Pinnacles National Park (10-21-14)

We’ve been to the largest of our country’s national parks (Wrangell St. Elias) and the oldest of the national parks, and now we can say we’ve been to the newest national Park.

Although this area has been a national monument since 1908, and the CCC built the trails and the day use areas in the 1930s, Pinnacles has only been a national park since 2013.

As we’ve visited the national parks, we’ve realized that a) they are all awesome in their unique way, and b) there is a reason why they are a national park.



Pinnacles is a nesting area to the California Condor. Weighing in at 20 pounds, with a 9 foot wingspan, the Condor is one of the largest birds in North America.

I was frustrated with my lack of decent pictures until I read that they can soar at an altitude of 15,000 feet, at a speed of 55 mph. These guys were way up in the sky.

Sitting along the San Andreas Fault, the Pinnacles are also known for the fact that millions of years ago this area was part of a larger volcanic field, but it broke apart, and this section has been moving north with the Pacific plate ever since.  So far, it has moved 195 miles.









But anyway,  we were here to get some hiking done.  Paul heard there are caves here, and it took no other enticement for us to pack up the camper and move up here for a few days.



Within the first mile the High Peaks  trail took us through Bear Gulch Cave.



















The fun wasn’t over once we were back out in the sunshine.  The trail led us up and down narrow staircases,

and around massive boulders.






Along the way, the views were awesome, and the weather was perfect for hiking.







The next morning we were up and hiking early, trying to beat the 88 degree temperature that was forecasted for the afternoon. The trail to Balconies Cave is not as spectacular as the Bear Gulch trail, according to the ranger, but it was a fun hike nonetheless..

















The caves here are Talus caves-caves that are created when boulders slide down a slope and become wedged above the ground.























After two days of  hiking it was time to head back to Fresno and put the camper away for the winter.  It’s been a busy two days, getting everything ready to head out tomorrow morning. We aren’t going too far on our first day- just a few hours down the road to see our daughter one last time before we head to Texas..