Andrew Molera Headlands Loop
Andrew Molera State Park (Big Sur) · near Big Sur · Central Coast
Hiking
At a glance
- Difficulty
- moderate
- Route type
- loop
- Distance
- 8 miles
- Elevation gain
- 1,000 ft
- Time needed
- day
- Best season
- Year-round (spring wildflowers; check Hwy 1 status)
Permits and booking
- Permit required
- No
- How the permit works
- No permit; roadside/lot parking. Big Sur's largest state park, with a headland loop combining beach, bluffs, and ridge. Requires a seasonal river crossing to reach the beach.
- How hard the permit is to get
- 1 of 5
What is here
- Features
- Big Sur beach-and-bluff loop · River mouth & lagoon · Whale and condor watching · Wildflower headlands
Worth knowing
- Dogs
- Not permitted
- Good for a first timer
- No
Hiking detail
- Intl tip
- The Big Sur River crossing can be an easy summer ford or a difficult/impossible wade in winter high water — check conditions, as it determines whether the full loop is doable. Scan the skies and ridgelines for California condors, which are often seen along this stretch. Spring brings wildflowers to the headlands; winter brings whales. Confirm Highway 1 is open before the drive.
The guide
Andrew Molera is the largest state park in Big Sur, and its headlands loop is one of the finest coastal day hikes on the whole …
In the Guidebook
Everything above is yours for free. The written guide to Andrew Molera Headlands Loop — what it is actually like, and what we would tell a friend before they went — comes with the Guidebook.
Getting there
- Coordinates
- 36.287, -121.846