Pinnacles National Park

Introduction

Pinnacles National Park is a U.S. National Park protecting a mountainous area located east of the Salinas Valley in Central California, 8 kilometres east of Soledad and 130 kilometres southeast of San Jose. The park's namesakes are the eroded leftovers of the western half of an extinct volcano that has moved 320 kilometres from its original location on the San Andreas Fault, embedded in a portion of the California Pacific Coast Ranges. Pinnacles is managed by the National Park Service and the majority of the park is protected as wilderness.

The national park is divided by the rock formations into East and West Divisions, connected by foot trails; there is no through road that connects the east and west entrances to the park. The east side has shade and water, the west has high walls. The rock formations provide for spectacular pinnacles that attract rock climbers. The park features unusual talus caves that house at least thirteen species of bat. Pinnacles is most often visited in spring or fall because of the intense heat during the summer months. Park lands are prime habitat for prairie falcons, and are a release site for California condors that have been hatched in captivity.

Pinnacles National Monument was established in 1908 by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. Pinnacles National Park was created from the former Pinnacles National Monument by legislation passed by Congress in late 2012 and signed into law by President Barack Obama on January 10, 2013.

Geography

Pinnacles National Park lies about 65 kilometres inland from the Pacific Ocean and about 130 kilometres south of the San Francisco Bay Area. The park is in the southern portion of the Gabilan Range, part of California's Coast Ranges. Elevation within the boundaries range from 251 metres to 1,007 metres at the peak of North Chalone Peak.

The park lies within the California interior chaparral and woodlands ecoregion. The vegetation is about 80% chaparral with woodlands, riparian and grasslands merged into the chaparral. The diversity of intersecting ecosystems and altitude has led to great number of animal species that call the park home.

Weather

Winters have moderate rainfall, mild highs and cold lows, summers are extremely dry and have very hot days and very cool nights. The Santa Lucia Mountains lie between the park and Pacific Ocean, blocking the ocean’s moderating influence on diurnal temperature swings. In comparison to the nearby coast, temperatures have a much larger daily range that averages 17 to 28 °C depending on season. The average rainfall is about 430 mm per year. Snow can fall in small amounts at higher elevations between mid-December and January.

Opening Hours

The East entrance of Pinnacles National Park is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Cost

• Private, Non-Commercial Vehicles (including motorcycles) - $15.00 / vehicle - Valid for 7 days
• Individual, Hike / Bicycle - 10.00 / person - Valid for 7 days

Getting There and Around

When driving to Pinnacles National Park, please keep in mind that there is no road that connects the east and west entrances of the park. The shortest route from the east entrance to the west entrance (or from west to east) is through the town of King City on Hwy 101.

• From the San Francisco Bay Area to the East Entrance - Take Hwy 101 south through the city of Gilroy to Hwy 25 south. On Hwy 25. Go through the town of Hollister and continue about 30 miles to Hwy 146. Turn right on Hwy 146. Turn left into the Pinnacles Campground to check in at the Pinnacles Visitor Center. From the campground, the Bear Gulch Area is 3.5 miles further into the park along Hwy 146.
• From the San Francisco Bay Area to the West Entrance - Take Hwy 101 South to the town of Soledad. Take Hwy 146 East. Be aware that the highway turns into a one lane road, drive with caution. Follow Hwy 146 for 14 miles into Pinnacles National Park.

Eat/Drink

Sleep

Pinnacles National Park has a designated campground. Pinnacles Campground is accessed only from the east side of the Park as there are no connecting roads between the two entrances of Pinnacles. The campground offers tent and group camping, along with RV sites. Each tent and group site has a picnic table and fire ring. Most RV sites have electrical hookups and share community tables and barbecue pits.

External Links

• Official Website