This Big Sur cove once shipped tree bark through a tunnel in the cliff, and the short hike down still walks you right through it
Big Sur’s coolest tunnel isn’t on Highway 1. It sits at the bottom of a steep ravine, blasted through a wall of rock so tree bark could get from the mountains onto waiting ships.
That’s Partington Cove, a tiny inlet in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, and the trail down to it is one of our favorite short hikes on this whole stretch of coast. It’s about a mile round trip, and it squeezes a creek, a footbridge, redwood shade, and that tunnel into one quick, slightly sweaty outing.
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Why anyone needed a tunnel here
The Partington family was among the pioneers who homesteaded this part of Big Sur in the 1870s, and harvesting tanoak was one of the ways people made a living out here. The bark was the prize: it’s loaded with tannins, which were used to turn animal hides into leather.
Getting that bark to market was the hard part on a coast with no easy road. So the cove became a shipping landing, and in the late 1800s a tunnel was cut through the rock so loads could move from the canyon out to ships moored in the cove.
Picture it: a working landing down here, boats bobbing just offshore while waves slam the cliffs. Today the only traffic is hikers, and the tunnel is the star of the walk.
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The hike: short, steep, and worth it
Here’s the deal: roughly a mile round trip with around 300 feet of elevation change, and nearly all of it is downhill on the way in. That means the climbing waits for the end, right when you’re full of ocean views and a little less motivated.
Call it moderate. You start at a gate on the ocean side of Highway 1 and follow an old dirt road down a steep ravine, and at the bottom the path splits into a few short spurs.
Head straight for the cove. You’ll cross a wooden footbridge over Partington Creek, duck through a bit of redwood shade, and then there it is: a short, dark, gloriously spooky tunnel where the sound of the surf gets louder with every step.
The payoff on the other side
Step out of the tunnel and the cove opens up in front of you, with water so blue it looks filtered and cliffs wrapping around it on both sides. A few old bolts in the rocks are what’s left of the original landing, so look for them while the swells roll in below.
Our take? This is the best mile you can walk in Big Sur. McWay Falls gets the crowds, but nothing on this coast beats walking out of a pitch-black tunnel into that much blue.
Scan the water before you head back up, too. The park sits inside the California Sea Otter State Game Refuge, so the kelp is worth a long look.
A sign along the trail warns against swimming or wading, and this surf deserves that respect. The rocks get slick fast when they’re wet, so watch your footing if you scramble around.
What to know before you go this fall
This summer’s Timber and Plaskett fires shut down big chunks of Big Sur, and Julia Pfeiffer Burns closed for a stretch too. The park’s day-use areas and the Partington Cove trail have since reopened, but backcountry trails east of Highway 1 are still closed.
Conditions on this coast are still shifting, so check the Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park page and Caltrans QuickMap right before you drive down. Park hours are 8 a.m. to sunset, and dogs aren’t allowed.
Parking is roadside along Highway 1, and the pullout is easy to blow right past, so keep your eyes open as you get close. Download your maps offline before you go, since cell service out here is a long shot.
Want the full breakdown, including the two side paths at the bottom? Our Partington Cove Trail guide has it. McWay Falls is just down the road, and our picks for the best hikes in Big Sur and stops on a Big Sur drive will fill out the rest of your day.
So, are you a tunnel-and-cove person, or would you rather stay up top with the McWay crowd? Tell us your favorite short hike in Big Sur in the comments.
Trip tips: grab a rental car to get out here, lock in your hotel before the good rooms are gone, or skip both and book a camper van instead.
Rules and fees change, so always confirm current requirements before you go.
