Best Hikes in Pinnacles National Park + Itinerary

Pinnacles National Park is one of California’s most underrated national parks. Known for its dramatic rock formations, cave systems, and the rare California condor, I think it offers some of the most memorable hikes in the state – including one of the coolest cave hikes I’ve ever done!

I visited Pinnacles National Park with my mom on a road trip to several National Parks in California. During our trip in March, we found the park blooming with wildflowers, and surprisingly few crowds.

The weather was perfect—dry, sunny, and just cool enough to enjoy some longer hikes. Unfortunately, we didn’t spot any Condors, but we still enjoyed the unique landscape and several of the best hikes in Pinnacles National Park in one day.

If you’re planning your own visit, this guide breaks down the best hikes in Pinnacles National Park, including tips, suggested itineraries, and some other nearby places worth adding to your Pinnacles National Park itinerary.

In This Article:

• The best hikes in Pinnacles National Park
• Suggested one-day Pinnacles National Park itinerary
• Fun things to do and where to stay nearby

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Best Hikes In Pinnacles National Park

I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from the hikes in Pinnacles National Park. Actually, I didn’t do a whole lot of research on the park at all before visiting (it was a last minute detour that worked out really great!)

Here’s what you should expect for your trip to Pinnacles: jagged cliffs formed by ancient volcanic activity (23 million years ago), narrow caves that twist through rock piles (prepare your claustrophobia, lol), and peaceful oak-covered valleys.

The park packs a lot into a relatively small area (so small, there’s only about 30 miles of hiking trails in Pinnacles National Park), which means you can see a ton in just one day.

Our visit felt surprisingly relaxed. No multi-hour drives or massive crowds—just us, the trails, and lots of beautiful scenery. Honestly, this was a welcome change after visiting Yosemite National Park.

Tips For Planning Your Pinnacles National Park Itinerary

Pinnacles is split into two distinct sections, and what you see depends on where you enter.

There are two entrances: one on the east side near Soledad, and one on the west side near Hollister. There’s no road through the park that connects the entrances, so plan ahead. It takes over an hour to drive from one entrance to the other.

The East Entrance offers more amenities, easier access to the Visitor Center, and popular trails like Bear Gulch Cave (my favorite!) and High Peaks. It’s open 24/7.

The West Entrance is quieter and leads to the Balconies Cave Trail. It’s only open from 7:30 am to 8:00 pm. If you just have one day, the east side offers a fuller experience in my opinion.

Entrance fees are $30 per vehicle, good for seven days. Or, if you have an America The Beautiful Annual Pass admission is free. I have the annual pass and save a lot on my trips to National Parks!

Throughout the year, cave access can be restricted depending on weather or bat activity, so always check current conditions on the NPS website.

The last important thing to note is there are very limited food options inside the park. Snacks and a sparse selection of sandwiches are available at the Visitor Center, but I recommend bringing your own picnic lunch and lots of snacks (unless you’re ok calling beef jerky and an ice cream sandwich lunch.)

TIP: Aim to arrive early, ideally before 8 am – especially if you’re visiting on a weekend or holiday. The parking areas in Pinnacles are tiny and parking can be a nightmare between 10 am and 3 pm most days.

NOTE: Pinnacles does have a free shuttle that runs between 8 am and 5:30 pm, on the east side only, and only on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Map Of The Best Hikes In Pinnacles National Park

Use this map to plan your hikes in Pinnacles National Park! Green hiker icons show where the hike trailhead is located so you can cluster your itinerary together based on which hikes are close together.

Best Hikes in Pinnacles National Park (East Side)

Pinnacles has a mix of short scenic loops and strenuous, summit-style hikes. Here are the best ones to prioritize if you’re entering Pinnacles on the east side:

1. Bear Gulch Cave to Reservoir Loop

This is one of the coolest trails I’ve ever done. It’s also the most iconic hike in Pinnacles National Park. Expect cave crawling, rock staircases, and a peaceful break by the reservoir at the top.

The hike is a 2-mile loop, but if you can snag one of the coveted parking spots at Moses Spring Parking Area you’ll shave off a little less than half a mile. There’s only a handful of spaces, so more than likely you’ll park near Bear Gulch Nature Center.

The first portion of the trail is very green and shaded before you come to a fork. Take the left if you want to hike through the caves. If dark, cramped spaces with spots you can’t fully stand up in aren’t your thing then head right – they both lead up to the reservoir.

We started in the Lower Caves and made our way through a maze of boulders and into the cave system, following white arrows painted on the walls.

A headlamp was essential here—at one point, we were knee-deep in water. It’s a little slippery in spaces so you’ll really want to have your hands free, or bring trekking poles for more stability.

Even though I’m not a huge fan of tight spaces, the experience was worth it. In full transparency, I did consider turning around at one point, but my mom’s a dare devil and convinced me to keep going.

Once we emerged from the caves there’s a short set of rock steps up to Bear Gulch Reservoir, where we took a break and soaked in the views. Sometimes you can see Condors here, but it wasn’t in the cards for us.

The loop continues back downhill from here, but it’s more exposed. I liked this part of the hike in Pinnacles National Park too – there were tons of wildflowers and great panoramic views.

TIP: I recommend doing this loop hike in Pinnacles clockwise. You’ll hit the caves first, and then climb down through the meadows where the best views will be in front of you.

2. High Peaks Trail

The High Peaks hike in Pinnacles National Park is it’s crown-jewel. Just shy of 7-miles, you’ll get a sampling of everything Pinnacles is known for; dramatic peaks, cliffs and rocky corridors with plenty of views.

You can also choose to add an extension along Moses Spring trail which will bring you through Bear Gulch Cave and add around a half mile to your total hike.

Expect a challenging hike, there’s a steady 10-15% incline most of the way to the summit.

TIP: Hike the loop clockwise so you have a milder ascent with a steeper decline.

There are several narrow sections with steep cliffs. Handrails are installed, but if you have a fear of heights this might not be the Pinnacles National Park hike for you.

Once you get a mile or so into the hike the trail is much less busy, so it’s a great option for avoiding crowds in Pinnacles.

TIP: Start early before it gets hot. This trail is fairly exposed, with limited shade.

3. Condor Gulch Trail

If you’re looking for one of the best places to see Condors in Pinnacles National Park this is the hike for you!

It’s a mile from Bear Gulch Nature Center up to the overlook. The first half is relatively easy, but the second half has a significant, consistent incline.

If you keep going past the overlook you’ll connect with the High Peaks trail, which can be done as a loop hike back to the trailhead.

We didn’t see any Condors during our visit, but we did see several large birds circling above—probably turkey vultures.

The out-and-back trail is 2 miles, and if you opt for the full loop through High Peaks the total distance is 5.3 miles.

Best Hikes in Pinnacles National Park (West Side)

While the best hike in Pinnacles National Park (Bear Gulch) is on the east side, there are still plenty of great hikes on the west side, too!

4. Balconies Cave Trail

Balconies Cave hike in Pinnacles National Park is another great option for exploring caves. Along the 2.6 mile trail you’ll also have plenty of mountain and cliff views.

This is a great alternative to Bear Gulch Caves, and is accessible from the west side. It has fewer vertical climbs so it’s an easy hike in Pinnacles National Park. However, there are still several short scrambles.

TIP: Pack a headlamp for the caves and a wide-brimmed hat for the exposed cliff portion.

5. Pinnacles Greatest Hits

Can’t decide which trail is best for hiking in Pinnacles National Park? Don’t choose, see them all!

The Pinnacles Greatest Hits trail is just under 13 miles and includes High Peaks, Bear Gulch caves and reservoir, Condor Gulch overlook and the Balconies.

It’s a loop trail that cuts through the center of Pinnacles, so you can pick up this trail from either the east or west entrances.

This trail is a great opportunity to see Condors in Pinnacles National Park, but it can get really hot later in the day and is fairly exposed. Don’t forget a headlamp for the cave sections of this Pinnacles hike.

One Day Pinnacles National Park Itinerary

Whether you’re hiking in the east or west side, you can cover a lot in one day. Here’s how to make the most of your time.

East Entrance Pinnacles National park Itinerary

On your way into the park drop into the Visitor Center. You can speak with a ranger for the latest trail updates and pick up some paper maps.

Start your day of hiking in Pinnacles National park with Bear Gulch Cave to Bear Gulch Reservoir. You’ll definitely want to do this first because it gets busier later in the day and parking is limited.

After, continue directly into the High Peaks Trail and loop back through Condor Gulch. It’s good to get this trail done before the afternoon heat kicks in.

Bear Gulch Day Use Area is a great place to have a picnic lunch. There are plenty of tables (in shade along the river) and restrooms.

I recommend bringing your own food because there aren’t many options inside the park, and the areas outside the park are extremely remote without any restaurants nearby. The nearest town is Hollister – about a 40 minute drive from the east entrance.

Then, take a short walk on Bench Trail to wind down. Bench trail is an easy trail in Pinnacles National Park. It runs parallel to the road so it’s mostly flat.

West Entrance Pinnacles National Park Itinerary

If you’re exploring from the west side, begin your day with Balconies Cave. The trail is unique and not as crowded as those on the east side so it’s a great alternative cave hike in Pinnacles National Park.

After that, enjoy lunch at the picnic area and either explore more trails or head into Soledad (about 20 minutes away) for a bite and a break.

If you’re interested in a longer Pinnacles hike, consider doing the full 12.8 mile Pinnacles Greatest Hits trail, which includes the Balconies Cave trail.

Hotels & Camping Near Pinnacles National Park

Camping in Pinnacles National Park is available on the east side of the park, but I thought the campsites lacked any privacy and were too close together. There’s not much shade in the campground either, but there is a pool!

Laguna Mountain Recreation Area is about 40 minutes from the east entrance and 1 hour and 20 minutes from the west entrance. This is where we stayed. It has some great camping options with plenty of shade and views.

If you prefer a more comfortable hotel stay, nearby towns offer better options. Hollister and Soledad aren’t big cities, but they have enough charm and services with several hotels and restaurant options.

Hollister is closest to the east entrance, about 40 minutes away. It’s larger than Soledad and has more hotel options:

• Holiday Inn – mid-range
• Fairfield Inn – mid-range
• Pinnacles Range – vacation rental 5-minutes from east entrance
• Cozy Country Cottage – vacation rental 10-minutes from east entrance

Soledad is closest to the west entrance, about 20 minutes away, but has very few hotel options:

• Motel 6 – budget-friendly
• Motel 8 – budget-friendly

What To Pack For Pinnacles National Park

You’ll want to come prepared. Between the afternoon heat, rugged hiking trails and dark caves there’s a few more essentials to pack for Pinnacles National Park than usual.

If you’re new to hiking, checkout my hiking gear for beginners guide, too! I share what things you need (as well as what things you really don’t need!)

A headlamp is crucial if you’re hiking in the caves – you definitely want to keep your hands free for balance so I don’t recommend a regular flashlight.

There is usually water in the caves, so be prepared to walk through ankle deep water, too. I had waterproof hiking boots, but the water was up to my knees so I still had wet feet. Luckily my darn tough hiking socks dry out very quickly!

Trekking poles are really handy for balance in the caves (it’s hard to see the rocks and pebbles in the water through the darkness) as well as some of the steeper trails. They’ll save your knees from aching the next day!

It took me a while to get into this trend, but now I swear by my wide-brimmed hat for any hike with a lot of sun exposure. Not only does it protect me from sunburn, but it also casts a decent amount of shade over my upper body which is noticeably cooler than when I don’t have my hat.

I also recommend having at least a gallon of water per person in your vehicle. There are refill stations in the park, but it’s always a good idea to have a backup.

Other Things to Do Near Pinnacles National Park

Once you’re done hiking, there are a few low-key activities nearby worth checking out.

Paso Robles is an hour and a half south of Pinnacles National Park. There are several wineries in the area, which makes it a great stop in the evening to grab a glass of wine and walk through the vineyards.

After our trip to Pinnacles National Park we headed to Monterey and Carmel-By-The-Sea. Both are an hour to an hour and a half drive north from Pinnacles and have so many fun things to do!

Depending on your interests, you can book a whale watching tour or sunset sailing cruise on Monterey Bay, a guided walking tour of the fun fairytale houses in Carmel or a walking tour that includes wine tasting, as well as an e-bike tour of Big Sur.

My mom and I headed to Point Lobos State Reserve and had a fantastic time. There are some fun and easy hikes along the coast, and we were able to spot otters and baby seals on the rocks!

Final Thoughts on the Best Hikes in Pinnacles National Park

Pinnacles National Park delivers big views and incredible hikes in a relatively small footprint. Whether you’re hiking through caves, climbing into condor territory, or wandering the peaceful valley trails, I think you’ll be as surprisingly excited about this National Park as I was.

If you have one day, the east entrance gives you the best mix of terrain and experiences for hiking Pinnacles National Park. With two days, you can add the west side and explore the Balconies area.

If you’re road-tripping through Californias National Parks, don’t skip Pinnacles. It’s rugged, weird, and absolutely worth the detour.

More Ways To Explore California National Parks

Have more time to explore California? Here are some additional great options to add onto your Pinnacles National Park itinerary.

Pinnacles National Park to Sequoia National Park: 3.5 hours

• Sequoia National Park Itinerary (1-3 Days + Kings Canyon)
• Los Angeles To Sequoia National Park Road Trip

Pinnacles National Park to Yosemite National Park: 4 hours

• 3 Day Yosemite Itinerary + Travel Guide
• Yosemite To Sequoia National Park Road Trip