Introduction:
What? : A large
coastline park on the mouth of Big Sur River. The long beach with the rock at
it north side is the main park attraction, you can also hike the coastline
ridges or hike along the Big Sur River.
Where? : The park is
located 21 miles south of Carmel on hwy 1.
Google Map Link
When? : Year round,
warm weekend is the preferred time, summer morning can have fog coverage.
Due note 1: If you park in
the lower official parking lot this is $10 per car, per day (bring exact bills).
Many parked at the sideways of hwy 1, at busy nice weekend lower parking lot
can be full.
Due note 2: There are no
lifeguards and ocean conditions can be hazardous.
Due note 3: The beach is ~1-mile
away from the parking lot so you will need to carry with you all the things you
are bringing to the beach.
Due note 4: Even during
the summer, Big Sur's beaches are subject to cooler weather. Sunny days mornings
can have a blanket of seasonal fog. To be prepared, bring a change of warm
clothes.
My thoughts: This is a nice
park that combine a hike and beach activity, excellent for relax summer day. The
ocean beach is right where the Big Sur River going into the ocean. In my opinion
this is not “a must visit” if you are exploring highway 1 attractions for the
first time, but it is fun place to discover, relax time at the beach that can
be combined with a long hike.
The visit:
I visit this
park at the afternoon of a warm spring day, it was fun and easy hike to the
ocean front, later I explore the beach to the south.
From the
parking lot you will take the main trail into the park and after short 0.3-mile
you need to turn into the trail on your right.
At this point
you need to cross the Big Sur River, if no bridge is available than you must
cross in the water, no way to bypass it on either side.
There is a temporary
seasonal footbridge crossing the river, it installed around June 15 to October
31. If the bridge is not installed you must cross the running river at knee
deep water, bring sandals or take off your shoes before crossing.
After river
crossing point additional 1-mile easy-going hike following the flat valley. The
clear wide trail, in-part covered by trees, will lead you to the ocean beach, at
springtime you will see many flowers at the open meadows.
Once at the sandy
beach you can see on your right (north) the large ocean cliff bluff, this is
the point most surfer find their wave. At that side of the beach the Big Sur
River is flowing into the ocean. You can find the river flat fresh-water lagoon
behind the sand dunes that blocking it.
The beach to
the south is open sandy beach for at list a mile, in high tide and high wave
the water can reach all the way to the cliff-base so it may limit the length of
your hike.
There are few
longer hiking options that I did not visit.
Taking the Bluffs
Trail and coming back from the Ridge trail will be a 6 miles loop hike,
covering the open coastline hills and the open space with excellent ocean view
from above.
When you are
done with your beach activity go back on the same trail you came.
Highbridge
Falls:
At the end of
my end of my visit I decided to look for Highbridge Falls (blue trail).
I hiked south using
the trail that is between the river and hwy 1 for 1.2 miles. The hike is parallel
to hwy 1 and at some point, after crossing a side stream coming on your left you
will find a short trail that will lead you to the road. I crossed hwy 1 and
start climbing the fire dirt road, it looks like it is not leading to the right
direction, so I cut into the woods and the creek. I did not see any clear
trail, large redwood logs cut my direction and it became late. I decided to
turn around and look for the waterfall at another time.
www:
https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=582
Trail map of
Big Sur:
https://bigsurtrailmap.net/trailconditions.html
http://www.redwoodhikes.com/BigSur/Molera.html
Pictures:
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