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Pinnacles National Park

The first 2500 acres of the rugged Pinnacles were made a national monument in 1908 by President Theodore Roosevelt. In 2013 President Barack Obama designated the, now 26,000 acres, Pinnacles National Monument as Pinnacles National Park. 

Pinnacles National Park was once a spring and fall home to the Chalone and Mutsun tribes. It now encompasses 26,000 acres, and is a popular spot for outdoor activities ranging from hiking to birdwatching to stargazing to rock climbing. It is also a perfect outdoor classroom for lessons in geology, botany and biology.

Diverse Wildlife

The unique topography and geographic diversity of Pinnacles National Park leads to an equally diverse range of flora and fauna. For example, Pinnacles National Park has 149 bird species, 69 butterfly species, and 400 bee species inhabiting its boundaries, the most bee diversity of anywhere on earth. 14 of California's 24 bat species make their home at Pinnacles National Park. It is home to the California condor, the big-eared kangaroo rat, the Gabilan slender salamander, the Pinnacles shield-back katydid, and the Pinnacles riffle beetle.

Birding

Avian life at Pinnacles National Park is astoundingly diverse, affording the avid birder a chance to see species they are unlikely to spot elsewhere. Raptors, owls, wrens, warblers, jays, woodpeckers and many other species reside at Pinnacles National Monument. Download the Pinnacles National Park bird checklist to learn all the bird species known to occur in the park.

Pinnacles Park Camping

Pinnacles Campground offers tent, group and RV sites. RV sites have electrical hookups. Many sites are shaded. All sites have picnic tables and a fire ring. There are also communal barbecue pits. Showers and a dump station are nearby. A campground store, located in the visitors center, is open from 3 to 6pm. During spring and summer seasons, campers can enjoy the campground swimming pool and ranger programs at the campground amphitheater. See the Pinnacles National Park website to make reservations for Pinnacles Campground.

Pinnacles National Park Hiking

Pinnacles National Park has over 30 miles of trails, enough for an all-day trip for the avid hiker. Trails at Pinnacles Park range from easy enough for small children to quite strenuous. The Pinnacles National Park website has detailed trail information as well as large, thorough downloadable maps. See our Top Day Hikes in Monterey County page for a detailed description of one easy day hike at Pinnacles Park.

Pinnacles National Park Maps and Directions

For interior Pinnacles National Park maps, please refer to the National Park Service website, which offers detailed downloadable maps of the park.

The east and west entrances of Pinnacles National Park are not connected by a through road. To get from one to the other, you must go through King City on Highway 101. Please refer to the Pinnacles National Park website for detailed directions to the east and west entrances of Pinnacles National Park.

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