Pinnacles National Monument
Pinnacles National Monument
Whether you want to count yellow poppies, condors or shooting stars, Pinnacles National Monument will reward you with new pleasures on every visit. Activities include hiking, rock climbing, studying wildlife, viewing wildflowers and experiencing nature.
At A Glance
In The Park
Superintendent: Eric BrunnemannPhone Number: 831-389-4485
Entrance Fees: Vehicle (single visit entry): $5; Individual: $3 (pedestrians & bicycles)
Sights: Bear Gulch Resevoir; High Peaks; Gabilan Mountains; Bear Gulch Cave; Balconies Cave; Machete Ridge; Teapot Dome
Important Dates
Established as Park: January 16, 1908By The Numbers
Acres: 24,265.00Highest Point: North Chalone Peak (3304 feet)
Annual Visitation: 158,824 (2006)
Location
Latitude / Longitude :36.477970 / -121.182000 (map it)
State: CA
Nearby Big City: Paicines, CA
Gateway Communities: Paicines, CA; Tres Pinos, CA; King City, CA; Hollister, CA; San Lucas, CA
Nearby Airports: San Francisco International Airport (SFO); Metropolitan Oakland International Airport (OAK); Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT); Reid-Hillview Airport of Santa Clara County (RHV)
Green Features
Has Recycling? : YesHas Shuttle System? : Yes
Has Volunteer Program? : Yes
Park Photos
Pinnacles with Fall Col...
Mike Brake
Pinnacles Path
Mike Brake
Pinnacles and Blue Sky
Mike Brake
View More Pinnacles Photos
In Detail
Activities & Programs Night Programs Night Programs are offered occasionally on Fridays or Saturdays in spring, summer, and fall. These programs include full moon and dark sky hikes, bat viewings, and astronomy progra ... read more.
Animals Although Pinnacles National Monument is not home to such charismatic megafauna as bison, bears, or blue whales, it supports healthy populations of many kinds of smaller animals such as bobcats, bats ... read more.
Camping Pinnacles Campground is located near the east entrance of the park and offers tent, group, and RV sites. Each tent and group site has a picnic table and fire ring. RV sites have electrical hookups a ... read more.
Centennial Celebration Pinnacles National Monument will be celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2008. Throughout the year, centennial events will highlight the legacy of local initiative and support that was instrumental i ... read more.
Geology The faults within the Pinnacles National Monument mark distinct boundaries in geology. The Pinnacles Fault juxtaposes granitic basement rock west of the fault and the Pinnacles Volcanic Formation e ... read more.
History Native Americans Anthropologists believe Pinnacles was intermittently occupied by small groups of Native Americans. Evidence in the form of arrowheads and acorn grinding stones have been discovered ... read more.
Just For Kids Park Fun Junior Ranger Program Pick up a free Junior Ranger booklet at the Bear Gulch Nature Center, Pinnacles Visitor Center, or Chaparral Ranger Station, and complete activities in the booklet to e ... read more.
Natural World The rolling chaparral and dramatic rock faces of Pinnacles National Monument inspire loyalty in visitors, from picnickers to rock-climbers, and from stargazers to cave explorers. Pinnacles is visua ... read more.
Park Regulations & Safety Safety Hiking, caving and climbing can be a lot of fun at Pinnacles; however, you are a long way from medical assistance, so please plan ahead. Wear sturdy shoes; carry water and a flashlight. Rememb ... read more.
Planning Your Visit Operating Hours & Seasons Unlike many national parks, Pinnacles National Monument is most popular in the spring and fall. During the spring, high temperatures are usually in the 60s and 70s, though n ... read more.
Plants Vegetation at Pinnacles National Monument may be broadly grouped into five major habitat types or vegetation associations, described below. These associations result from a web of interactions among ... read more.
Things To Do Hiking Trails There are over 30 miles of hiking trails at Pinnacles National Monument, ranging from easy, flat walks to more challenging, all-day hikes. Please remember to carry and drink plenty of ... read more.
Walking & Hiking Trails Pinnacles National Monument has more than 30 miles of trails, ranging from easy to strenuous. Many trails intersect, and you can plan a short loop or a longer all-day trip. Popular destination ... read more.
Who's Who at the Park Park Partners By supporting park partners, you also help to support Pinnacles National Monument. Pinnacles Partnership www.pinnaclespartnership.org email Pinnacles Partnership (831)389-4485 ext 239 5 ... read more.
Pinnacles In Depth
News from the Parks
12-year-old Seeks to Accomplish Lofty Parks Goal by the Age of 14
October 14, 2008 - 9:47am
More than 100,000 miles, two motorcars, 48 states and 270 national parks later, 12-year-old Chandler Johnson still hasn’t met her goal — a goal to visit every National Park by the time she is 14. “I enjoy going to the parks because I learn about the historical, cultural and environmental relevance they each have,” said Chandler. There are currently 391 National Park areas designated by the National Park Service. For the last six and a half years, Chandler has traveled around the country with her parents, Carmen and Jay Johnson, and participated in the Junior Ranger program.
October 14, 2008 - 9:47am
More than 100,000 miles, two motorcars, 48 states and 270 national parks later, 12-year-old Chandler Johnson still hasn’t met her goal — a goal to visit every National Park by the time she is 14. “I enjoy going to the parks because I learn about the historical, cultural and environmental relevance they each have,” said Chandler. There are currently 391 National Park areas designated by the National Park Service. For the last six and a half years, Chandler has traveled around the country with her parents, Carmen and Jay Johnson, and participated in the Junior Ranger program.
Climate warms, creatures head for the hills
October 14, 2008 - 9:44am
From California to Costa Rica, rising temperatures could be driving species to higher elevations Chipmunks, mice and other small mammals pretty much moved up in the world as Yosemite National Park’s climate warmed during the last century. As temperatures rose, these species tended to edge upward to higher and cooler ground, says Craig Moritz, director of the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology in Berkeley, Calif. The possibility that climate change is pushing around sensitive species has been worrying biologists, so Moritz and his colleagues found a way to test the idea over an unusually long time. They resurrected the museum’s trove of field notes and revisted sites of a mammal survey that started in 1914.
October 14, 2008 - 9:44am
From California to Costa Rica, rising temperatures could be driving species to higher elevations Chipmunks, mice and other small mammals pretty much moved up in the world as Yosemite National Park’s climate warmed during the last century. As temperatures rose, these species tended to edge upward to higher and cooler ground, says Craig Moritz, director of the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology in Berkeley, Calif. The possibility that climate change is pushing around sensitive species has been worrying biologists, so Moritz and his colleagues found a way to test the idea over an unusually long time. They resurrected the museum’s trove of field notes and revisted sites of a mammal survey that started in 1914.
Lassen Peak: a living laboratory of volcanic activity
October 13, 2008 - 3:54pm
The southernmost mountain in the Cascades was established as a national park in 1916. Today, Lassen is one of the best-kept secrets in the federal system. Its 10,457-foot namesake mountain dominates the western section of the park, while to the east, cinder cones rise above a lava plateau and small lakes dot the pine forests.
October 13, 2008 - 3:54pm
The southernmost mountain in the Cascades was established as a national park in 1916. Today, Lassen is one of the best-kept secrets in the federal system. Its 10,457-foot namesake mountain dominates the western section of the park, while to the east, cinder cones rise above a lava plateau and small lakes dot the pine forests.
Local Tourism Will Get Boost from Historic Site
October 9, 2008 - 3:47pm
The Auburn-Opelika area is expected to get a boost in tourism from the opening of a completely redesigned Tuskegee Airman National Historic Site, operated by the National Park Service just down I-85 from Auburn in the nearby city of Tuskegee.
October 9, 2008 - 3:47pm
The Auburn-Opelika area is expected to get a boost in tourism from the opening of a completely redesigned Tuskegee Airman National Historic Site, operated by the National Park Service just down I-85 from Auburn in the nearby city of Tuskegee.
Visitors Flock to Sandburg Home for Poetry, Goats and Hiking Trails
October 9, 2008 - 3:37pm
When the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site was established 40 years ago, the mission was to preserve legacy and literary works of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Carl Sandburg. His modest home was kept intact with all the furnishings, magazines and newspapers in place when Sandburg died in 1967. National Park Service staff designed interpretive tours of the home, and public programs were given at the dairy goat farm that Sandburg's wife, Lilian, operated.
October 9, 2008 - 3:37pm
When the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site was established 40 years ago, the mission was to preserve legacy and literary works of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Carl Sandburg. His modest home was kept intact with all the furnishings, magazines and newspapers in place when Sandburg died in 1967. National Park Service staff designed interpretive tours of the home, and public programs were given at the dairy goat farm that Sandburg's wife, Lilian, operated.
