We Visited All 63 U.S. National Parks

When visited:          May, 2021

Date Established:    January 10, 2013 (January 16, 1908 as a National Monument)

Park ranking:            49 out of 63

Highlight:                 Desert landscape, wildlife and condors

Why not to go:        Sun and heat in the summer

Pinnacles National Park is located in central California about 3 hours south of San Francisco, regardless of which entrance you choose. There are two separate entrances and no roads that connect the entrances through the park — so one must choose which entrance to start from.  The main Visitor Center is located on the Eastern entrance. The alternate entrance is the West Pinnacle Visitor Contact Center from the Western entrance.

We bypassed Pinnacles National Monument on our previous visits to California – and when it became a national park we knew we needed to go back.  We visited in May, 2021 during COVID – immediately after visiting Gateway Arch National Park and attending our son, Scott’s college graduation.  We had surprised him with the trip and had no idea of the itinerary – he was a good trooper and one other son, Thomas flew out to join us for the week.

Rock formations in Pinnacles National Park

We knew we only had one day in the park and wanted to see as much as we could.  We chose the western entrance, and we hiked through the park to the entrance on the eastern side and returned via a different route.

We departed from Soledad early in the morning and that was a perfect launch location to reach the western entrance.  We were planning a ten-mile hike without much shade so we wanted to try to avoid the hottest parts of the day.

There aren’t many accommodations or stores at the western entrance, but we were easily able to find parking at that time of day.  There is camping available at that entrance.

Pausing in the shade on the Balconies Cave Trail

We parked at the Chaparral Parking Area chose the Balconies Cave Trail to the Old Pinnacles Trail to the Manzanita Parking area on the east entrance. We carried plenty of water and admired the Pinnacle formations on our hike.  Our hiking choice allowed us to do a loop hike without having to backtrack at all.

On our initial few miles, we were entertained by jays and squirrels and stopped to view some of the wildflowers still in bloom in May. 

Wildflowers in the desert

After a short while we reached the Balconies Cave Trail – we were unable to venture too deep into the actual cave as access was restricted due to COVID but we navigated our way through the cliffs and ledges and made it through the Bench Trail to the Manzanita Parking Area in good time.

Please note that Pinnacles National Park has the Bear Gulch Cave and the Balconies Cave. The following is an excerpt from the NPS Pinnacles website about accessing Bear Gulch Cave.

“Bear Gulch Cave is divided into two sections: the Lower Cave, which remains open for most of the year, and the Upper Cave, which is closed for extended periods to protect the endangered Townsend’s big-eared bats. These two sections often operate independently, allowing visitors to pass entirely through the lower section, even when the upper section is closed.

Access and Bat Protection

• Both sections of the cave fully close during mid-May through mid-July for the pupping season, when the bats are raising their young. The entire cave is also open twice a year, during March and October, for at least one week and up to four weeks depending on bat presence.
• The Lower Cave is typically open for nearly ten months each year, from mid-July to mid-May, as long as the hibernating bats are not disturbed. Visitors can explore this section without needing to turn back, even when the upper section is closed.
• The Upper Cave is rarely open, to protect the bats that roost there. During especially warm springs, the entire cave may close before mid-May if a maternity colony is present.“

At the parking area at the eastern entrance, we found some restrooms and checked on our water bottles.  After a brief rest, we headed West on the Sycamore Trail to Bear Gulch and traversed rocks for the Moses Spring Trail and the Bear Gulch Cave Trail until we reached the reservoir.    We enjoyed the coolness of the water and were amazed to find that spot in the middle of the desert.  We rested by the lake and ate our lunches.

After leaving the reservoir we made our way to the High Peaks Trail to look for condors and headed back to the Chapparal Parking area via the Tunnel Trail.

Resting at the reservoir

We saw ample evidence of condors including a nest and excrement, but we didn’t see the condors this day. 

Looking for condors

The round-trip hike is strenuous with much elevation gain and loss and requires the use of ladders and steps.  It traverses through tunnels and over and around rock formations.  We thoroughly enjoyed the hike despite the blisters and blackened toenails that I encountered due to poorly fitting shoes over the more than 10 miles that we traversed. 

Hiking in the park using the guiderail for support

Pinnacles National Park is well worth the day trip and perhaps even multiple day stays to break up the hiking. For those looking for more adventure, there are ample opportunities for hiking, biking and climbing.  There is ample opportunity for wildlife viewing for mammals, birds and reptiles despite our not seeing much.  That had a lot to do with the time of day that we were there and the warmth of the day.  Those who love camping should be sure to investigate the camping opportunities within the park.

Missy enjoying the nearing the end of trail

So although we saw a lot during our 10 mile hike, perhaps we need a return visit from the east side – to find more wildlife and to investigate the caves that we were unable to enter.