In the spectacular Big Sur area, Andrew Molera State Park is relatively undeveloped and offers visitors great hiking and beachcombing as well as panoramic views of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, a federal marine protected area. Miles of trails wind through meadows, bluffs, beaches and hilltops. 

Andrew Molera State Park, 22 miles south of Carmel on Highway One, contains 4,766 acres, with miles of trails winding through meadows, beaches and hilltops and the Big Sur River running through the park. The park is a Watchable Wildlife site.

Also located within the park is the now-closed Ventana Wilderness Society’s Big Sur Ornithology Lab (BSOL). Visitors were able to visit the Lab and, during most of the year, observe the morning bird-banding and research activities. Much of the data from the 1990s and early 2000s was obtained by BSOL. BSOL was operated for 18 years, from 1992 to 2010.

When Frances Molera sold the family ranch that was to become the state park, it was with the condition that it be named after her brother Andrew. Visitors can see the former ranch complex. The Molera Interpretive Center, located in the old ranch house, provides a fascinating glimpse into the park’s rich natural and cultural history.

The AllTrails website has descriptions and maps of hikes at Andrew Molera State Park