Partington Cove
Big Sur, CA
Partington Cove is reached by a trail from Highway 1's milepost 37.8, passing through a genuine hand-dug tunnel before opening onto a hidden, rocky cove. The tunnel alone makes this one of the more memorable short walks on the whole Big Sur coast.
The hand-dug tunnel is a genuinely memorable, unusual approach to a beach, though the cove itself is rocky rather than a place to swim.
How we score beachesBring a flashlight or use your phone's light for the tunnel section, it's short but genuinely dark inside.
Free parking is available at the milepost 37.8 pullout.
A path and blufftop trail lead down to the cove, passing through a hand-dug tunnel.
Dogs are allowed on leash only in the paved parking area; they are not permitted on the trail down to Partington Cove or on any other trail in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park.
Fog is common most mornings year round, typical of the Big Sur coast.
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