Pinnacles National Park's spires and rock formations beg you to hike and climb them. Come seek out the California condor in the High Peaks, and explore the rare chaparral vegetation and carpets of wildflowers.

Talus Caves

Visitors can explore two systems of talus caves (Bear Gulch Cave and Balconies Cave), which are formed by massive boulders wedged in ravines and widened by water and erosion. Rocks the size of houses will hang steadily over your head as you make your way through a cool, dark environment that provides a home for Townsend big-eared bats and red-legged frogs, among others.

California Condors at Pinnacles

Pinnacles is one of four sites where captive-bred condors are released to live in the wild, and many of these birds live out their lives flying between Pinnacles and the Big Sur coast. California condor numbers are now on the rise after reaching a low of only 22 birds in the early 1980's. Thirty years of captive breeding, careful monitoring, and exhaustive preservation efforts have brought that number up to over 400 birds, over 200 of which fly free in California, Arizona, and Utah. Visitors may be able to spot two or three soaring over the peaks in search of a carrion lunch!

Hiking in Pinnacles National Park

Pinnacles has 32 miles of trails which are decorated during the spring months with California poppies, bush lupine, mariposa lilies and a variety of other wildflowers. These flowers are pollinated by the park's 400 species of bees, a higher density of species per area than any other known place in the world!

For More Information:
Pinnacles National Park Service
www.nps.gov/pinn