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Jerry Pillarelli | profile | all galleries >> Travel and Nature; Sites by State >> US Travel; by Trip, by State >> Pacific National Parks Trip - Summer 2013 >> Pinnacles National Park – California tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Pinnacles National Park – California

Images of Pinnacles National Park – southeast of Monterey in central California, taken in July 2013.

For years a National Monument, Pinnacles National Park gained its new status in January of 2013. The park is known for its amazing rock spires and massive monoliths which are the remains of an ancient volcano, the rest of which today lies 195 miles to the south because of the movement of the San Andreas Fault over millions of years. The park is also the home of the endangered California Condor whose numbers dwindled to a mere 22 in 1987. Today that number has grown to over 420, 32 of which reside in Pinnacles National Park.

Since there are no roads through the park the only way you can experience it is to take one of the many hiking trails. To get to the High Peaks I had to take the Juniper Canyon Trail which was 1.2 miles long and had an elevation gain of 1215 feet. Once in the High Peaks it didn’t get any easier as the narrow and strenuous trail wound through the rock formations. Some areas required that you pull yourself up a 60 to 70 percent grade using only footholds and a strategically placed metal pipe hand rail. I started the entire 4.3 mile long trip at 7:30 a.m. when the temperature was 79 degrees and when I arrived back at my car 4 hours later the thermometer read 106; the early start suggested by a ranger the day before, was to say the least a good idea. It was the most demanding hike of this trip; however, I was rewarded with spectacular views, numerous amazing rock formations and the sighting of several California Condors.
A distant view of Pinnacles National Park
A distant view of Pinnacles National Park		 An endangered California Condor (note the tag on the front of the right wing) in Pinnacles National Park
An endangered California Condor (note the tag on the front of the right wing) in Pinnacles National Park		 The Balconies from the valley in Pinnacles National Park
The Balconies from the valley in Pinnacles National Park		 A Road Runner…running along the road…in Pinnacles National Park
A Road Runner…running along the road…in Pinnacles National Park		 Looking up at the High Peaks in Pinnacles National Park
Looking up at the High Peaks in Pinnacles National Park
The Balconies from the Juniper Canyon Trail in Pinnacles National Park
The Balconies from the Juniper Canyon Trail in Pinnacles National Park		 Early morning view of the surrounding area from the Juniper Canyon Trail in Pinnacles National Park
Early morning view of the surrounding area from the Juniper Canyon Trail in Pinnacles National Park		 Resurrection Wall from the Juniper Canyon Trail in Pinnacles National Park
Resurrection Wall from the Juniper Canyon Trail in Pinnacles National Park		 Rock formation as the sun rises on the west side of the peak in Pinnacles National Park
Rock formation as the sun rises on the west side of the peak in Pinnacles National Park		 Scout Peak from the Juniper Canyon Trail in Pinnacles National Park
Scout Peak from the Juniper Canyon Trail in Pinnacles National Park
Resurrection Wall from the junction of the High Peaks and Juniper Canyon Trails in Pinnacles National Park
Resurrection Wall from the junction of the High Peaks and Juniper Canyon Trails in Pinnacles National Park		 Scout Peak formations in Pinnacles National Park
Scout Peak formations in Pinnacles National Park		 Panoramic view looking east from the High Peaks Trail in Pinnacles National Park
Panoramic view looking east from the High Peaks Trail in Pinnacles National Park		 Volcanic rock formations along the High Peaks Trail in Pinnacles National Park
Volcanic rock formations along the High Peaks Trail in Pinnacles National Park		 Rock formations in the High Peaks area in Pinnacles National Park
Rock formations in the High Peaks area in Pinnacles National Park
The High Peaks in Pinnacles National Park
The High Peaks in Pinnacles National Park		 The High Peaks area in Pinnacles National Park
The High Peaks area in Pinnacles National Park		 A flowering plant goes to seed in Pinnacles National Park
A flowering plant goes to seed in Pinnacles National Park		 The view from the High Peaks in Pinnacles National Park
The view from the High Peaks in Pinnacles National Park		 Rock formations in the High Peaks in Pinnacles National Park
Rock formations in the High Peaks in Pinnacles National Park
The steep and strenuous High Peaks Trail in Pinnacles National Park
The steep and strenuous High Peaks Trail in Pinnacles National Park		 Along the High Peaks Trail in Pinnacles National Park
Along the High Peaks Trail in Pinnacles National Park		 A monolithic rock formation in Pinnacles National Park
A monolithic rock formation in Pinnacles National Park		 Looking out over the surrounding area from the High Peaks in Pinnacles National Park
Looking out over the surrounding area from the High Peaks in Pinnacles National Park		 Rock formation in Pinnacles National Park
Rock formation in Pinnacles National Park
Looking down on Resurrection Wall from the High Peaks in Pinnacles National Park
Looking down on Resurrection Wall from the High Peaks in Pinnacles National Park		 Lichen growing on a rock in Pinnacles National Park
Lichen growing on a rock in Pinnacles National Park		 A massive rock formation along the Tunnel Trail in Pinnacles National Park
A massive rock formation along the Tunnel Trail in Pinnacles National Park		 A plant growing out of a rock in Pinnacles National Park
A plant growing out of a rock in Pinnacles National Park		 The Balconies from the Tunnel Trail in Pinnacles National Park
The Balconies from the Tunnel Trail in Pinnacles National Park
Beginning my decent (note the parking lot from which I started, bottom left) in Pinnacles National Park
Beginning my decent (note the parking lot from which I started, bottom left) in Pinnacles National Park		 Stacked rocks on the Tunnel Trail in Pinnacles National Park
Stacked rocks on the Tunnel Trail in Pinnacles National Park		 Rock formation on the Tunnel Trail in Pinnacles National Park
Rock formation on the Tunnel Trail in Pinnacles National Park		 Colorful lichen on a rock in Pinnacles National Park
Colorful lichen on a rock in Pinnacles National Park		 Looking down on the Balconies in Pinnacles National Park
Looking down on the Balconies in Pinnacles National Park
Teapot Dome formation in Pinnacles National Park
Teapot Dome formation in Pinnacles National Park		 Lichen in Pinnacles National Park
Lichen in Pinnacles National Park		 California Buckwheat in Pinnacles National Park
California Buckwheat in Pinnacles National Park		 A close-up of the bark of the Manzanita Tree in Pinnacles National Park
A close-up of the bark of the Manzanita Tree in Pinnacles National Park		 A Manzanita Tree growing on the top of a rock formation in Pinnacles National Park
A Manzanita Tree growing on the top of a rock formation in Pinnacles National Park
Looking up at a rock formation along the Tunnel Trail in Pinnacles National Park
Looking up at a rock formation along the Tunnel Trail in Pinnacles National Park		 Resurrection Wall viewed while descending on the Juniper Canyon Trail in Pinnacles National Park
Resurrection Wall viewed while descending on the Juniper Canyon Trail in Pinnacles National Park		 A Digger Pine cone in Pinnacles National Park
A Digger Pine cone in Pinnacles National Park		 A worn down rock formation in Pinnacles National Park
A worn down rock formation in Pinnacles National Park		 Road Runner makes its exit in Pinnacles National Park
Road Runner makes its exit in Pinnacles National Park

comment | share
Sam Rua03-Nov-2018 04:21
Very cool gallery. This place is now on my bucket list.
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