Andrew Molera State Park — Attraction in Monterey

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...

My favorite hiking trail in Big Sur! Most trails in Big Sur take you from one mountain ridge to another, but the Creamery Meadow–Panoramic Bluff Trail Loop offers so much more variety.

It’s an 8-mile loop, and I highly recommend starting at the Andrew Molera State Park trailhead, then turning left onto the Bluff Trail. Some hikers go straight to the beach first and do the loop in reverse—but I don’t recommend that. The incline from the bluff trial head up the middle is much steeper, and that route forces you to descend three very steep hills, which can be tough on your knees and footing.

💡 Trail tips: Wear long leggings/pants and tall socks. There's a ~2-mile stretch of narrow trail with overgrown brush on both sides that will scratch up any exposed skin.

Rated moderate, but it leans toward the more strenuous side—roughly 5 of the 8 miles are uphill.

Bring a lightweight long-sleeve sweater, even in summer. There’s a 2-mile stretch of strong ocean wind that can get chilly.

Pack plenty of water, sunscreen, a lunch sandwich, and make sure your phone is fully charged for photos—you’ll want them.

🌲🏞️ Why it’s worth it: Epic views of the Pacific Ocean Peaceful stretches through redwood groves Open meadows dotted with wildflowers A beach stop at the halfway point Panoramic views of both mountains and sea A constant ocean breeze that makes it perfect on hot days

An unforgettable hike—diverse, scenic, and soul-refreshing. Definitely a...

The campground was clean, the bathrooms and trash were well maintained, and most of the trails were open. We stayed at the trail camp, it wasn’t too long, (1/4mi) or difficult, but does have about 10 stairs so plan accordingly. The distance didn’t really feel like a hike as we just walked in with a wagon of stuff and weren’t too deterred by the stairs, so it kinda felt like car camping anyway. The campground is in a large meadow and sound carries so you can listen to most people whether you want to or not. There wasn’t a camp host any of the days we stayed and it was painful watching campers use a hatchet to cut up fallen wood near their camp. It was also odd that the bathrooms are marked as ADA compliant but the trail going into the camp has stairs and the step into the bathroom is 4-6 inches in height. I appreciated that after waiting 30 minutes at the pay booth for a bundle of the wood, the park technician brought us one. He also knew a lot of factoids about the park (that was cool).

Day use isn’t capped at this park, so parking just gets full, and it seemed like people were bused in on a busy weekend (adding to crowds on the trails) that said, it was really empty and very quiet the following day. Most of the signage and trail markers are old and overgrown, and I thought the trails needed maintenance.

Not sure if I’d go back to the campground but I’d definitely go for the trails,...