Visiting Pinnacles National Park feels like stepped into an Indiana Jones movie! Pinnacles is a unique landscape of deep canyons and caves, oak woodlands, rolling hills, and volcanic rocks and spires. Visitors can experience caves, condors, and sweeping views of the beautiful Central Valley of California. In this Pinnacles National Park 2 day Itinerary we share our favorite hikes in the national park, with options for beginner hikers as well as more advanced hikers. We also share everything you need to know about where to stay when visiting, what to pack, and how the park is structured.

I honestly think Pinnacles National Park is the most underrated national park in California, and I hope you love it as much as I do! When you visit please make sure to pack out all trash, stay on trails, and give wildlife plenty of space. Following Leave No Trace principles is key to protecting these special places.

The perfect Pinnacles National Park 2 day Itinerary

What you need to know when planning a trip to Pinnacles National Park

Below we share everything you need to know about the layout of Pinnacles National Park. We also weigh in on when to visit, what to pack, and where to stay.

understanding the park’s layout

Before you plan a trip to Pinnacles National Park it’s crucial to understand the park’s layout. 

Pinnacles is split into two sections: the west entrance, which is located near Monterey, and the east entrance, which is located near Hollister, California. You can hike between the two entrances, but there is no road connecting the two. Driving around from one entrance to the other takes an hour and 20 minutes. The east side of the park is open 24 hours a day, and the west side is open from 7:30 am to 8:00 pm.

Given the park’s geography, visitors are best off choosing one entrance to focus on for their trip. If you want to explore the west entrance and Monterey area click here for a 3 day Pinnacles and Monterey itinerary. 

The itinerary in this blog post focuses on the east side of the park, which is where the campground and majority of the facilities for the park are located. 

Travel tip: Pinnacles has very small parking lots, and the national park gets very busy on weekends and holidays. Sometimes visitors will have to wait in a line of cars for hours before a parking spot in the park opens up. Given that, you should arrive early (like, before 8:30 am) if you want to ensure you can enter the park and find parking. Long lines are common between 10 am – 3 pm on busy weekends and holidays. 

The best time of year to visit Pinnacles National Park

Pinnacles National Park is located in California’s Central Valley. Like the rest of the region, the park is characterized by a Mediterranean climate, with hot dry summers and cool, wet winters. Mornings and evenings are often cool, while midday temperatures can be quite warm.

We’ve been to Pinnacles in spring, early fall, and summer, and I think spring is by far the best season to visit Pinnacles!  The majority of the park’s rainfall occurs January – March, so in winter and spring the hills in and around Pinnacles turn a vibrant and beautiful green. As the weather warms up in spring you’ll also find abundant wildflowers in the area. 

Summer and fall feature a very dry and brown (and hot!) landscape. They are also quite hot (more on that below), which is why I think spring is the best time to visit Pinnacles National Park! 

Travel tip: Regardless of when you visit you should bring plenty of water on hikes. There is very limited access to water in many parts of the park. The park service recommends carrying “at least one liter of water per person per hour of hiking.”

When NOT to visit Pinnacles

Like much of California’s central valley, summer temperatures in Pinnacles National Park regularly exceed 100 degrees. We used to live in Davis, California and can confirm: this isn’t a good time to hike! These conditions place you at risk for dehydration and heat stroke.

Given the unsafe temperatures in summer, I think July, August, and September are good times of year to avoid Pinnacles National Park. Coincidentally, this is also when the park is least beautiful (in my opinion). The surrounding hills turn brown every summer as the rains stop and things heat up. 

Worried about crowds? Historically, Pinnacles has its highest visitation rates in November and December, and March through June.

What to pack for a trip to Pinnacles National Park

See below for our hiking essentials checklist for Pinnacles National Park! If you visit in winter I recommend also bringing a puffer jacket and rain jacket.

Hiking essentials checklist

• America the Beautiful Pass. An annual America the Beautiful pass covers your entrance fees at all national parks. It also covers fees at other federally managed public lands, such as forest service and BLM sites. This pass is a great investment for people who love national parks and outdoor recreation!
• Good hiking boots. Waterproof boots with good traction are essential, and a quality pair can last for years. We highly recommend Lowa’s Renegade hiking boots (for women and men).
• Water and a water filter. We love the Katadyn BeFree 1.0 Liter Filter Bottle for water filtration, and usually use a Nalgene water bottle or a HydraPak Water Reservoir for water storage.
• Sun protection. We recommend the Sahara Sun Hoodie (for women and men), which is a sun shirt that offers UPF 50+ sun protection. For sunscreen we like Dermatone’s sport sunscreen and Skin Protector Balm (for winter).
• A headlamp. The Black Diamond Storm 500-R Rechargeable Headlamp is lightweight, compact, waterproof, and USB rechargeable.
• A comfortable day pack. We recommend the REI Trail 25 (unisex), the Gregory Juno daypack ​for women, or the Gregory Citro daypack for men.

Looking for more hiking gear and clothing recommendations? Check out our full hiking gear guide below for all of our favorite gear!

Where to stay when visiting Pinnacles

When visiting the east side of Pinnacles National Park I recommend staying at the national park’s campground. Otherwise, you’ll be faced with a 45 minute drive north to the town of Hollister, California, where you can find hotels. Alternatively, you can drive 40 minutes south to camp near the Laguna Mountain BLM site. 

Uniquely, the Pinnacles campground has a swimming pool, which is open April – September. They also have dump stations, water, and coin-op showers. Many of the campsites have tree coverage from oak trees. Some RV sites have hookups. Tent and RV sites can be reserved up to 6 months in advance. 

An advantage of staying in the park is that you won’t have to deal with long lines at the entrance stations. There are also shuttles from the campground, as well as a camp store and nature center.

Pinnacles National Park 2 day Itinerary

I think two days is the perfect amount of time to spend in Pinnacles. Our Pinnacles National Park 2 day Itinerary, below, includes both challenging and more mild trail options.

Travel tip: No matter when you visit Pinnacles keep your eyes out for poison oak. It’s everywhere, and can cause a terrible rash! As the saying goes, if it has ‘leaves of three leave it be.’

Day 1 in Pinnacles

Spend your first day in Pinnacles National Park hiking along some of the most iconic trails in the park! Below we provide two trail options for your first day in Pinnacles. Both pass through Bear Gulch Cave and the iconic Bear Gulch Reservoir. The longer of the two hikes takes you up along the High Peaks trail, which is my favorite trail in the park. It’s a great place to see California condors sitting on the rocks and soaring above the park! The shorter trail is a fantastic option for families, and for people who aren’t up for a longer hike with elevation gain. 

Hike the Condor Gulch and High Peaks Trail Loop (longer hike option)

If you can only do one hike in the national park, and you’re up for a bit of a challenge, this is the hike I think you should do! 

The Condor Gulch Trail to High Peaks Trail Loop is truly amazing. This hike has it all: caves, condors, and sweeping views of the surrounding California mountains and hills. I like this hike so much we’ve done it SEVERAL times. The hike is 5.6 miles long and includes 1,633 feet of elevation gain. I would consider this route moderate to challenging for most casual hikers.

Provided you do this hike counter clockwise, the Condor Gulch and High Peaks Trail Loop starts off by taking you through the Lower Bear Gulch Cave. This section of the hike feels like an Indiana Jones movie – you’ll pass by massive rocks and waterfalls! You’ll want a headlamp and waterproof shoes for this section of the hike. 

Travel Tip: The caves of Pinnacles occasionally close down to protect resident bats. You can find the status (open/closed) of the caves here.

Next, you’ll pass by the Bear Gulch Reservoir before making a steady climb up along the High Peaks Trail, where you’ll have the opportunity to see condors while taking in the sweeping views of the park and surrounding mountains. This is one of those hikes that just keeps getting better, and there are views the entire way. It’s also a loop trail, so you won’t have to backtrack. 

Make sure to bring binoculars or a zoom lens for condor-spotting! Curious what I used to take these pictures of the condors? See below for our full camera gear guide. 

Condors are the largest land birds in North America. They can live up to 60 years, and are critically endangered. Pinnacles National Park is a rare sanctuary for condors, and being able to see condors in the wild is one of the things that makes this national park special. You can learn more about the park’s condors here.

Travel tip: I recommend doing this trail counter clockwise.

See the next section for more photos of the beginning section of this hike!

OR Hike the Bear Gulch Reservoir and Caves via Moses Spring Trail (shorter hike option)

If you’re not up for a longer hike I recommend doing the Bear Gulch Reservoir and Caves via Moses Spring Trail. This trail starts along the same route as the hike described above, but you’ll stop at the Bear Gulch Reservoir and then turn around. That means you’ll get to experience the cave and the reservoir, but are unlikely to see condors.

This hike is 2.6 miles along and has 636 feet of elevation gain. It’s a great option for families!

Day 2 in Pinnacles

Spend your second day in Pinnacles National Park exploring more caves, and taking in iconic views of the park’s spires. Below we provide two trail options for your second day in Pinnacles. Both cover similar ground, but the longer hike will also take you to the west side of the national park, giving you unique views and a different perspective of the area.

Hike the Old Pinnacles, Balconies, Juniper Canyon, High Peaks, and Bench Loop (longer hike option)

If you’re up for another long hike this is another favorite trail in Pinnacles! The Old Pinnacles, Balconies, Juniper Canyon, High Peaks, and Bench Loop is a challenging 8.5 mile hike with 1,780 feet of elevation gain. Highlights of this route include the Balconies Cave (which is an add on to the route, or can be done in lieu of the upper balconies cliff trail), and seeing views of the Balconies, which is an ancient volcanic formation. You’ll also get to hike down to the east entrance, allowing you to experience the other side of the national park without having to drive there. 

Travel Tip: The caves of Pinnacles occasionally close down to protect resident bats. You can find the status (open/closed) of the caves here.

OR Hike the Old Pinnacles Trail to Balconies (shorter hike option)

If you’re looking for a shorter and less challenging route I recommend hiking the Old Pinnacles Trail to Balconies trail. This hike is 5 miles and about 500 feet of elevation gain, and still allows you to experience both the balconies, and balconies cave trails. However, it’s an out and back hike and doesn’t take you to the east side of the national park. More photos from this trial can be found in the photo carousel in the above section of this blog post.

I hope this Pinnacles National Park 2 day Itinerary was helpful! If you plan a trip using our guides we’d love to hear about it in the comments, or on Instagram @gwynandami. You can find more national park guides here, and more California travel guides here.