Pinnacles (California)
About five miles (8.0 km) east of Soledad and 130 kilometers (80 miles) southeast of San Jose, in Central California, is the hilly region protected by Pinnacles National Park, an American national park. The remnants of the western half of an extinct volcano that has shifted 200 miles (320 km) from its original site on the San Andreas Fault and is entrenched in a section of the California Pacific Coast Ranges are the park's namesakes.
The National Area Service oversees Pinnacles, and the vast portion of the park is wilderness-protected. The East and West Divisions of the national park are separated by the rock formations and are only connected by footpaths. Water and shade are on the east side, while tall walls are on the west. Granite climbers are drawn to the stunning pinnacles that the rock formations create.
There are remarkable talus caverns in the park that are home to at least 13 different kinds of bats. Due to the extreme heat in the summer, spring and fall are the best times to explore Pinnacles. In addition to serving as a release place for California condors that have been bred in captivity, park grounds provide an ideal home for prairie falcons.
Location: California
Movement time: 4hr 30min from L.A.
Operating Hours: 24 hours
Entrance Fees: Death Valley Entrance Fee - per vehicle - $30.00, Death Valley Entrance Fee - per motorcycle - $25.00
