Best trails in Pinnacles National Park
Comprised of impressive rocks, caves, cliffs, and peaks, Pinnacles National Park showcases the results of ancient volcanic activity on landscape. The park provides spectacular heights that attract many rock climbers. The park has an abundance of hiking, in fact, the two sides of the park are only connected by foot; there is no road connecting the two sides. Please note the park is often very hot in the summer months.
Top trails
Visitor info
School groups and other academic institutions may qualify for an Educational Fee Waiver. If not qualified, please check fees for large or commercial groups.
This pass is valid for 1-7 days and includes everyone traveling on a motorcycle, scooter, or similar motorized vehicle to Pinnacles East Entrance and West Entrance.
Non-commercial groups traveling in vehicles that have a capacity of 16 passengers or more pay $15 per person up to the maximums listed for commercial groups with comparable passenger capacity ($40 or $100). People 15 years old or younger, anyone with a pass that may be used for park entry, and drivers hired for transportation only are exempt from the per person fee.
This entry fee is for a single person traveling on foot or by bicycle. It is valid for 1-7 days to Pinnacles East Entrance and West Entrance.
This pass is valid for 1-7 days and includes everyone traveling in a single vehicle to Pinnacles East Entrance and West Entrance.
This pass is valid for 12 months from the month of purchase. It covers the entrance fee to Pinnacles National Park for the pass signee and accompanying passengers entering in a single, non-commercial vehicle. Pinnacles Annual Passes are available at park entrance stations.
Join millions of people who enjoy our National Parks with the "America the Beautiful" National Park & Federal Recreational Lands Pass, otherwise known as the Interagency Annual Pass. The pass is valid for a year's worth of visits from the month of purchase at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites across the country.
No entrance pass required on these days:
Monday, January 20 — Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Saturday, April 19 — First day of National Park Week
Thursday, June 19 — Juneteenth National Independence Day
Monday, August 4 — Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
Saturday, September 27 — National Public Lands Day
Tuesday, November 11 — Veterans Day
The Interagency Access Pass is accepted here.
Both visitor centers are accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers and have wheelchair accessible restrooms.
Audio-described and text-only park brochure formats are available.
Additional information about accessibility at Pinnacles National Park can be found on their website: https://www.nps.gov/pinn/planyourvisit/accessibility.htm.
Both visitor centers are accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers and have wheelchair accessible restrooms.
The picnic areas are wheelchair accessible with assistance and have packed, level paths and surfaces.
There are fully accessible restrooms at the West Pinnacles Contact Station.
Service animals must be on-leash throughout the park.
Trail reviews for Pinnacles National Park
Considering the whole area, Pinnacles national park is more of a state park, but beautiful. This hike gives you the summarized view of the whole park. The whole trail is rocky and dirt, and the summit has some adventurous stone cut steps, which I liked the most. Its a loop so you can go either ways. I did it clockwise, as the person at the visitor center said it more steep, Carry lots of water. It gets really hot and most of the trail is exposed.
Overall the trails from the east pinnacles national park were great, very well maintained, bathroom at the peak and trailhead with amazing views and one of a kind experience
I absolutely loved this trail! We saw amazing views of the rock structure, and caves. We went around 5 so it was a nice cool hike during a hot summer day. Saw a good amount of deer and does on the walk up. Recommend as it showcases the beautiful of Pinnacles.
This was my second time hiking Pinnacles. We arrived at 7:30am when the park opens. Best time to find parking. It’s hot during the summer compared to other areas around the tricounty area. I kept my pack light and wore my hiking pants with break away legs. Not much shade on the trails we hit this time so I made sure to put on sunscreen and wore a hat. It was otherwise very beautiful with few people making the elevation climb during the hot summer days. Worth it for the views.
(Assuming a clockwise route starting from Chaparral picnic area and heading up onto North Wilderness trail). Heat was projected to be 86 on July 16, but I was warned by the ranger to assume higher temps. I started as early as possible and everything was delightful. I had 3 liters of water (sipped lightly and consistently…no gulping!), a hydro-flask of iced sport drink, salty snacks, and a good wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses. This hike is not for beginners, so be in decent shape and have some reasonable hiking gear in the hot months. Arrived at the Chaparral trailhead as close to 730am as I could (gate opens at 730am on that side of the park, but I prepaid the entrance fee and managed to wiggle in a a little earlier). I hiked on a weekday, so I was alone on the North Wilderness stretch. The primitive, unmaintained trail starts at the very end of the picnic area. The first mile or so the trail is the most difficult of the whole route, going up and down a series of scrubby ridges of completely sun-exposed chaparral. I would not want to be hiking this part of the trail at the end of the day when the summer sun is at its most punishing, so my vote is to put that stretch at the beginning of your hike by doing a clockwise route…just like the All Trails route suggests. You’ll be hitting heavy sun at the end of the loop anyway, but at least on the Old Pinnacles/Cave stretch there will be lots of other people around and plenty of opportunities for shade. On the North Wilderness trail itself, you will be completely on your own, and a heat emergency would be more problematic. Eventually the trail across the high chaparral drops into a long, wide, sandy wash (creek bed) with riverine features like cottonwood trees. During the spring I assume there is more water and green. The trail meanders through and around this expansive and beautiful sandy wash, so keep an eye open for rudimentary cairns (human-made stacks of small stones) to guide you along the way. These are not the best cairns I have ever seen in my life, so pay attention. Because the trail follows wash, it is possible to get confused and get diverted onto side creeks. But just take your sweet time, and the route will make sense. Many, many hikers have gone before you over the last century and they have left clues. The highlight of the hike is at the tail end of this wide, sandy wash, in the mile before the trail hits the busy Old Pinnacles trail. Here the drier wash gives way to lush river scrubs, and a flowing creek. Here I saw a small little fox who was checking me out. I dipped my feet in the cool creek. This might be a good place to have an early lunch and before proceeding to Old Pinnacle Trail. The rest of the trail is pretty straightforward, as it well-traveled and well-maintained. You still have the Balconies Cave ahead of you, which is a great shady end to this loop! Please remember to bring a little head-mounted flash light. I see people try to do the cave portion of this trail without a headlight, and they end up being sorry. Happy trails!
We started at 8:00 p.m. from the Chapparal parking lot, and it was pretty warm already. The trail took 4 hours and 10 minutes at a moderate pace. We hiked counter-clockwise, which was good. The climb to the top is easier from this direction. We consumed a little more than two 21-oz bottles of water each. The trail through the Balconies cave was a great experience. Old Pinnacles trail was nice but not unique. High Peaks Trail and Tunnel Trail were the highlights from a scenery perspective.