California : Big Sur : Partington Cove
One of Many
This was our warm-up hike, and one that stands out in my mind as the coolest. Not that I don't have a monstrous amount of photos that are equally as cool from other hikes, but a TUNNEL!?!?! I mean, seriously that's pretty dang cool. haha Other than being "cool" the tunnel did serve a purpose at some point in time. Around the turn of the nineteenth century this tunnel was used to reach a loading point in which mules hauled tanbark to.
Partington Cove Tunnel
While walking through the 60 foot tunnel, the past transpires with each and every step; I can't help but think about how many others have traveled between these walls decade after decade.
Inside the Tunnel
After exiting the tunnel you follow a winding path semi-open to the cove on your left, complete with a kelp forest below. The path ends at a wooden bench to overlook the pacific ocean and surrounding cliffs. You'll also notice something that is a little out of place, two tall pieces of wood embedded into the edge of the cliff that form a pinnacle.
The old hoist station was used to load cargo, lumber, and tanning bark. As you can see in the photo, Cody isn't paying attention to the beware sign, but that's not half as bad as the locals that were hanging out around the corner - very bad influences, indeed.
After backtracking, and strolling back through the tunnel, you take a fork in the trail down to a scenic rocky beach. As dorky as it sounds, I was so amazed to see the the river racing to reach the ocean. Never in my life have I seen a river meet the ocean, it was a wondrous sight - for me at least.
Where the River Flows
All in all it was a pretty steep little trail, especially on the way out. But at just one mile, it was well worth the effort. Amazing at it sounds, this was just one hike of three that we did on the first day. I couldn't bear just posting a couple photos of each hike done on that Sunday, so I just decided to do them all separately. By the time I'm done telling you all about the trip, you might just be sick of it all?!?! haha In the end, it is really going to help me get the material together so that I can make a photobook as a vacation keepsake. There is still so much more to share! Stay Tuned......
If you're interested, there are a few more photos from this hike - HERE