Andrew Molera State Park has some fantastic trail running and scnery. In the spring I did a hike up East Molera Ridge to Post Summit. The East Molera Ridge route has spectacular views with a gorgeous display of wildflowers and green grass in the spring. A use path continues beyond Post Summit along Cabezo Prieto to Mount Manuel and Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, a loop that I look forward to completing soon. On this day I explored the trails on the west side of Hwy 1 with Erica where a great loop can be designed including Ridge Trail, Panorama Trail and Bluffs Trail. I did this loop back in 2009 so it’s been awhile. This route has classic Big Sur coastal scenery with steep hillsides plunging into the turquoise waters of the Pacific Ocean including rugged sea stacks and hidden beaches. While there trails are largely in exposed coastal scrub and chaparral, there are sections of beautiful oak woodland even some patches of pretty redwoods.

The run started out foggy along the coast but as we descended the Panorama Trail, the fog retreated from the coast dramatically revealing the amazing coastal scenery. The trails in Andrew Molera State Park are very runnable and moderate in elevation gain, especially when compared with most other trails in the Big Sur region. On this run we also checked out the Headlands Trail to Point Molera which is an awesome viewpoint including the Pico Blanco towering above. The great view from this promontory was an unexpected surprise which made it all the more sweeter. There was a group of guided horseback riders on the beach across the lagoon that produced a particularly photogenic scene. For history buffs, there is a very old cabin on the way to the Point Molera known as the Cooper Cabin. Strava Route here.