Pinnacles National Monument - Plan Your Visit

The east side of the monument is now open 24 hours a day for hiking. No overnight camping or backpacking is permitted.

An automatic gate at the west entrance of the monument opens each morning at 7:30 and closes each night. Winter hours are now in effect, and the gate closes at 6:00 pm. During daylight savings time, which begins the first Sunday in April, the gate will close at 8:00 pm. Visitors will be able to leave the park after the gate is closed, but cars will not be able to enter. This will allow for late hiking and climbing. Please remember that camping is not allowed.

Visitor Bulletins

Information about trails, climbing, talus caves, events and advisories throughout the monument, and links to a current weather forecast specifically for Pinnacles.

Getting There

Car
Pinnacles National Monument has two entrances: east and west. The west entrance can be reached via Highway 101 near the town of Soledad, then east along Highway 146 to the Chaparral area. The east entrance is reached via Highway 25, south of the city of Hollister and north of the town of King City, then west on Highway 146. The entrances are NOT connected by a road. It is not possible to drive through the Monument from one side to the other.

If you"re not sure which side of the monument to visit, keep in mind that there is a variety of trails that start from either side. If you"d like to visit a cave, you"ll probably want to go the west side to take the Balconies Cave Loop, which is two miles round trip. If you"d like to get views of the High Peaks without leaving your car, you can see the rock formations from the west parking area.

The road to the west side of the monument is winding and narrow, so if you"re traveling in an RV, you"ll probably want to enter the monument from the east.

Public Transportation
There is no public transportation available. Greyhound Bus lines stop at King City, which is located 32 miles south of the monument.

Getting Around

There is no road that connects the two park entrances. Pinnacles National Monument is primarily a hiking park, and there are over 30 miles of trails, from easy two-mile loops to strenuous trails that go through the heart of the High Peaks rock formation.

During the spring, parking can fill up early on both sides of the park on weekends. If you"re planning to stay at the privately owned campground just outside the east boundary, consider hiking into the park.

A park shuttle is sometimes available on spring weekends on the east side of the monument to take visitors from overflow parking areas to trailheads and the visitor center.

Bicycles and vehicles may be used only on paved roads within the Monument. Dogs and other pets are not allowed on the trails.