CuteCamper
Pinnacles National Park
Some 23 million years ago multiple volcanoes erupted, flowed, and slid to form what would become Pinnacles National Park. What remains is a unique landscape. Travelers journey through chaparral, oak woodlands, and canyon bottoms. Hikers enter rare talus caves and emerge to towering rock spires teeming with life: prairie and peregrine falcons, golden eagles, and the inspiring California condor.
RecAreaDirections
Pinnacles National Park is accessible through highway 101 for the West entrance, and highway 25 for the East entrance. From highway 101 you must pass through the City of Soledad to find highway 146 which will lead to West side of Pinnacles. To enter East Pinnacles you must find highway 25 through the City of Hollister coming from the North, and King City through Bitter Water Road (G-13) when coming from the South. NOTE: There is no through road between the east and west entrance.
Open with Google MapMisc
| Stay Limit | |
| Reservable | false |
| Keywords | |
| Map Link | |
| Contact Phone | |
| Contact Email |
Permits info
Facilities
West Pinnacles Visitor Contact Station Visitor Center
Get your park souvenirs and plan your visit all in one place! Please note that this visitor center may be closed seasonally due to low staff.
Bear Gulch Nature Center Visitor Center
Hey ranger, what plant is this? Hey ranger, what do condors look like? Ask questions, get information and view our park film inside the Bear Gulch Nature Center.
PINNACLES CAMPGROUND Campground
List of CampsitesOverview
Pinnacles Campground is located in the unique Pinnacles National Park, 32 miles south of Hollister, California.The park encompasses 26,000 acres of spectacular rock formations and remnants of an extinct 23 million-year old volcano.
Hiking and rock climbing are very popular activities in Pinnacles, as is watching for the majestic California condor overhead. Pinnacles National Park is a nesting place for the endangered soaring bird, the largest in North America.
Recreation
Pinnacles National Park has more than 30 miles of trails, ranging from easy to strenuous. Many trails intersect, allowing for a short loop or a longer all-day hike. Popular destinations include Bear Gulch Reservoir, High Peaks and the Balconies area. The Bench Trail provides direct access to the park from the campground.Visitors enjoy exploring Balconies Cave and Bear Gulch Cave, which houses a large colony of Townsend's big-eared bats. Bring a flashlight!
Rock climbers flock to Pinnacles for the variety of climbing routes that range from easy top-ropes to the multi-pitch climbs along Machete Ridge.
Facilities
Pinnacles Campground is located on the eastern side of the park and is open year-round. It offers family and group tent sites, as well as RV sites with electric hookups. Roads and parking spurs are gravel. Flush toilets and drinking water are provided. Showers are available for a fee. A general store with basic foods and camping supplies is located on-site. A swimming pool is located within the campground and is open from April through September.Natural Features
The campground is situated in a rolling landscape dotted with shady Valley Oak, Blue Oak and Coast Live Oak trees. A gentle, seasonal creek runs through the grounds.Springtime finds Pinnacles bursting with a wide variety of vivid wildflowers that line every trail and fill entire meadows with color.
Deer and wild turkeys roam the area, and condors can be viewed from within the campground. The park ranges in elevation from 824 feet along South Chalone Creek to 3,304 feet atop North Chalone Peak.
Pinnacles Park Store Facility
Ask questions, get your passport stamped and buy the official park souvenirs, all at the park store! Located in the Pinnacles campground, the store is open Thursday though Monday, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, including holidays.
