The first 2,500 acres of the rugged Pinnacles were made a national monument in 1908 by President Theodore Roosevelt. Since 1908, the monument significantly increased in size to 26,000 acres and in 2013 President Barack Obama designated the expansive terrain as a national park.
Pinnacles National Park was once a spring and fall home to the Chalone and Mutsun tribes. The national park is now 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.
Pinnacles Park Camping
Pinnacles Campground offers tent, group and RV sites with access only from the east gate. RV sites have electrical hookups. Many sites are shaded and all sites have picnic tables and a fire ring. There are also communal barbecue pits and showers nearby. A campground store, located in the visitors center, is open from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. 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 Rock Climbing
Seeking a rendezvous between a rock and a hard place? Check out some of the courses at Pinnacles National Park, a top locale for rock climbing on 23 million-year-old formations. Home to the California condor release program and a crazy collection of crimson conical spires, the Pinnacles' multitude of options is suited to both beginner and advanced climbers. Key areas are rigged with permanent anchors allowing for safe instruction and ascension.
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.