Bluffs Trail

Bluffs Trail at Andrew Molera State Park is among the finest coastal hikes in California, combining rugged sea cliff scenery, a productive estuary teeming with shorebirds, the mouth of the Big Sur River, and one of the best condor viewing locations on the central coast. The loop begins by crossing the Big Sur River via a seasonal footbridge and traverses open grassland once used as ranch land before climbing to the dramatic coastal bluffs above the crashing Pacific surf. The bluff section offers continuous ocean views and frequent sightings of California condors riding thermal currents along the cliff face, their distinctive nine-foot wingspans unmistakable even at considerable altitude. Sea otters wrap themselves in kelp offshore, harbor seals haul out on rocky skerries below the bluffs, and migrating gray whales pass close to shore during their December through April migration. The return section descends to the Big Sur River estuary, where the river meets the sea in a dynamic environment that attracts impressive concentrations of migrating and wintering shorebirds and waterfowl. The estuary supports one of the most diverse bird communities on the central coast, making this loop especially rewarding for birders. The entire route traverses terrain managed for natural recovery, and wildflowers are abundant on the open grassland sections from March through May.