A beautiful CA national park. We did 2 short hikes in one day. The pinnacle rocks and the caves are SO cool! Parking was really easy for the trails we wanted to access. National Park pass is required. read more

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On our road trip up north, we wanted to stop into Pinnacles National Park in hopes of spotting the California condors (no luck). On our way in, we passed Chalone Vineyard (random!), which was closed, but looks like a fun place for wine tasting after a day of hiking. We entered the park's West entrance and be warned that the drive up there frequently merges the 2 lane road into one lane. Luckily there weren't very many cars coming and going so we didn't have any problems. We arrived to the visitors center and did the wheelchair accessible hike on Prewett Point Trail. It's not super long but gave us a good view of the pinnacles. We then made our way to the end of the road to try the North Wilderness Trail. My wheelchair bound son only made it so far until the little bridge by the big rocks, so he turned around, while my middle son and I continued on to explore more of the trail and to look for caves. Would love to see the park from the east entrance next time for a different perspective of the park! read more

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As part of our quest to visit all 63 U.S. national parks, we set off on a six-week road trip. I have a personal rule: I only count a national park as "visited" if I actually spend time there, hike or walk through it, and truly experience it. On this trip, we visited 14 national parks, and Pinnacles National Park turned out to be one of the most enjoyable surprises. Pinnacles may not be as famous as Yosemite or Sequoia, but it is well worth a visit. It offers dramatic rock formations, beautiful scenery, excellent hiking, and one especially memorable feature: its talus caves. The landscape feels rugged and distinctive, with spectacular views around nearly every bend. We especially appreciated the variety of hiking options. There are trails for every ability level, including gentle paths that are accessible for visitors with mobility limitations, so many people can enjoy the park's beauty. For me, the highlight was exploring the caves. These are not traditional limestone caves but talus caves, formed when enormous boulders fell into narrow canyons and created natural tunnels. Walking through them was a real adventure. Some sections were very dark, and while a flashlight or headlamp is definitely recommended, I managed with my phone's flashlight, and a little optimism. It made the experience even more memorable. Pinnacles is also one of the best places in California to spot the magnificent California condor. We weren't lucky enough to see one soaring overhead, but knowing these endangered birds have been successfully reintroduced here adds another layer of appreciation for the park. Spring is especially beautiful, with wildflowers covering the hillsides, and the park is full of interesting rock formations, oak woodlands, chaparral, and abundant wildlife. Pinnacles National Park offers a little bit of everything: beautiful scenery, excellent hiking, unique geology, and genuine adventure. It may be one of the smaller national parks, but it delivers an impressive amount of beauty and fun in one visit. If you go, don't miss the caves, and bring a flashlight. Or, if you're like me, your phone and a sense of adventure might just do the trick. read more

While on our way to Carmel/Monterey from San Jose we decided to take a little hike at Pinnacles National Park. This group enjoys a good hike, but is by no means expert hiker/climber(s). This hike offered the perfect balance of physical activity and beautiful views The trail was about a 2hr drive from the San Jose airport. It takes you well out of immediate civilization. You aren't far enough to feel completely isolated, but you are far enough removed that it's peaceful and the air just smells more fresh The trail itself was about 3 miles long if I remember correctly. The one we took was an uphill climb to the top and then an easy downhill hike to the bottom. The flora and fauna were impressive. There are plenty of turkey vultures, other birds, and some lizards. A truly awesome sight was when we got to the top and a condor flew directly over us Some tips: There are a few hikes and trailheads in the area for you to explore The park rangers office was unoccupied when we were there and it was a honor system of dropping off payment in a nearby collection receptacle It might be difficult to spot a condor from a turkey vulture at a distance, but the head is shaped different from a turkey vulture, their sheer size is stunning, and they should be tagged under their wings Cheers!! read more

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For the first time, we were able to hike at Pinnacles National Park--specifically the Bear Gulch area--and it was truly an amazing experience, definitely one for the books! We absolutely loved the variety this hike offers. The caves were such a fun and unique highlight, and the reservoir added a peaceful, scenic touch to the whole trail. The views of the rock walls and dramatic formations were stunning from start to finish. It felt like a perfect mix of adventure and nature. What made it even more special is that we did it together with our 3-year-old, and he absolutely loved it too! It's such a memorable family-friendly experience, though of course some parts require a bit of extra attention with little ones. One thing to keep in mind--parking can be quite challenging. During our visit on April 2, it was very hard to find a spot. We ended up parking quite far and had to walk about a mile just to reach the entrance to the Sycamore Trail. Next time, we'll definitely plan to arrive as early as possible to avoid that hassle. Overall, it was an unforgettable hike, and we're already looking forward to coming back and exploring more trails in the area! read more

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It's Friday before the Memorial Day weekend and decide to take a day trip to Pinnacles National Park. The drive was scenic, no traffic and the East Side park was empty. Although people were beginning to check in for camping. I'm sorry to say we were unable to hike and explore as we wanted because the Bear Gulch Caves were closed due to bat population and the Visitor/Education center was closed as well due to short volunteer staffing. Maybe next time. read more

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Rock climbing, hiking, mountains-pretty reservoir, long hike across mountains to an outpost which is pretty cool read more

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Cheers to 2026, and my 1st review of the year! One of the newest National Parks (Est. 2013) So many views to witness with your own eyes. Drive to the park, you will encounter so many beautiful views and scenary. First entering the national park, you will need to scan a QR code, and purchase a park pass for parking, either 7 days or annual (Your preference). Driving to the campsites, you first see the check in office, and a store. The office closes around 5, so if you come in after no worries, your campsite will be readily available for you still. All staff encountered during my 1st trip here were friendly and hopeful. Plenty of campsites to choose from, whether you're using an RV, vehicle camper, or tent only. They even have bungalows you can reserve as well. Campgrounds offer Plenty of restrooms, throughout the site. They have 1 site for showers scenery. Plenty of recycle bins and trash bins throughout the site as well, so please be mindful and clean your sites before checking out. Enjoy the trails and the views. And remember to clean up after yourselves, and leave no trash behind. Parking: in regards to the sites, Plenty of spots throughout the campsites, if you plan on hiking, parking is limited and Rangers will close roads once capacity is met. Recommended: absolutely, I definitely will be coming back in the future. read more

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This was such a fun park. A little out of the way but way worth the trip! A small fee to enter. It's worth it because it goes to take care of upkeep and in the summer, there's a lot of people so this little bit helps. You will want to have a flashlight on hand to go through the caves here as there are long spots you are in the dark climbing up and down stairs or down or up through boulders. Headlamps are best but a flashlight will work too. I started out day 1 on one side and had so much fun hiking through the park and crawling through the rock caves. I spent a little time talking to the Park Rangers to find the best place for me to hike that wasn't too long. Reaching the top of the mountain and walking back down with the amazing views, all the Turkey Vultures and other birds and wildlife was spectacular. The trails, though not necessarily well marked which way is which were well traveled so you knew you weren't going to get lost going off trail. The second day I hit the other side of the park to do Bear Gulch Caves. Excellent cave! Parking at the foot is limited even about 1/4 mile down next to info shop and restrooms is limited so be patient. You may have to park further down as summer comes. This is the only bathroom but very well maintained. There is water running down through this cave and when you reach the top, there a tight squeeze through the rocks and then an amazing payoff with the reservoir. Great spot to watch the birds, Dragon Flies, walk around some of the reservoir before hiking back out down along the very well traveled path past rock climbers to the parking lot again. I highly recommend this fantastic park not just for the excellent caves but for all the good hiking trails. There is some camping and even a pool further down towards the entrance on one side. The Rangers here are full of knowledge and very friendly and professional. Excellent experience!! read more

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Everyone else has said all of the great things about the park. I agree on most points. What could be better is the very limited parking at one of their more populated sites - Bear Gulch. We got there around 10:20am on a Saturday (thanksgiving weekend) and the road that leads to Bear Gulch is blocked off. There's no visible information on when it reopens. This forced us to park near the campground store which is about 3 miles to Bear Gulch. Long story short, we huffed it only to realize that it opened back up as soon as we got there. If we knew ahead of time, we could've waited it out. The walk there and back was an additional 2-3 hours. It wasn't a scenic hike so not worth the aching feet and 2+ hours. The Bear Gulch cave trail is a shorter hike than our expedition to reach the trailhead. Its caves and the reservoir was a sight for sore eyes. The cave was somewhat crowded and some areas are pretty tight. The reservoir view is a nice payoff after all of that walking. But since we expended much of our time to get there, we had to start heading back before it got dark. Although we started at 10:45am, we made it back just before dark. read more

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We did the Condor Gultch trail to the high peaks trial. The hike was very strenuous but the view was well worth it. Would recommend getting there early to beat the heat (I never knew the UV went up to 11, I thought the highest was 10). Bring lots of extra water. We got there on 8:30 on a Friday morning and it was not too crowded and near the parking lots there are restrooms and places to refill your water. Overall a really nice park and would recommend! read more

Pinnacles National Park - Where we stopped for lunch - Parks Near Me - Paicines, California

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Hidden among the hills of central coast you can find the remnants of old time volcano. Nice place for hiking, birding, and catching beautiful colors in the morning and at sunset. We came in through the less entered West side. We visited the visitor center, and then parked at the Chaparral trailhead. We opted for the high peak trail. It was nice. Next time, I would come earlier in the day. Or stick around for after the sun breaks. Also, best season might be in the winter. It's a bit dryer and warmer in the summer months. We enjoyed the experience. read more

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What a great place to hike, there are many attractions- caves to walk through, several trails, rock climbing, reservoirs, picnic areas, boulders, groomed trails. This is a beautiful NP: birds, rivers, scenery, caves, variety of trails - with flat easy trails and steeper rugged trails too. We met so many nice people and families. There are several parking lots, get there early to park in the furthest lot from the entrance which is closest to the most popular trail head. Water filtration systems - are in the parking lots, Make Sure you bring a refillable bottle! AND carry water on hikes. Flashlights needed in caves. Near Entrance: Picnic benches and a small general store with food, snacks, treats, books and gifts. Large lawn with huge shade trees. The caves and steeper trails may be difficult for kids, make sure to stick to the trail, pull to the side to let others pass. Poison oak is next to many trails (it's GREEN in the spring, and easier to spot in the summers-it's Green & red!) read more

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Amazing spot. Best time to hike is early in the morning or late afternoon during the summer but if you're like me, and love the heat, prepare to bring plenty of water and snacks and some block and of course a hat pets are not allowed on the trails. Better yet if you do a sunset hike it is gorgeous and you can see the Moon Rising and the stars shining bright read more

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Moses rim trail was fun. Easy trek through rocky tunnel and cool reservoir. Lots of climbing areas along the trail. read more

Pinnacles National Park - Moses spring map - Parks Near Me - Paicines, California

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Pinnacles National Park was one of our few remaining NPs for California, so we finally made the drive up. A was a little hesitant to visit this park so soon because it was just made into a national park in 2013, and I feel like it might not be as established as it will be in 10 more years. That being said, we decided to visit, and Pinnacles is more unique and (similar to Saguaro National Park), the park is divided between the east and the west side. Plan ahead - depending on what you want to do in the park will determine which side you go to, and they are about an hour drive apart from each other. We spent a day in Pinnacles and decided to focus on the east side. Their east side visitor center is within a mile of entering the park and is definitely small and shares a building with the local camp store. But it is still a nice little visitor center with a nice bookstore and friendly staff ready to help you plan your visit. They also have potable water here, so we filled up our bottles for our hikes. 100% recommend adding the Bear Gulch Cave Trail to your visit. Beautiful hike with some cave exploration ending at the Bear Gulch Reservoir. You'll have to squeeze through some tight, dark places, and you should have a flashlight to help you out. But it's a unique, fun, and worthy hike. Pinnacles is also known for its condor sightings. So great if you're looking for the chance to spot one of these rare birds. Overall, we really enjoyed our hike. But unless you're looking to spot some condors or visit all the national parks, I wouldn't make this one a priority. Fun if you live nearby - it is a wonderful piece of nature - but it's not one of the top national parks on my list. read more

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Cave New World Pinnacles is perhaps one of the most underrated--and newest!--National Parks in the country, and is one of NorCal's best kept secrets. Despite being a National Monument since 1908, Pinnacles finally achieved National Park status back in 2013, and hasn't looked back since. The Park is pretty massive (±27k-acres); sports two entrances (á la the Grand Canyon); and is centered around an extinct volcano. If that doesn't get your nature juices flowing, then it's time to check your pulse. The Good: *Campgrounds (East entrance only) *They have a Visitor Center at both entrances, but the East one might be a little nicer, if memory serves. *Trails are (at least in the west side) in good shape. It's been a few years since we've been to the east side, so I can't speak for them. *The Balconies Trail loop (west side) is amazing and takes hikers high up for great views and down thru the Balconies Cave. The best part is that it's only a little over three-miles (±5k) and a svelte ±500' elevation gain. *Flushable restrooms *Balconies Cave is really where it's at! I guess you can access it from the east entrance but so much easier from the west side. Just be careful when traversing thru the Cave, especially if it's rained recently, as the rocks can be very slippery as it is. Also, be sure to pack at least a few bright flashlights (bonus points for a headlamp)--and check the batteries! It's a little challenging, but if my old, fat ass can do it, then you can, too! *One of the few places you can see California Condors out in the wild (west side is better for this, as well fwiw). *Rock climbing (check website and signage for rules) The Meh: *$30 entrance fee (free with NPS National Park pass [$80/year]) *If you're in the South Bay it's 1.5hrs to the East entrance and ±2hrs to the West entrance. *Can get ridiculously hot in the summer, so bring plenty of hydration. *Good park to pack a lunch, as it's a long drive to get there and there ain't much around either entrance for food. Altho, the west entrance is kinda close to the City of Soledad which has some (mostly Mexican) restaurants. The Ugly: *Despite it being under the radar, it can still get very busy here, as there's not a whole lot of parking spaces near the trail entrances. Conclusion: Epic Park with epic views and a fun cave to go spelunking in. read more

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This was my first time to Pinnacles. I came to see the condors. We saw a lot of turkey vultures flying, but no condors. Although the National Park Rangers aren't around in October 2025 for...reasons...the general store was open as well as the bookstore. In the morning, we were able to find parking. When we came back, there were retired volunteers helping navigate the traffic. It's an uplifting thing to see other people sacrificing their time to help others. Most people on the trail were friendly, but no one had seen the condors either. Some people were a little weird...it's polite to not hold up a crowd of people to take a multitude of photos; I get you love seeing your 5 year-old in a deep dark cave and it brings you joy...but it's a single pathway shared by both directions. The Steep and Narrow bits looked scarier than it was. Be prepared for lots of stairs. We brought trekking poles, but the route we went through didn't really require it. It was hot though in October, so definitely go as early as you can and finish before it gets hot. read more

I don't think I could ever give anything less than 5 stars to a national park but regardless of that, Pinnacles is amazing! We have been to both sides of the park--the east entrance was several years ago. And the west entrance was just recently. We decided to check out the balconies cave trail. What an adventure that was! Lots of climbing through dark caves and exploring. We saw a condor flying! That was a cool moment. After our hike, we had a picnic in the picnic area. We knew there wouldn't be a lot of food options around so we brought a cooler to make sandwiches. Tips: *Make sure to bring a flashlight or headlamp. *And wear shoes with good traction. *Bring food and have a picnic after. *We always buy the annual pass ($80) every year because most parks cost $30 and we go to several parks. It definitely adds up. It's worth it if you go to several parks in a year like we do. read more

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Pinnacles is huge and we got to explore a portion of it on a gloomy Saturday, but the weather was great as it was not hot at all. What an adventure! We got to do a hike that allowed us to witness beautiful rock formations, go through caves, and view a beautiful reservoir that has so many photographic points. It's an approximate 3 mile hike that anyone can do Beautiful views and wonderful adventure. Shuttle service available when parking is filled up at the trailhead. We were at the east side of Pinnacles and there is the West side to explore in the future. Parking was $30. Campgrounds provided with bathrooms and showers. A general store is also onsite and well stocked. Please come and creat your own adventure. read more

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Happy Earth Day! It was National Park Week this past week and wow did people take advantage of the free admission into the parks. We got to Pinnacles National Park around 9AM and all the lots were full except the campground which you then needed to take a shuttle to the other trailheads. The last shuttle leaves at 5:30PM so that's something to note and made us reroute our hike to ensure we came back on time. The national park was just established in 2013 so the trails are still kept up quite well! We did an 11 mile loops that went through High Peaks, the caves, and some valleys! It was an intermediate to difficult hike with some railings needs and elevation but the scenery was beautiful and I loved the variety of it all! Would love to come back and make sure to come before 8AM! read more

Small national park, just two hours away from Bay Area. We arrived at Saturday early morning 8am ish. Parking lot at bear gulch trail was almost full. Easy trail except the creeks along the way which you have to step on the rocks to cross the creek. It's kind of a good balancing act or you slip into the shallow water and get your shoes wet. Having a head lamp helps when you're in the talus cave. End of the trail is the beautiful reservoir. The old pinnacle trail was abit tricky, there is lack of signs and you may lost your way. It's a long trail. The balconies cave at the end of the trail is pretty hard to get through with lot of creeks in it. read more

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Pinnacles National Park is the newest national park in the US and it is well worth a visit! We stayed in Soledad and visited the west side the first evening. We did part of the cave trail at around sunset and thought us was great. We saw so many bats flitting around and many deer and birds. Amazing boulders and views. We enjoyed the sunset in the way out and the great horned owls hooting and the common poorwill sitting in the road on the way out! Watch out for these little rocks with eyes in the road collecting heat at night. Also watch your drive in on the west side, very narrow most of the way and it can get bumpy. We visited the east side the next morning and did the Bear Gulch Trail. It was around 2 miles up through the reservoir and not very difficult (but being flashlights or headlamps for a portion of it). We also visited the nature center and visitor center/camp store. All are small but have good info and items to purchase. This NP is probably best visited in winter or spring. It gets hot quickly in the summer, but at least it is nearly empty of visitors! Their resident CA condors are more difficult to see this time of year also. read more

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Another National Park we have visited! It was beautiful with a nice short trail of 1 mile round trip! Not to much to do after a hike! Short drive inside with the auto! But enough trails to keep you busy! read more

I don't know why people have such a favorable impression of this park. This is the worst national park I have ever been to, by far, and I'm at 18 or 63. The park is poorly run, apparently there is beef between the rangers and the volunteers who run the park store, the parking situation is atrocious and there is no shuttle service to deal with the limited parking, even though this is the tiniest park. We are big into Junior Ranger badges and the only Ranger there was the one working the entry gate and she didn't want to deal with badges because then the entry traffic would back up. What a joke. read more

A beautiful park; off the beaten path so you have to really want to get here. Adding a bit more complication, there are 2 separate entrances with no road attaching the two. Come here in hopes of seeing a Condor - you are so lucky if you do! We didn't have time to do much hiking here; it was just a drive in and take pictures stop for us, but I am so glad we got to see it. As you can tell in the photos, this is a dry environment, so plan accordingly and bring more than ample water. read more

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We entered from the west and consulted with a very helpful ranger on which hikes we should do. We did a cave hike--so thrilling but totally doable. You can purchase headlamps from the ranger station. We picnicked at a covered picnic table. Then we went on a strenuous hike (again, doable even for our 10 and 13 year olds) that climbed to a peak with beautiful views. It was a lovely visit with clean facilities. If your knees are good and you can handle some cardio, you can do this! read more

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Wow! Exploring the Pinnacles was an incredible experience. We camped at the campground on the east side. Also 5 stars. We woke up early to get a parking spot in the very small usually full parking lot at Moses Spring trail. Our plan was to hike to bear gulch caves and then the reservoir. Hopefully spot and photograph a condor. Deer greeted us at the trailhead and off we went! We were alone in the wilderness most of the morning. Walking felt like meditation. Talk about peaceful! We hiked through all different landscapes. The caves were so neat. Dark and wet and amazing. We had the reservoir all to ourselves. Just sat there and pondered for a long while. It was all so magical we just kept going and going. Up and Up. Switchback after switchback. Before we knew it we had reached the high peaks trail and then the STEEP and Narrow. That it what it is called! Now I had you tubed this hike before we came. There was no way I would even want to do this but here I was. CRAZY! Go ahead look it up! My husband gently encouraged me and I put on my big girl you can do this panties and I DID It!! I cried part of the time but still. I did it! Am I still afraid of heights? Yes. Am I glad I did it? Also, yes. Will I do it again? I think so. At the end of the day we covered a little over 9 very memorable miles. Every step we took had something of beauty and wonder to offer. The entire park! We ended up seeing so many condors we stopped taking pictures of them. I absolutely recommend you visit! We bought the annual pass and are already planning to come back for the Super bloom! read more

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Absolutely stunning! Very helpful staff/rangers. Heads up though, the "moderate" hike is pretty intense. Especially if you're claustrophobic. Highly recommend bringing flashlights! Also a pro tip is getting there early, especially on weekends. It takes time to get inside to park! There are shuttle busses to get to the hiking spots. Super nice! read more

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Beautiful park. The least visited park in the US, I'm told. Be warned: the trails aren't really maintained and there isn't enough traffic to keep them nice. Perhaps because of all the Federal defunding? They are pretty treacherous. Lots of loose rock and difficult walking with few handholds and narrow conditions. While we were there, someone hurt their leg and needed to be airlifted out. Even the emergency response was slow because conditions were dangerous. Bring a flashlight AND a headlamp for the caves. They are dark and slippery and require some big, reaching steps up and down. Also---National Parks are now $$. $30 entry fee!!!!! Just FYI read more

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Really disappointing experience at the Pinnacles group sites. For $110, the bathrooms were extremely far and hard to access with no signage, there was no bench, no fire ring, and very limited water access. The sites felt unfinished and not worth the cost. Hope they make improvements, because this setup was rough for national parks standards. read more

We came to Pinnacle on purpose after seeing some pictures go viral on the internet which shows the narrow stairs right underneath the big rock ; locates in "Bear Gulch Cave". By mistakes, we started the trail in opposite side. All the way too far to reach to Bear Gulch Cave. It took us more than 5 hours from Condor Trail to High Peak Trails - Rim Trail and finally made to Bear Gulch Cave. Actually it's not a bad mistake. We glad that we did it anyway. The trails are so fun to complete. Some easy some really challenging. If you come here just to see the amazing stairs step big rock. You must stop and park at Moses Springs Parking area. From there you can follow the Moses Springs Trails to Bear Gulch Cave takes about 30 mins to one hour. Make sure you have on hand the flashlight to pass through very dark cave. The rest will be very easy and wonderful. Compare to Yosemite Park - Pinnacle itself so beautiful in different way with unique caves and a lot of trails to go through. Some maybe black and headlight /flashlights are mandatory required. There are not so many parking. Prefer to come here early to have enough time to make the long trail. Also there are many kinds of bird live here as you can see them flying everywhere very close to the trails. Especially condors, eagles and falcons. The park entrance fee for one day $30/ car or $80 / car ( annual fee for all national parks around USA) read more

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It was a great day trip from the Bay Area. Easy drive in general. Nice short and kids friendly hikes to one of the caves. It was nice and cool ac in February. Parking available, but it fills up fast by the time we left. Make sure to pack your lunch and plenty of water. No food available in the visitor center/giftshop. Nice restrooms with showers available by the giftshop. Outdoor swimming pool noted but it was closed down for construction. 4th graders get in feee with America Beautiful pass! read more

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If Castle Rock is paradise, then Pinnacles National Park is the cosmic afterparty. I don't know what tectonic drama happened here millions of years ago, but it looks like the planet sneezed out a fantasy landscape and said, "Yep, that's art." The Rocks: The pinnacles themselves? Absolute units. Towering, jagged, and dramatically photogenic -- like nature hired a personal stylist. You'll stare at them and think, "Yeah, I could totally live here and start a small wizard commune." Every rock looks like it could be a final boss arena. Geologists say it's volcanic; I say it's volcanic chic. The Caves: The talus caves are stunning. You'll walk through them with a headlamp, dodging boulders like Indiana Jones on a yoga retreat. Sometimes you'll see bats hanging out like goth teenagers avoiding sunlight. Rumor has it one of them speaks fluent Spanish and gives relationship advice. The Trails: Every trail here feels like a test from Mother Nature to see if you're worthy of enlightenment. I took the High Peaks Trail and found enlightenment halfway up -- it told me to invest in better socks. The views from the top? So unreal I thought I accidentally wandered into a Windows desktop background from another dimension. The Condors: The California Condors here are majestic, ancient, and probably plotting something. Wingspans wider than your student debt. One glided past me, locked eyes, and I'm pretty sure we shared a telepathic conversation about snack distribution. Fun fact: condors can spot fear, but they respect confidence and granola. The Lore: Some hikers say there's a hidden portal behind Bear Gulch Cave that leads straight to 1997. Local legend insists a fire wizard lives atop the pinnacles, keeping the rocks spicy and the sunsets dramatic. The park's chipmunks once overthrew a squirrel monarchy (unverified but inspiring). Final Verdict: Pinnacles isn't just a park -- it's a mood. It's where geology meets mythology and nature flexes its abs. You'll sweat, you'll ascend, you'll question reality, and by the end, you'll want to build a summer home in a crater. read more

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Sept 16th 2024 review Beautiful park and hike up to the reservoir Campgrounds clean and safe + kid friendly ! Restrooms are routinely serviced - we were at campsite 45B read more

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Went camping here over the weekend. It is a really nice place, the shower provides shampoo, liquid soap and conditioner. Wildlife are active specially the raccoons, they are not really scared of people, if you don't shoo them away... they will be in front of you grabbing your food. We would be chatting and get jumpscare because a raccoon is trying to get close to us. We saw a lot of bluejay, quails, deers and wild rabbits. Hiked the Bear Gulch Cave and Reservoir and it was really beautiful. I can say my pictures did not do justice. If not for the abundant presence of the raccoons, I would have given it 5 stars. read more

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Can't believe I've waited so long to visit this park. Less than 2 hours from Mountain View area to the east entrance. We only spent a few hours hiking the tunnel trail to the reservoir. Lot of fun, moderately challenging, family friendly and views to die for. I will definitely go back to do some of the more challenging ridge trails. Bring water, flashlight, sunscreen, decent shoes, and binoculars to help spot condors (we didn't see any). It can get hot, so dress accordingly. read more

Extremely underrated National park! It's fun and rewarding! Take a lot of water and start at the east entrance, where you'd go from Hollister and not Soledad! It's not an easy hike but a fun moderately difficult climb. If you take it slow and steady it's fine but just be forewarned if you are afraid of heights, be prepared. The caves are well maintained and you'll want a flashlight or a headlamp. They have bathrooms scattered through the park. The parking is the worst part, if you come early before 9am you will be golden. Just know it's very limited parking spots. Have snacks and plenty of water! It's $30 bucks per car. Look for the condors and the woodpeckers! read more

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Good national park, not a lot of shade Bring water Check NPS to see which caves are open before you come read more

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We came here for a day trip on a Saturday in March since we live in San Jose and it was only about a 1.5 hour drive for us. We purchased a $30 parking pass online (or you can also pay upon entry when you get there). Pinnacles became a national park in 2013 so it's a more-recent national park that is less crowded than Yosemite or other popular national parks. I recommend coming in the morning if you're coming on a weekend to avoid a possible wait which can happen if you're coming towards noon/afternoon (the park can hit capacity and they form a car line outside of the park for one car out, one car in). We came around 1pm and had to wait for about an hour to get into the park, but we're really glad we waited it out because the park was well worth it. We did the Moses spring rim trail and it exceeded my expectations. It was a moderate ~2 mile hike where you get access to the Bear Gulch caves which was one of the most amazing caves I've experienced. There was a running waterfall in the cave since we've gotten quite a bit of rain in 2024, but I've heard in previous years it's been dry. Bring a flashlight for the caves (we forgot our flashlights and had to use our phone flashlight which wasn't ideal. Smart and prepared people had lights strapped to their heads and waterproof hiking shoes) After the Bear Gulch Cave, I thought it couldn't get better but later in the path we also came across the Bear Gulch Reservoir up close. It looked like a beautiful dreamy lake in the forest. This hike was extremely rewarding in terms of scenery and adventure. Although we didn't camp, there is a campground that can be reserved for tents online. There were a lot of campers that were there for the weekend and from someone we talked to, they were really enjoying the longer, more adventurous hikes as well. I absolutely hope to return again soon for another hike route or even would love to do the Moses spring rim trail again because of how beautiful it was. I highly recommend this national park if you're looking for a less crowded alternative to Yosemite. Keep in mind that pinnacles is not as staffed or built out on amenities as Yosemite, but it's great if you're looking for beautiful hikes and less crowds. read more

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