. Definitely worth checking out and plan to spend the whole day!

Jerem Febvre

Beautiful beach and trails!

Amit Patil

You can walk along the stream which eventually meets the ocean. The Campground does not have a car access. You need to walk about a half a mile from the parking lot to reach the campsite

Vicky Kapadia

What an amazing place to be at surrounded by nothing but nature around..!!

MaddhuSudhanRao Vaddavalli

Beautiful

Damian OJEDA

Camp ground is closed but it's open for exploring. Super awesome.

Lorenzo Ercolanelli

Fantastic destination for a long scenic hike in the springtime, with stunningly beautiful ocean views. Better get there early to find parking (have $10 in cash ready) and allow enough time to close the 9-mile loop – I recommend going counterclockwise for a fun climb and relaxed way down.

Vee Zavalita

One of Our favorite favorite places! However right now, some of the trails are closed off.

Ryan OReilly

Great views

Kevin Kruempelstaedter

Nice short hike, extremely windy but the beach is great and there are really cool driftwood tipis to hangout in!

John Lawson

Beautiful beaches and trails.

Nicole Bechard

Gorgeous hikes with sweeping coastal views

sean thompson

Great park. Beautiful views

Nicholas Pun

Beautiful park with some amazing views. Good place to surf too.

Austin

Campgrounds are good; flat area with bathrooms and water nearby. Ground squirrels are relentless robber-barons who occasionally skirmish with the crow mafia. Saw deer, skunk, and raccoons during the night, and so many stars. There's a trail down to a beach where the waves rattle rocks, it's wort sitting and listening a while.

Marc Oggier

Nice and quiet state park on the side of the busy Big Sur. We stopped there because the second one was closed.

Michael Sharpe

Just an awesome park to get down to the beach

Tara Linville

Beautiful beach! A bit rocky at points. Tons of driftwood! Very quiet here! Definitely worth a trip!

John OConnell

It would help if they repaired the trails and campground that have

Anil Pesaramelli

Quiet and serene. Not so crowded. About 1 mile hike.

Brandon Healy

Awesome place to camp! Sure it's hit or miss on getting the sites but if you get a spot there is nothing that beats it! Great view of the mountain in the distance, short walk to the beach, and for $25 a night? Ill take that all day!

Erin Kavanagh

Love all the wildlife and unique plant life around here!

Kevin Adventures

Pfeiffer beach... Our wish is, this is not taken the wrong way but we are grateful for the wildfires of the landslides of the earthquake that happened over the past couple of years in California. After reopening of the Pfeiffer bridge in October traffic was minimal this is the perfect time to visit California. Most of the land masses have been untouched for the last couple of years we did see some traffic but it was minimal the beaches were free to ourselves it was an experience that we will probably never ever be able to experience the time we had again. My memories at the age of 10 years old just the same as my memories last week now 50. It’s been 40 years California I don’t think I will ever return again... You’ have to cross the Big Sur River to get here for us it was about 30 inches deep the water is cold you should expect a change of socks on the other side. Best best is to go barefoot and shoes on your back. We watched a couple people chicken out and work their way back to the vehicles. Just crossing the water is an experience itself. Andrew Molera State Park is a state park of California, United States, preserving relatively undeveloped land on the Big Sur coast. Situated at the mouth of the Big Sur River, the property was part of the Rancho El Sur land grant, and later owned by the Cooper-Molera ranching family. His sister Frances Molera stipulated that the park should be named for her brother Andrew Molera, who popularized the artichoke in California in 1922, when she sold the property to The Nature Conservancy in 1965.

MartinMarcusPhotography

Very beautiful