The Partington Cove trek is a short, but sweet hike that a lot of people miss out on their trip to Big Sur.Partington Cove is a short, steep, and easy-to-miss jaunt along the Big Sur shoreline. Passing a gated fire road and a small dirt runout west of Highway 1, walk a steep-ish downhill for 15 minutes until you reach an information kiosk. Here, you’ll find a junction: the left path will take you to the cove, while the right one leads to an isolated beach.
But you’re here for the cove, so cross a creek, turn right, and wander into a tunnel carved into a rock wall back in the 1880s. From there, you’re a short walk away from Partington Point. Here, I recommend sitting down, grabbing your sandwich, and enjoying the sound of the waves reverberating against the rocky shores and expansive views of the ocean blue. Just try not to think about the climb back.