Pinnacles National Park

I loved Pinnacles National Park. It is a beautiful and very diverse ecosystem that is unmatched in California. **If you drive into the park and don't hike the trails, you will probably be disappointed!** In order to see most of the park, you need to hike the trails. There are caves, lakes, tunnels, rock climbing, and trails that go up to the high peaks, which give you the most spectacular views of the park. Get there early on weekends because it fills up fast! February is my favorite month to visit. Summer months are too hot! Enjoy!

This national Park is only 3 hours away from Santa Rosa area and it has some pretty cool caves. The trail/hike is not hard at all. There is some stairs going up the cave but it's still not hard. My six year old daughter was able to do it. You will need a flashlight because it gets a little dark in there. Oh the campground is easy to find and is right next to the visitor center and store.

Incredible !! Very busy park on Mother’s Day!! Go early. Lots of campers but once on the trails less and less people around. Beautiful caves with railings and stairs so they are easy to navigate!!

Great little national park that's only hours from SF Bay area. I am a weekend hiker, and I can get most of main points of interest covered with fast trekking in about ten hours given a good day light time. There's four must go places, balconies caves (hard, need light, have to scramble), high peak tunnel (moderate), bear gulch reservoir and caves (easy, need headlamp for the caves but no scramble at all due to long and connected stairs). Recommend to go to the reservoir earlier in the morning to capture the mirror like shadow images.

I think it’s an underrated np. From driving by, it’s hard to tell how fun the trails are and how many birds you will be able to see. Yes, they don’t have visitor center, restaurant or ranger programs in the park on the east side, but for 1 day or 2, you will get to explore the caves (balconies cave is darker and much narrower, headlamp is highly recommended), spot condors or other birds, admire the rock formations (during sunset or sunrise are particularly mesmerizing), etc. we enjoyed our visit and will recommend it to others.

What a wonderful national park! Nice trails with great views and caves here and there. You can enter from the East or West side, but cannot drive across the park. The lots are well maintained, most of them with toilets and a few have water fountains. Make sure you have good hiking shoes and watch your step. If you are not a regular hiker and your balance is not the best a hiking pole would not be a bad idea. There are shaded areas, but you'll definitely spend a lot of time exposed to the sun- have protective clothing, sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat and 3-4 liters of water. Some caves are very dark, it's recommended to have a flashlight - I used my phone. The park has some picnic areas, but I wouldn't do it (especially in the summer) due to the high risk of wildfires. There are several days throughout the year when entrance is free (like today 9/28/24 and the next one is 10/14/2024). The NP has a campsite with an inground pool that was still open today. All the staff members that I encountered were very friendly. They said that rattle snakes are the only dangerous species in the park, but they don't bother you if you don't bother them. Pets are not allowed.

Visited in early October 2024 Wish we had time to explore this national park longer - arrived a bit too late and need to trek back to our lodging some 100+ km away. Perhaps next time we need to time the arrival better so we can enjoy the trek more optimally. If one happens to be there in midday, be sure to bring sunscreen and sunglasses - the sunlight exposure here is no joke. Lots of water stations throughout, particularly at parking lots or visitor centers though. Supposedly an entry fee is required but during our visit the booth was somehow unmanned. No ticket machine of any sort or even staffs/park ranger nearby.

This national park was really pretty! I visited both the east and west entrances on different days. The west entrance allows for easier accessibility to the caves, via the balconies cave trail. Note a flashlight is required to navigate. While the east grants access to bear Gulch and other beautiful hikes such as the condor Gulch trail overlook. It is advised to check openings for bear Gulch and balconies cave before arriving as these are sometimes seasonally closed or closed due to weather/flooding. The east entrance is better suited for large/rv style vehicles because the west entrance eventually turns into a several mile, windy single lane road. Once past the gates/checkpoint, it opens up to a 2 lane road throughout the park. Also note, though the east entrance has a small information center, they do not sell merchandise such as shirts, mugs, or magnets. To my knowledge, these are only available at the visitors center in the WEST entrance. It is also important to note that the east and west entrances are not connected via a road. You can hike from east to west or visa versa. However, you can not do the same while driving.