Pinnacles National Park: What You Need to Know Before Visiting California’s Newest National Park

California is home to nine beautiful and diverse National Parks, spanning from the deserts of Joshua Tree to the towering Redwoods. Right in the middle, one hop over the mountains from Big Sur, lies Pinnacles National Park, the newest park to gain National Park status within the state of California.

Halle Homel

As a huge National Park enthusiast, I’m on my way to visiting all nine of these amazing Parks and I was able to snag a camping reservation at Pinnacles for Memorial Day weekend, allowing my dad and I to spend a night under an oak tree in the middle of these secluded mountains. Pinnacles is a newer member of the National Parks System (although it was a National Monument prior to its upgrade in 2013), so don’t expect it to have quite have the amenities you might find in a more popular Park like Yosemite or Sequoia. However, this doesn’t mean it isn’t worth visiting! If you love the outdoors and hate crowds, Pinnacles is the west-coast place for you!

Here is everything you need to know before visiting the park for yourself:

Camping:

While there is first come first served camping, Pinnacles also takes reservations. You can make reservations on Recreation.gov. We were able to check into our reserved spot two hours early and get our day started almost as soon as we arrived at the Park. While the RV sites are fairly close to the road, the tent sites are incredibly secluded, residing back against the side of a wooded mountain. It was super quiet at night, and we even heard some wildlife up in the hills. We were woken up to the sound of birds when the sun came up.

Each site comes with a picnic table, bear box (although there are no bears in Pinnacles), and fire pit. The sites were all very spacious, and there were plenty of trees for shade in the warmer months.

Be aware that while there are usually multiple in other National Parks, there is only one campground in the whole park. It’s located fairly close to the Park entrance, and is walking distance from the Park shuttle, free showers, a pool, picnic area, and the camp store and visitor center.

The Shuttle System:

Most National Parks now have a shuttle system that can bring you around the Park so that you don’t need to drive everywhere. While there was plenty of parking everywhere we went in the Park, despite it being a holiday weekend, we still chose to leave our car at our campsite and take the shuttle from the visitor center to the trail. The shuttle comes every twenty minutes and the last shuttle from Bear Gulch—our trailhead—was at 5pm.

Hiking:

Pinnacles National Park gets its name from the High Peaks area—a collection of pointy rocks that are actually the remnants of a now-extinct volcano. You can access the High Peaks area via Bear Gulch on either a six or a ten-mile hike. Both loops will let you experience the other two things the Park is known for: caves and condors. We didn’t get to go through most of the caves because the bats were having babies, but we did go through a couple and they were beautiful! Flashlights and headlamps are recommended for the caves. We did see two condors as well, but not until we got on the official High Peaks Trail.

My number one tip for when you visit any National Park is to stop at the Visitor Center if it’s open. It appeared that the Pinnacles Visitor Center is only open on the weekends but there are maps available outside. If you do get a chance to talk to a ranger, you’ll be much better off before you hit the trails.

The maps are fairly comprehensive, but unfortunately, they didn’t really match up with the trail markers. The map has the names of the trails whereas the trail markers label the destinations the trails lead to. We did get quite turned around, and my dad and I are both experienced hikers, so definitely give yourself lost time! But, keep in mind that no matter how you get to the top, you’ll get to experience the Park’s most famous trail in an incredibly beautiful, although random way, with hidden gems around every corner.

Vegan Accessibility:

While many of the National Parks aren’t in very vegan-friendly areas, it wasn’t impossible to find vegan products in the Park. They sold various vegan snacks in the camp store, including a bunch of different flavors and brands of Kombucha!

So with peak season coming up quickly, make sure you take the time to get outside and experience some of our unique wild spaces! Pinnacles National Park is a great choice for campers and hikers who want to avoid the crowds of Yosemite and Joshua Tree, allowing you to experience the diversity of California’s natural landscape in all the right ways.

Leave No Trace Disclaimer: when visiting any of our wild spaces, remember your LNT principles and pack out any trash you bring with you, pick up any trash you find, stay on the trails, and only camp in designated campgrounds. Please give wildlife its space as well, and leave 25 yards between you and any animals you encounter (unless of course, they approach you)