Everything You Should Know About Pinnacles National Park

Located in California's Coast Range, around a two-hour drive south of the San Francisco Bay Area, Pinnacles National Park is the state’s smallest national park and one of its most fascinating from a geological perspective.

The name pinnacles refers to the remnants of a massive volcanic eruption around 23 million years ago, south of the park in the Mojave Desert. Wind and water carved the unique landscape, and tectonic plate movement along the San Andreas Fault gradually shifted the spires northward over the ages. Pinnacles received federal protection in 1908 as one of the nation’s earliest national monuments and was upgraded to national park status in 2013. 

The park is divided into east and west sections, with rugged, roadless interior accessible only on foot trails. The main activities are hiking through the twisted landscape and exploring several talus caves, or rocky spaces and tunnels formed by large boulders piled up or wedged together. This park is also a great place to see giant California condors in the wild, and more.  Here’s what you should know to plan a trip to Pinnacles National Park.  

Best times to visit Pinnacles National Park

Although Pinnacles is part of California’s Coast Range, it’s too far inland to experience the fog or marine layer that cools nearby Big Sur or the Monterey Peninsula. As a result, summers can be brutally hot with temperatures often exceeding 100°F (38°C). In other words, this is not ideal hiking weather.

Save your walks for the other three seasons and their moderate daytime temperatures (60-80°F/15-26°C). However, be aware that winter nighttime temperatures often drop below freezing. Spring brings the bonus of wildflowers throughout the park, while fall foliage colors the canyons. 

Where to find the best views in the park

“Unlike some others that can be enjoyed by driving through the park, Pinnacles is essentially a hiking park,” says Richard Neidhardt, co-founder and chair of the Pinnacles Condor Fund. 

“There’s one exception to that. The West Pinnacles is a day-use area where the view from the Chaparral parking lot is unmatched in East Pinnacles. You can enjoy the rock formations of the High Peaks (volcanic rock spires) without getting out of your car.” 

One of the best hiking trail overlooks, Condor Gulch Viewpoint, is located on a lofty boulder-strewn summit one mile (1.6 km) up the steep Condor Gulch Trail from the Bear Gulch Day Use Area. The Juniper Canyon Trail on the west side also offers incredible vistas of the volcanic pinnacles and the Coast Range stretching north and south from the park.  

However, the park’s most celebrated viewpoint is the walkway across the 1935 Civilian Conservation Corps dam at Bear Gulch Reservoir, especially when the towering rock formations on the opposite shore are reflected in the mirror-like water. 

Where to find the best hiking trails 

Although it’s one of the smallest U.S. national parks, Pinnacles offers a surprising variety of trails and hiking choices. One of the most popular routes is the Moses Spring to Rim Trail Loop, which connects three trails—Moses Spring, Bear Gulch Cave, and the Rim—and includes a view of Bear Gulch Reservoir. Starting and ending at the Moses Spring Parking Area, the total distance of this easy east side hike is around 2.2 miles (3.5 km).

On the west side of Pinnacles, the moderate Balconies Cliffs & Cave Loop (2.4 miles/4 km) offers similar rocky topography and close-up views of the park’s unusual volcano geology over a slightly shorter distance from the Chaparral parking area. 

Visitors considering either cave walk should carry a flashlight and beware of low ceilings and slippery surfaces. Although both walks are possible year-round, the caves are closed mid-May through mid-July during the bat pupping season. The caves are often closed during rainstorms due to the risk of flash flooding.

The High Peaks Loop, accessed from Bear Gulch in East Pinnacles, is the crown jewel of hikes in the park because it takes trekkers right into the heart of the volcanic pinnacles that give the park its name. It’s about 5.5 miles (8.8 km) long with almost 1,200 feet of elevation gain, a rugged route with some steep drop-offs. 

The park’s longest and probably toughest hike is the North Wilderness Loop, a 9.3-mile (15-km) trek that starts from Chaparral and includes the Balconies and Old Pinnacles trails. Depending on your pace, the walk takes five to eight hours to complete. You can also take the same loop from the Old Pinnacles Parking Area on the east side, but that adds two miles to the overall length.  

The best spots to see wildlife

Everyone wants to see the park’s celebrated California condors—North America’s largest bird. Facing extinction, the high-flying giants were captive-bred at zoos and other facilities as part of the California Condor Recovery Program and reintroduced to Pinnacles starting in 2003. 

“The best way to see California condors is to hike up into the High Peaks,” says Richard Neidhardt, chair of the Pinnacles Condor Fund. “The second best is from the [Pinnacles]  Campground. Condors wait until thermals form before they begin flying in the morning, between 9 and 10 a.m. They frequently roost on the ridge above the campground and can often be seen there. They can also be seen in the late afternoon when they come into roost on the ridge.

Two condor spotting scopes and information boards are located on the trail between the east visitor center/park store and the campground. Neidhardt says that groups who donate to the Pinnacles Condor Fund can arrange a guided hike led by condor experts who carry radio-telemetry equipment to track the birds.

The park is home to raccoons, ringtails, reptiles, mule deer, mountain lions, and 13 different bat species, and a wide variety of other animals, native to the California coastal mountains. Like most wildlife, the best times to spot them are dusk and dawn.

Expert recommendations and tips

“To get the most out of Pinnacles, I’d advise people to come during the week, if at all possible,” Neidhardt recommends. “PNP is small as national parks go—just under 27,000 acres. Parking is limited, and weekends get very crowded. If a weekday visit isn’t possible, try to get to the park as early as possible to ensure getting a parking place.”

Visitation peaks between March and June, and over major holiday weekends like Labor Day and the Fourth of July. During these times, there are often lines at both entrances. Visitors can usually avoid frustration by entering the park before 8 a.m.

Neidhardt also recommends that during summer—when triple-digit temperatures are common—visitors should start their hikes as early as possible to avoid the worst of the heat. “Take as much water as you can carry—at least a liter per hour of hiking. And be aware that the temperature in the High Peaks can be 10 degrees hotter than in the lower elevations.”

“Wildflower hikes in the spring are one of the most popular activities in Pinnacles. PNP doesn’t have the vast superblooms that you find in places like Carrizo Plain National Monument in San Luis Obispo County. But the sheer variety of species and the length of the wildflower season are not to be missed. April and May are peak times for wildflowers.”

Ranger recommendation: Continue south from Bear Gulch Reservoir and hike the strenuous North Chalone Trail to the highest point of the park. The eight-mile (12.8-km) out-and-back offers breathtaking views, a chance to spot California condors, and an unmarked trail for an optional extended hike to South Chalone Peak. 

Things to do in Pinnacles National Park 

Life in Pinnacles National Park largely revolves around Bear Valley, where the campground, park store, and East Side Visitor Center are located. Shaded by oaks, cottonwoods, and sycamores along Chalone Creek, the valley also shelters the historic Bacon Ranch, founded in 1852.

The valley narrows into Bear Gulch, a popular day-use area that includes the Bear Gulch Nature Center, a picnic grove, and trailheads for the park’s most popular hikes: the Moses Spring, Bear Gulch Cave, and Rim trails. It’s also the jumping-off spot for visitors who want to investigate the jumbled rock formations of Bear Gulch Cave and serene Bear Gulch Reservoir. 

On the other side of the park, the West Pinnacles Visitor Contact Station offers information, maps, and advice before heading another 2.2 miles (3.5 km) up the road to the Chaparral parking and picnic area. 

The park’s most spectacular volcanic pinnacles are located in the High Peaks region. Seeing them up close—and looking down at the park from several spectacular viewpoints—requires a steady uphill climb along the High Peaks Trail from the east side or the Juniper Canyon Trail in the west. 

Visitors should be aware that there is no road connecting the park’s east and west sides; the only way to cross is by hiking. 

Pinnacles is a prize climbing destination because of its rugged topography. However, the volcanic breccia that comprises the pinnacles, walls, and spires is weaker than granite and often tricky to navigate. Only veteran climbers take on big walls like the Machete Ridge, the park’s largest rock feature. The Friends of Pinnacles website offers the latest info on climbing conditions, rules, and safety in the park. 

Best things to do for families

The park’s compact size means that most trails are relatively short and ideal for families with children. One of the park’s most family-friendly hikes is the out-and-back 1.8-mile (2.9-km) trek from Moses Spring Parking Area to see its mysterious caves, narrow passageways, towering rock formations, and precipitous overlooks via this relatively easy walk that includes the Moses Spring Trail, Bear Gulch Cave Trail, and Bear Gulch Reservoir.

Bear Gulch Nature Center offers exhibits on Pinnacles’ natural and human history, short videos on the park, Junior Ranger booklets, and rangers who can answer even the most precocious questions about the park. 

Where to stay

Pinnacles National Park’s only campground is on the east side, beside the store and visitor center. It includes tent and RV sites as well as 10 canvas-sided tent cabins. All sites are bookable at Recreation.gov. There is no backcountry camping. 

Paicines Ranch on the east side and the Inn at the Pinnacles bed & breakfast on the west side are the only roofed accommodations that are close to the park. Otherwise, the nearby cities of Hollister and Salinas offer a good selection of hotels and motels at moderate rates. 

What else you should know 

Access: Open around the clock, the park’s East Side entrance is just off Airline Highway (State Route 25), around a 40-minute drive from Hollister, California. The West Side entrance is on State Route 146, about a 20-minute drive from Soledad, California. This entrance is day-use only and is open 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Visitor Centers: The East Pinnacles Visitor Center & Park Store doubles as the visitor center; open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The West Pinnacles Visitor Contact Station is open daily from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  

Entrance fees: $30 per vehicle, $25 per motorcycle, and $15 per person.

Are pets allowed: Yes, but only in picnic areas, parking lots, paved roads, and the campground. Pets must always be under control and on a six-foot leash. 

How accessible is the park? 

Both the east and west visitor centers are fully accessible, including accessible parking spaces and an accessible restroom at the west contact station. Most campsites and tent cabins are wheelchair accessible.   

The Bench Trail on the east side and Prewett Point Trail on the west side are both accessible thanks to recent upgrades. The Pinnacles National Park brochure is available in several versions, including visual, audio-described, and text-only.