Partington Cove 11/2024

Partington Cove is a remote rocky cove below Partington Point in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. The shoreline in Partington Cove is full of large boulders so it wouldn’t be a popular destination by itself, but the hike to the cove and the adjacent shore is quite an experience.
This cove has a separate access with shoulder parking spaces along Highway 1 north of the main state park entrance. Behind a gate there is a dirt road that leads down toward the cove. Follow this road to where it splits into two trails. The right trail descends to the beach, but there is no sand here, just smooth round rocks in a small deep cove. The left trail crosses a footbridge then goes through a 60 foot long tunnel through the rocky point to views of another small cove. This tunnel and the old concrete foundation on the other side are both remnants of an old tanbark shipping operation from the early 1900s. The Tan Bark Trail begins on the opposite side of the highway if you are looking for more hiking opportunities here. Partington Cove is just one of several beaches that can only be accessed by going through a tunnel or rock arch.
Scuba diving by expert divers with a special permit is the main activity in Partington Cove. Swimming is not recommended.