Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Views from Molera Beach lead toward the triangular marble-topped Pico Blanco.
Closer to the beach, the wind and salt spray have taken a toll on vegetation. As
you turn north toward the river, notice the contorted redwood to your left across the
meadow. Farther down the trail you'll pass the rocky end of a bluff midway to the
surf. During large swells, waves surge halfway up this stretch, stranding massive logs
and driftwood. On your left, just before you reach the beach, you'll pass the
Bluffs
Trail
(1.1 miles, 10'), which heads southeast along the edge of a marine terrace.
Before heading back toward the
Creamery Trail,
stroll windswept
Molera
Beach.
You'll likely spot sea otters, sea lions, and harbor seals feeding in the
nearshore kelp forests. Notice the low bluffs of deformed rocks, part of the Franciscan
complex, a mix of sedimentary rocks and basalt slices from the seafloor. The San
Andreas Fault and associated faults continually wrench this region and metamorphose
the gray, tan, and brown sandstone, and shale. Look closely to spot almandite, a rare
mineral that tints the sand purple and pink.
Stroll farther to escape the crowds and find an isolated cove all to yourself. Keep
in mind, though, that your hike is tide-dependent—the beach can be impassable or
even dangerous in places during high tides. Tide tables are posted on the information
sign in the parking lot, or you can check at Big Sur Station, 4.2 miles south of the park
entrance road on Highway 1.
PERFECT PEELING WAVES
As you stroll Molera Beach, you may notice surfers paddling past marine mammals
to greet perfect peeling waves on the north end of the beach. In fact, this stretch is
one of Big Sur's most reliable surf spots. The beach is ringed in from all directions
except west, in a semi-point setup. The water sculpts and sustains a gravelly sandbar,
and prevailing northwest winds create fast right-hand lanes on days that are blown
out elsewhere. Access the break by walking nearly a mile from the park entrance.
Though the walk deters some surfers, expect a crowded lineup during big west or
south swells.
Heading back up the Beach Trail, you'll pass thick patches of toxic poison oak
amid colorful flowering plants. Many of the latter display vibrant yellow blossoms,
including bush lupine, seaside wooly sunflower, sedum,
Dudleya
, and yellow sand
verbena. A tenth of a mile from Molera Beach, you'll reach the
Creamery Trail junc-
tion.
Turn right on this wide trail to take in the opposite side of Creamery Meadow. In
the meadow you'll spot coyote brush, poison hemlock, California poppies, and more
lupines, while large coast live oaks, sycamores, and bay trees line the ridge to your
right. The trail gradually bends northeast to rejoin the Beach Trail at the footbridge
over the Big Sur (1.8 miles, 40').
