Address: 57100 CA-1 Big Sur, Ca. 93920
Partington Cove is a remote inlet with a wooden tunnel, rugged beach, and a dirt trail located in Big Sur, California. The Cove is named after John Parrington who owns a tanbark transporting business in the 19th century. The cove is a conveniently accessible place to load and unload a cargo of Lumbar.
It took us about 2 hours and 45 minutes (151 miles) drive from San Francisco to get to Partington Cove via US 101 South, SR 156, and Highway 1. The drive was very beautiful, scenic, winding, and relaxing once we got to Highway 1 which is also called Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). We arrived at Partington Cove at around 12:30 pm and there were a lot of cars parked on the side of the road. We parked our car a few feet away from the gated entrance along Highway 1 since it’s our only option.
The hike to Partington Cove trail is open from 8 am until sunset about 1.1 miles out and back moderate hike. It took us about 2 hours since we took pictures and explored both the Cove and beach area. You can easily miss the gated entrance to the Cove Trailhead so look to your right when driving downhill coming from the North. A good indicator is when you see a lot of cars parked on the side of the road near a bridge. And if you reached McWay Falls that means you have gone too far. The trailhead is made up of dirt, up and downhill, zig-zag, and short steep uphill climb on your way back. The Partington Cove trail is used for nature trips, hiking and is accessible year-round.
When we reached the bottom of the trail, we then proceeded to the right and saw a “danger” signage stating that wading and swimming are unsafe. If you proceeded to go straight or to the right after the danger signage it will lead you to the beach area. But we made a left, passed through the wooden bridge, a creek, and went through a short wooden tunnel. We came out of the tunnel and were mesmerized by the amazing view of the Cove, the clear blue-green color of the water, and a great view of the Pacific Ocean. At the end of the trail is a wooden bench facing the ocean waters that is a great place for a photo opportunity but be careful as you walk through the rocks.
The other trail leads to the beach area with big rocks, a creek, and small running waterfalls. As a reminder to watch out for strong or sleeper waves for safety. You have to go through some big rocks to navigate your way through and can enjoy the ocean water. It’s also a great place to have a picnic or take great pictures.
Tips: When parking on hwy 1 watch out for oncoming cars as you don’t have enough space on the side of the road and try to park your car properly or correct orientation. It’s easy to get side-swiped when getting out of your car or walking on the side of the road. Bring a hiking or comfortable shoes, hiking poles as needed, drinking water, and sunblock. Be prepared to walk on a short, steep uphill dirt mountain trail. Arrived at the Cove earlier on weekends to avoid the large crowd.
Let me know if you have any questions or what you think about Partington Cove after your visit in the comments below. And kindly subscribe, comment, and share our family travel blog site with your friends and family. Or even include our travel blog website address when you post your pictures on social media. Have fun and stay safe. Thank you.