Pinnacles National Park

Pinnacles sits in the Gabilan Mountains east of the Salinas Valley, about 90 miles south of Palo Alto. Its spires and crags are the eroded remains of an ancient volcano that formed far to the south. The San Andreas Fault has since carried this rock northwest by roughly 195 miles. Over time, boulders wedged into narrow canyons and formed talus caves, dark passages under fallen rock that you can walk through with a flashlight.

Theodore Roosevelt made Pinnacles a national monument in 1908 and it became a national park in 2013. It is one of the smaller and less famous parks in the system, which is part of its charm. It is also a release site for California condors, so this is one of the few places where you have a real chance of seeing North America's largest land bird. This guide covers the east and west entrances, fees, the caves and their bat closures, where to look for condors and how to pick the right season. It draws on the National Park Service's own pages as updated in October 2026.

East or west: the big decision

The single most important fact about Pinnacles is that the NPS directions page spells out in bold: there is no road connecting the east and west entrances. The shortest drive between them goes through King City on Highway 101. Search engines and GPS units sometimes send people to the wrong side, so the park publishes coordinates for each entrance.

From Palo Alto most people choose the east side. The drive down Highway 25 through the ranch country south of Hollister is pretty and the east side has more trails and services. The west side road is narrow and becomes a single lane in places, so drive it slowly. Either way, leave early and fill up in Gilroy or Hollister. Our Gilroy and San Juan Bautista guide covers stops along the way.

Fees, hours and crowds

A park entrance pass is required year round. The NPS fees page lists:

• Private vehicle: $30, valid 1 to 7 days at both entrances for up to 15 passengers.
• Motorcycle: $25, valid 7 days.
• Walk-in or bike: $15 per person 16 and older. Under 16 free.
• Pinnacles annual pass: $55, US citizens and residents.
• America the Beautiful annual pass: $80 for US residents, $250 for nonresidents.

The entrance stations take cards and mobile payment only, not cash. If a station is unstaffed, you can pay on the way out or online.

Crowds are the other thing to plan around. The park warns of extremely high visitation on weekends, holidays and good-weather days, especially in spring, with long lines and delays between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. For the High Peaks, Condor Gulch, Balconies or Moses Spring trails it recommends arriving before 8 a.m., since parking can fill even earlier. Roadside parking is not allowed. On the east side, a seasonal shuttle runs from the campground to Bear Gulch on Friday to Sunday in late winter and spring. It had finished for 2026 when we checked.

The talus caves and their bat closures

Pinnacles has two cave systems, both formed by boulders jammed into narrow gorges. You need a flashlight or headlamp, shoes with grip and a willingness to duck, squeeze and wade a little after rain. Phone lights are a poor substitute.

Bear Gulch Cave

Bear Gulch Cave on the east side shelters a colony of Townsend's big-eared bats. The NPS calls it the largest maternity colony of the species between San Francisco and Mexico. To protect them, the cave is split by a gate into lower and upper sections that open on different schedules. According to the cave status page:

When we checked in late October 2026, the page listed the lower cave, the upper cave and the Balconies Cave as open. The upper section usually closes again from November, while the lower section often stays open through winter. The classic walk is a loop of roughly 2 miles from the Bear Gulch Day Use Area up the Moses Spring Trail, through the cave and up to Bear Gulch Reservoir, a small green lake ringed by rock.

Balconies Cave

Balconies Cave is easiest to reach from the west entrance on a fairly level walk past the towering Balconies Cliffs. It is darker and rougher than Bear Gulch and can flood during and after storms. Both caves can also close at short notice for rockfalls, vandalism or high water, so check the status page or call the park at 831-389-4486 before you go.

Seeing California condors

The California condor is critically endangered and has a wingspan of more than nine feet. Since 2003 Pinnacles has been a release and management site in the recovery program and the park co-manages all wild condors in central California with the Ventana Wildlife Society. The NPS has a condor page with profiles of individual birds and tips on telling them apart from turkey vultures.

• Where: the High Peaks are the best bet. Condors roost and soar around the spires, often in the morning and late afternoon.
• How to tell: condors are much larger than turkey vultures, fly with steady flat wings and show white triangles under the front of the wings. Many carry numbered wing tags.
• What to bring: binoculars. Report sightings to the park's condor program.

Prairie falcons and golden eagles also nest on the cliffs. From January to July the park posts climbing advisories and closures around raptor nests. Our birdwatching guide covers spots closer to home.

The best hikes for a day trip

1. Moses Spring and Bear Gulch Cave (east, about 2 miles): the best short walk, with the cave, the reservoir and plenty of scrambling for kids.
2. Condor Gulch to the High Peaks (east, about 5 to 6 miles round trip as a loop): a steep climb to the spires. The Steep and Narrow section uses carved steps and metal handrails along the rock. This is the top condor route.
3. Balconies Cliffs and Cave (west, about 2.5 miles): a gentle trail to the cliffs and the cave, with the option to return on the Balconies Cliffs Trail.
4. High Peaks from the west (west, about 4 to 5 miles): climbs quickly from the Chaparral area into the spires.

Trails are steep, rocky and often shadeless. The NPS says dehydration is one of the most common reasons staff and volunteers respond to hikers, so carry plenty of water in any season. Distances are approximate; pick up a map at the visitor center. Dogs are not allowed on park trails.

The best season

Pinnacles is inland and much hotter in summer than Palo Alto. The NPS weather page says July and August days often top 100°F, while winter nights can drop into the low 20s. Most rain falls from January through March and February is the wettest month. Our Palo Alto weather guide explains why the inland valleys heat up so much more than the Peninsula.

• Spring: the peak season. Green hills and wildflowers in March and April, but very crowded on weekends.
• Fall: pleasant temperatures and fewer people. October can bring the full Bear Gulch Cave opening.
• Winter: cool, quiet and green after rain. Check for flooding on the Balconies trail.
• Summer: hike at dawn or skip it. Afternoons are brutal.

Frequently asked questions