Photos of Andrew Molera State Park, Big Sur, Ca.

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After arriving at Andrew Molera I was not sure what to expect. The hot, dusty, dirt parking lot did not look very promising. I could only hope that the beach offered something more scenic in nature.

The hike to the beach started out on a wobbly, floating wooden bridge that crosses the Big Sur River. From there it was a one mile (1.6 km) walk to the beach. The dirt trail was flat and not very strenuous. It was lined with poison oak, on both sides of the trail, almost the entire distance to the beach. If you visit the park, take care. If you wander off the trail you may end up with an irritating, itchy rash from the poisonous plants. Poison Oak abounds in California.

After arriving at the beach, I found that the walk was well worth the effort. The beach was beautiful. The ocean surf crashed against the colorful rugged rock structures in the near horizon. The waves of water contained multiple shades of blue and aqua which is typical of the Big Sur coastline.

The beach has an over abundance of drift wood on the shoreline. I guess the wood is left to lay on the beach due to the one mile walk to the parking lot. Andrew Molera is one of the few beaches in California where it is legal to remove a specified amount of wood from the beach. Some of the more adventurous guests visiting the beach have used the wood to create artistic structures. Some have built tee-pees, forts, and other exotic structures. They were truly unique to view.

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