Surfing and Camping in Big Sur, California: Andrew Molera State Park

I recently had a chance to do some surf traveling in Northern California and scored at Andrew Molera State Park in Big Sur!  My trip started out in San Francisco, where we got a few days of surf at the Beach, then cruised south, stopping in Santa Cruz, and then on to Andrew Molera.

We got to Andrew Molera late at night with our car packed with surfboards and our camping gear ready.  This was October and it was $25 a night for a camp site.  In the dark we found an empty camp site and set up our gear.  With the huge drought going on in California, no campfires were permitted at the Park despite the fact that each camp site has a nice metal fire pit/drum that was begging to be used.  The Park did permit gas camping fires, so we came equipped with one of those.  The walk to the campsites from the Andrew Molera parking lot is about 10-15 minutes, and in the dark you definitely need your flashlights to maneuver the path.

morning at the beach, Andrew Molera State Park

We woke up stoked to check out the surf.  The walk from the campsites to the beach is about 15 minutes and although we did it a few times in bare feet it is pretty rough and sandals are a wise choice.  The break at Andrew Molera is truly beautiful, with big rocks on the right hand side creating a cove-type area in which waves break, all set off against an amazing backdrop of beach and cliffs.  Not to mention you can take this all in from an overhead view by walking the paths along the rocks on the right - offers you an awesome view of the beach, ocean, and break.

looking back on the break from above the rocks

The surf was going off that early morning and from the path above the rocks we watched a single surfer sitting out along the far rock waiting for the right waves that connect all the way from that rock to the inside.  You basically take off heading directly at one of the inside rocks, and if it connects you will maneuver around the rock and release into the inside.

We hopped into our wetsuits with our boards and enjoyed the waves that day and for a few more.  It was relatively uncrowded and a really beautiful scene to surf in.  Check it out if you get the chance.



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