Pinnacles National Park
Pinnacles National Park is a landscape of dramatic rock formations, rare talus caves, and where endangered species like the California Condor soar high above this Central California destination.
Pinnacles National Park, located in Central California, is one of the smallest and least visited national parks. Added in 2003, Pinnacles is also one of newest members of the national park system, although it has long been protected as a national monument having gained this status in 1908 by president Theodore Roosevelt.
This national park is noted for its dramatic rock formations that tower above a landscape filled with oak trees, and also for its rare talus caves which were formed during the last ice age. Talus Caves are a type of cave formed by boulders and large rocks that fall into canyons and narrow chasms to create underground spaces. There are two talus caves at Pinnacles National Park, and visitors can hike through both of them.
Here are some articles to help you plan your trip to Pinnacles National Park.
Best Things To Do In Pinnacles National Park
Like most national parks, hiking, climbing, and camping are the most popular activities at Pinnacles National Park. But Pinnacles has something other national parks don’t have which is what draws most visitors here. Talus Caves! This park offers not one, but two cave hikes, as well as other unique hikes that involve climbing and scrambling up boulders.
Learn about all of the best things to do in Pinnacles National Park here.
Where To Stay In Pinnacles National Park
Unfortunately there are no hotel style accommodations inside Pinnacles National Park. However, if you do want to stay inside the park, there is one large campground with 138 sites that can accommodate both tents and RVs.
Amenities at the campground include picnic tables, firepits, BBQs, electrical hookups, wifi, coin operated showers, and a dump station. The most unique feature about this campground is that there is an onsite swimming pool which is unheard of at national parks! The pool is open during the summer from April 1st to September 30th.
Tent and RV sites can be reserved up to six months in advance here. There are no first come first serve campsites available. You will need to book online. The campground is located at the east entrance of Pinnacles National Park and is open year-round.
HOTELS NEAR PINNACLES NATIONAL PARK
The nearest accommodation to the west entrance of Pinnacles National Park is in Soledad. Here you can choose to stay at either the Motel 6 in Soledad, or the Inn At The Pinnacles.
The nearest accommodation to the east entrance of Pinnacles National Park is in Hollister which is thirty miles away (40 minutes drive). The best hotels to stay at in Hollister include Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott and SureStay by Best Western.
Use the interactive map above to search for hotels and vacation homes near Pinnacles National Park. Recommended hotels, campgrounds, and other points of interest have also been marked on the map.