Hiking along the Balconies Cliffs Trail and bird of prey near top of the shear rock side. This hike is a 2.4 mile round trip, with a mild elevation gain.Enlarge this Picture.
The park is 26,000 acres. The highest point of the park is North Chalone Peak at 3304'. It is located in a remote part of the southern portion of the park. The lowest point in the park is at 824' (South Chalone Creek). The parking at the western entrance the park is at 1400'. This National Monument offers a look at very unusual geographical formations. Pinnacles National Monument, located near the San Andreas Fault along the boundary of the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate, is an excellent example of tectonic plate movement. The Pinnacles Rocks are believed to be part of the Neenach Volcano that occurred 23 million years ago near present-day Lancaster, California, some 195 miles (314 km) southeast. The giant San Andreas Fault split the volcano and the Pacific Plate crept north, carrying the Pinnacles. The work of water and wind on these erodible volcanic rocks has formed the unusual rock structures seen today. This is unique from the typical hills in that portion of California.
Activities include hiking, biking and sightseeing. The park itself provides very limited facilities and resources, but those can be found in nearby Salinas or Holister. Temperatures can easily exceed 100F during the summer. For further information, contact Pinnacles National Monument, 5000 Hwy. 146, Paicines, CA 95043 or call 831-389-4485 for more information.
All pictures below are from the Pinnacles National Monument, using film and digital cameras. The hike highlighted here passes through the Balconies Cave, a talus cave formed from boulders filling in a "roof" over a narrow stream canyon. A Flashlight is required to pass through the cave.
Hiking along the Balconies Cliffs Trail and bird of prey near top of the shear rock side. This hike is a 2.4 mile round trip, with a mild elevation gain.
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Hiking along the Balconies Cliffs Trail.
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Rugged crags along the Balconies Cliffs Trail.
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Hiking along the Balconies Cliffs Trail.
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Hiking along the Balconies Caves Trail.
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Hiking along the Balconies Cliffs Trail.
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Hiking along the Balconies Cliffs Trail.
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Further information can be found at the Pinnacle National Monument NPS page.
