Pinnacles National Park, CA, a story of faults, volcanoes and eons of erosion!

Jutting up from the Gabilan Mountains south of Hollister, CA, are the spectacular remains of an ancient volcano – a volcano located 150 miles south, near Los Angeles! Pinnacles National Park lies on the San Andreas Fault, and is moving a few inches north each year, distancing itself from its mother volcano!

 

From top down, our campsite at Pinnacles Campground among ancient Oak trees; rocky canyon wall off the moderate Rim Trail; Bear Gulch Reservoir just above cave of same name; my spouse Susan at entrance to small cave in route to Bear Gulch Cave; and the stunning Machete Ridge, deeper into the High Peaks area.

It’s a landscape that features the effects of heat, water and wind constantly wearing away at an alien landscape, leaving rugged spines, deep canyons, eerie talus caves, verdant foliage, rushing streams and robust wildlife, from dear, wild turkeys and hogs, to the majestic California Condor with wingspans up to seven feet.

On a recent visit, we found light crowds and a very dry park scene (no campfires allowed in the one large campground, no smoking anywhere), but a lively and stunningly scenic place overall! We entered from CA Hwy 25, through the East Entrance, just 35 miles south of a very pleasant Hollister, CA (with a number of comfy motels, closest to the park). The park also has a West Entrance, from Hwy 146 out of Soledad, but no major visitor conveniences on this side (no road crosses this out-of-the-way national park).

We made our home for three days in the Pinnacles Campground, the parks only, but very nice, campground. Complete with store, visitor center, swimming pool (in season) and showers, if offers a wealth of trailer and tent sites, many with full electric hookups. And, a shuttle bus runs regularly, to take you to the two park main trailheads, about three miles away.

You cannot really get the flavor of Pinnacles without some hiking, so bring comfortable walking shoes and a water bottle. From the Bear Gulch Trailhead, a moderately strenuous one-mile hike takes you to the spooky Bear Gulch Cave (bring headlamps or flashlights) and Bear Gulch Reservoir; one can return on the Rim Trail for a change of scenery.  From this trailhead or from the Old Pinnacles Trailhead, one can venture further into the High Peaks area, for ventures to Balconies Cave and views of Machete Ridge and the Balconies Cliffs. This oddly sculpted landscape will leave you struggling for words to describe it!

This was our first trip; it made us hungry to return in the late spring and explore more of this stunning California wilderness. For more info on Pinnacles National Park, go to: www.nps.gov/pinn. And, plan a side trip to Mission San Antonio and to Big Sur (just south and west), while in this part of wild California! For other inspirational destinations in CA, see my blog http://LittlePlacesIKnow.blogspot.com!