{"id":107947,"date":"2026-04-02T12:50:46","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T12:50:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/02\/plan-the-perfect-day-at-pinnacles-californias-most-slept-on-national-park\/"},"modified":"2026-04-02T12:50:46","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T12:50:46","slug":"plan-the-perfect-day-at-pinnacles-californias-most-slept-on-national-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/2026\/04\/02\/plan-the-perfect-day-at-pinnacles-californias-most-slept-on-national-park\/","title":{"rendered":"Plan the Perfect Day at Pinnacles: California\u2019s Most Slept-On National Park"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\u201cIt\u2019s remarkable how many people who live within two hours of here haven\u2019t heard of it, don\u2019t know what it is, and have never been here,\u201d said Neidhardt, who is now the Condor Chair of the Pinnacles National Park Foundation, the nonprofit that helps fill funding gaps for the park.<\/p>\n

This under-the-radar element is partly because Pinnacles only became a national park in 2013<\/a>, when it was upgraded from a national monument. It\u2019s also a relatively small park \u2014 at just around 27,000 acres, it\u2019s one of the smallest in the whole country.<\/p>\n

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A small creek flows beneath trees near the Sycamore Trail trailhead at Pinnacles National Park on March 16, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez\/KQED)<\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But this little park still packs a punch, and makes for a fantastically fulfilling \u2014 and surprisingly easy \u2014 trip from the Bay Area, even just for the day.<\/p>\n

So to help you plan your own Pinnacles visit, I traveled there one hot spring day to check out the best trails, find the most beautiful views, and learn about some truly hidden wonders from Neidhardt and his colleagues.<\/p>\n

Read on for 10 tips to make the day trip worth your while.<\/p>\n

Jump straight to:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Getting to Pinnacles (and which entrance to use)<\/h2>\n

Depending on where you\u2019re coming from in the Bay Area, and traffic conditions, the drive to Pinnacles\u2019 eastern entrance<\/a> \u2014 considered its main entrance \u2014 is only around 2-3 hours.<\/p>\n

Once you pass through the South Bay, you\u2019ll continue on Hwy 101 until Gilroy, where you\u2019ll take Highway 25 to Hollister and through Tres Pinos before turning off the highway and into the park.<\/p>\n

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Rock formations rise along the High Peaks Trail at Pinnacles National Park on March 16, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez\/KQED)<\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On your way to the park, you can stop in Hollister for any major needs, like extra gear or groceries. The small town of Tres Pinos has its own quaint feel and is an ideal post-hike dinner stop at one of the handful of restaurants on its main street.<\/p>\n

What about using the western entrance<\/a> instead? This location will take you a little longer to reach from the Bay, but it certainly has its own appeal \u2014 namely, the sweeping views of the namesake Pinnacles rock formations themselves that are readily available from the parking lot. You can stop in Salinas or Soledad on your way in or out from that end, although be aware: Highway 146 from the western side is scenic but somewhat narrow.<\/p>\n

Make Pinnacles a surprisingly achievable day trip<\/h2>\n

Unlike other sprawling national parks, which demand a multi-day trip to see all of their sights, it is <\/em>worth it to visit Pinnacles for a day trip.<\/p>\n

Or as Neidhardt puts it, \u201cYou can see a lot of the park in one day.\u201d<\/p>\n

But this advice comes with a caveat: Pinnacles is split into two sides, east and west, and you shouldn\u2019t expect to be able to visit both sides of the park in one day. In fact, you can\u2019t actually drive from one end to the other \u2014 so pick an entrance and stick with it.<\/p>\n

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Richard Neidhardt, director and Pinnacles Condor Fund chair, speaks while seated outdoors during a visit to Pinnacles National Park on March 16, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez\/KQED)<\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For first-timers, especially those coming from the Bay Area, heading to the east side typically makes the most sense, given its increased infrastructure, like a full campground and park store, and it is a jumping-off spot for a wider variety of hikes.<\/p>\n

Return visitors may want to check out the west side for a new perspective \u2014 including iconic valley views of the namesake pinnacle rock formations.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can drive down to the Chaparral Parking Area, and there they are,\u201d Neidhardt said. \u201cIt\u2019s just the most spectacular views of the rock formations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Get to Pinnacles early <\/em>(to avoid a wait)<\/h2>\n

Visitorship to Pinnacles has hugely increased in the last five years, and was historically also boosted by its new status as a national park. \u201cThe impact on the park was huge,\u201d Neidhardt said.<\/p>\n

And visitorship is still sizable, said Tim Regan, president of the Pinnacles Foundation \u2014 meaning you should plan to avoid the worst of the traffic into the park.<\/p>\n

While Pinnacles may be no Yosemite in terms of visitorship, lines of cars to get into the park during peak spring weekends can still be miles long, even requiring up to a two-hour wait<\/a> to get in. These days, people come from all over the world to visit the park, often on their way to and from other areas like Yosemite or Big Sur.<\/p>\n

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Tim Regan, board president of the Pinnacles National Park Foundation, poses in a grassy meadow at Pinnacles National Park, where his family has roots spanning more than a century, on March 16, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez\/KQED)<\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I can testify from my own visit that you should plan ahead to avoid missing out. While I didn\u2019t experience any lines to enter the park\u2019s east entrance when I arrived at 10 a.m., by the time I was ready to embark on a hike, the Bear Gulch parking lot was full, meaning I had to park a mile down the road and walk to the trailhead. (During peak season times, the park runs a shuttle<\/a> from the campground to the Bear Gulch Day Use Area to mitigate this issue.)<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why Neidhardt and his colleagues recommend you plan to arrive at the park early \u2014 or even come on a weekday or during a less busy time of year.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a reason for this wait, Regan said: The park isn\u2019t really designed to hold more people than its current parking lots can accommodate. \u201cThe land around here is very fragile,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Another good reason to get there early? The heat. The day I went, during the Bay Area\u2019s historic March heat wave,<\/a> it was pushing 90 in the afternoon.<\/p>\n

Heat wave aside, springtime is still the best time to visit Pinnacles, Regan said. \u201cEverything is green, the wildflowers are out, and it\u2019s not too hot \u2014 except for this week,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s usually in the 70s here, and it\u2019s wonderful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Consider sleeping within the park itself<\/h2>\n

If you want to avoid the headache of getting there early enough to avoid a wait, you can stay overnight at Pinnacles\u2019 campground \u2014 an underrated but \u201cwonderful\u201d way to experience the park, said Mike Novo, the treasurer for the Pinnacles Foundation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe night skies here are wonderful,\u201d he said, so much so that they\u2019re striving to get international \u201cDark Sky\u201d status<\/a> by retrofitting light fixtures and working with nearby communities to reduce their light pollution.<\/p>\n

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Mike Novo, treasurer of the Pinnacles National Park Foundation, pauses during an interview about the park he has camped in since the 1960s, on March 16, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez\/KQED)<\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

And if you get lucky, you might be able to see condors leaving their roosts on the ridge above the campground in the morning.<\/p>\n

Just remember: The campground is on the east side of the park only, so plan accordingly. You\u2019ll have access to showers and even a swimming pool that\u2019s open during the summer, weather permitting. There\u2019s also a small campground store where you can purchase necessities.<\/p>\n

The downside: Reservations for the campground<\/a> can be tough to secure, so check early and stay flexible.<\/p>\n

Find a trail that works for your ability levels<\/h2>\n

While Pinnacles is not a huge national park, it still has a wide range of trails for all types of hikers.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a driving park, it\u2019s a hiking park,\u201d Neidhardt said.<\/p>\n

The most iconic \u2014 and most difficult \u2014 trail is the High Peaks Loop<\/a>, which takes hikers from the main parking area on the east side up and over the park\u2019s craggy mountaintops, down to the Bear Gulch Reservoir and through the Bear Gulch Caves.<\/p>\n

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A hiker sits on a rocky ledge overlooking a winding trail and valley below in the High Peaks area at Pinnacles National Park on March 16, 2026. (Gustavo Hernandez\/KQED)<\/cite><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThe High Peaks Loop is rugged, but it\u2019s just the most spectacular hike anywhere, not just in Pinnacles,\u201d Neidhardt said.<\/p>\n

But if you\u2019re planning that hike, he said, you should:<\/p>\n