This small California tunnel has a long history.
Just off Highway 1, the Partington Cove Trail leads hikers to one of the Golden State’s most stunning coastal vistas, with rugged views of a wave-battered beach and turquoise waters.
But getting there requires a trek through a 60-foot, hand-carved passageway.
The hidden gem is located about 20 miles south of the Big Sur Cafe. To reach the tunnel, you’ll first hike down a steep road that leads to a wooden bridge spanning a small stream.
Partington Cove’s old tunnel dates back to the late 1800s, when homesteader John Partington carved it into the hillside. He settled in Big Sur in 1874 and made a living selling lumber from the area’s abundant Douglas fir and Redwood trees.
Back then, mules would haul the wagons down the canyon and through the tunnel to the cove.
But during the prohibition era, the secluded inlet was rumored to be a secret landing point for smuggling illicit liquor.
The area later served as an equipment drop zone when Highway 1 was being built through the rugged coastline.
Today, the original wooden loading dock is gone, but the tunnel remains. Clad in wooden beams, it’s around 60-feet long, 6.5 feet tall, and 7 feet wide.
The passageway opens up to the gorgeous Partington Cove, a scenic slice of Big Sur with crystal clear blue waters that feels like a secret oasis.
A hike to the cove is perfect for a short excursion. According to AllTrails, the trek is just 1.2 miles in total and takes anywhere from a half an hour to an hour both ways.
Hikers rave about the stunning pathway.
“If you are driving through Big Sur and do not have much time for a hike, this is your Hike! You see the cove, a really cool tunnel, the ocean waves crashing on the rocks, and a little redwood forest with a stream,” one visitor wrote on TripAdvisor.
“Great short hike in the Big Sur area. The trail is steep, but definitely well maintained and doable. Once you get to the bottom, its a beautiful rocky area,” another visitor wrote.
“This is one of my favorite places in the world. It is so gorgeous and is a great place to have a picnic. The pictures don’t do it justice at all. It is definitely worth the hike down to it,” a third commented.
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