Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Trip 11
BEACH & CREAMERY MEADOW TRAILS LOOP
LENGTH AND TYPE: 1.8-mile loop
RATING: Easy
TRAIL CONDITION: Well maintained, poison oak, good for kids
HIGHLIGHTS: A barefoot stroll across windswept, driftwood-strewn Molera Beach
TO REACH THE TRAILHEAD: From the park's entrance kiosk, continue straight to the
picnic area. The route begins at the bridge across the Big Sur.
TRIP SUMMARY: Adjacent to the Big Sur River, Creamery Meadow is lined with
dense riparian woodland. You'll stroll past twisted sycamores, head-high yellow bush
lupines, and gnarled redwoods. Once a cattle pasture, today it boasts some of the best
bird-watching in California.
Trip Description
From the picnic area, cross the Big Sur River on the narrow footbridge. In winter the
bridge is removed so steelhead trout can migrate upstream—expect a knee- to waist-
high wade. After heavy winter storms, the river may be too swift to cross. If you prefer
to stay dry or cannot cross, take the Trail Camp Trail to the beach.
Once across the Big Sur, turn right and head west on the Beach Trail alongside
Creamery Meadow, a turn-of-the-century pasture for cows that produced Monterey
Jack cheese. Park officials are replanting and slowly restoring the area to a beautiful
open meadow dotted with willows, cottonwoods, red alders, sycamores, and a few
scraggly, salt-stunted redwoods. Abundant wildlife includes coyotes, bobcats, and deer
along the trails; lizards, mice, and rabbits in the high grass; and white-tailed kites,
kestrels, and red-shouldered hawks soaring overhead.
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