Pinnacles National Park

🚧

Don't connect

Two entrances

🕳️

1 closed

Cave status

🏕

134 sites

Campground

💵

$30

7-day fee

🌙

Gold tier

Dark sky

🚧Two Entrances — They Do NOT ConnectNo connecting road▾

🚧 Pinnacles has two separate entrances with no road connecting them inside the park. Driving from one side to the other requires exiting the park entirely and going all the way around externally via King City / US-101 / Hwy 25 — roughly 90 minutes. Visitors commonly and mistakenly try to plan a single one-day trip covering both sides. Pick one entrance for your visit, or budget the full external drive if you truly want to see both. NPS directions ↗

East Entrance Open 24 Hours

Via Hwy 25 south of Hollister, then Hwy 146 west

Has the Visitor Center, the only campground, and Bear Gulch Cave. The fuller-featured side of the park — most visitors should start here.

💡 This is the only side with camping and staffed visitor services.

NPS directions ↗

West Entrance Day Use Only

Via US-101 near Soledad, then Hwy 146 east

Reaches the Chaparral area and Balconies Cave. No campground on this side, and the road in is narrow and winding — no RVs or trailers.

💡 Small parking lot at Chaparral fills early on weekends.

NPS directions ↗

Entry Fees · 7-day pass

Vehicle$30

Motorcycle$25

Foot / Bike (16+)$15

Under 16Free

Pinnacles Annual Pass$55/yr

America the Beautiful$80/yr

Card / mobile pay only · No cash accepted at either entrance

🕳️Cave Status1 of 2 closed▾

🦇 Cave status below is a manually-verified snapshot as of — it is not a live feed (no public cave-status API exists for this park). Verify current status before your trip at the official NPS cave status page ↗.

Bear Gulch Cave Closed

East side. Both the upper and lower sections are closed for Townsend's big-eared bat maternity/pupping season, typically mid-May through mid-July. The upper section often stays closed most of the year regardless of season to protect the roost.

Balconies Cave Open

West side, Chaparral area. Home to Western mastiff bats. Also subject to sudden flood closures after heavy rain — check conditions if rain is recent.

🏕Campground134 sites▾

🏕️ There is only one campground in the park, and it's on the east side only — another reason to plan your visit around a single entrance rather than trying to see both sides in one trip.

Pinnacles Campground Reservation Recommended ▾

Sites134 (36 w/ electric hookups)

Elevation~1,300 ft

SeasonYear-round

RV LengthUp to 42 ft on some sites

AmenitiesFlush toilets, showers, camp store, seasonal pool (Apr–Sep)

Book on Recreation.gov ↗

🍽️Concession Information2 locations▾

East Side — Pinnacles Campground1 location▾

Pinnacles Park StoreBooks, souvenirs, water & camp basics · run by Western National Parks AssociationDaily 9am–4pm

West Side — Chaparral Area1 location▾

West Pinnacles Visitor Contact Station StoreSmall WNPA store · books, souvenirs & safety essentials — no food serviceDaily 9am–3pm

📍Landmarks & Trails5 stops▾

🦅 Critically endangered California condors are actively monitored here (look for wing tags). If you encounter one, keep your distance — do not approach or feed them.

East Side3 stops▾

High Peaks TrailStrenuous · 6 mi loop w/ Condor Gulch · steep, exposed spires~4–5 hrs

Bear Gulch Cave & ReservoirModerate · talus cave, see cave status above~1.5 hrs

Condor Viewing — Juniper Canyon Jct.Best viewpoint atop the High Peaks switchbacksVaries

West Side — Chaparral Area2 stops▾

Balconies CaveModerate · talus cave, see cave status above~1–2 hrs

Rock Climbing RoutesVolcanic breccia routes · raptor nesting closures Jan–Jul in some areasVaries

🌙Stargazing & Night SkyGold tier▾

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Pinnacles is a certified Gold-Tier International Dark Sky Park — the highest official designation for night sky quality, confirmed by DarkSky International. Best Milky Way viewing runs roughly February through October, and the park runs ranger-led stargazing programs seasonally. Best on new-moon nights — bring a red flashlight to preserve night vision. NPS night sky info ↗

Park Contact Information

📞 Phone: (831) 389-4486 · Mailing Address: 5000 East Entrance Road, Paicines, CA 95043 · Official NPS contact page ↗