Outside: Partington Cove

The beauty of Big Sur is not just its depth, but the quality of each of its layers. A drive down Highway 1 offers unmatched coastal vistas from the comfort of a car. You can camp out of your car under redwoods or steps away from a sea cliff, or you can backpack a dozen miles into the Ventana Wilderness and set up an isolated campsite along a river. Whether you play on the surface or shoot for the core, Big Sur will leave you speechless. Partington Cove sits somewhere in between the surface and core. Getting to Partington Cove requires an easy, quarter-mile downhill hike from Highway 1. The first reward is the cool and refreshing air offered by reaching sea level. After making it through the slightly claustrophobic, dark man-made tunnel supported by a network of wooden beams, visitors receive the ultimate payoff – a rock jetty that offers a front row, sea-level view of Pacific majesty. Look west and address the limitlessness of the roaring ocean, or look east and feast upon a serene, rocky cove tucked into the cliffs, hugging its own slice of cyan coastline. There’s also an infusion of history, with remnants of a 19th-century timber shipping hub. Bring a book and a lunch, it’s an atmosphere worthy of an afternoon break. [CN]

Trailhead located about 14 miles south of Andrew Molera State Park on Highway 1, across the highway (west) from the Tin House Trail.