National Park · California, United States
Pinnacles National Park
Pinnacles National Park is a national park in California, United States, covering 26,686 acres (10,799 ha), established in 2013; it recorded 343,208 visits in 2025.
Photo: Brocken Inaglory via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Park facts
| Park type | National Park |
|---|---|
| Location | California, United States |
| Area | 26,686 acres (10,799 ha) |
| Established | 2013 |
| Annual visits (2025) | 343,208 |
| Coordinates | 36.4800° N, 121.1600° W |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
About Pinnacles National Park
Pinnacles National Park is a national park of the United States protecting a mountainous area located east of the Salinas Valley in Central California, about five miles (8 km) east of Soledad and 80 miles (130 km) southeast of San Jose. The park's namesake pinnacles are the eroded leftovers of the western half of an extinct volcano that has moved 200 miles (320 km) from its original location on the San Andreas Fault, embedded in a portion of the California Pacific Coast Ranges. Pinnacles is managed by the National Park Service and the majority of the park is protected as wilderness.
Description from the park's Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA), linked in the sources below.
Planning your visit
Best time to visit
March to May and September to November — mild weather; summers are very hot
What to do
Getting there
| Nearest town | Soledad, California |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | San Jose Mineta International Airport |
| Getting there | Pinnacles National Park is a national park of the United States protecting a mountainous area located east of the Salinas Valley in Central California, about five miles (8 km) east of Soledad and 80 miles (130 km) southeast of San Jose. |
Where to stay
| Campgrounds | Yes |
|---|
Famous trails
- Bear Gulch Cave Trail — 1.5 miles (2.4 km) — Moderate
Like Pinnacles National Park? Visit Pinnacles National Park’s official park page for hours and current conditions before you travel.
Airports near this park
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) · San Jose, United States · 74.3 miles away
- Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT) · Fresno, United States · 82.5 miles away
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO) · San Francisco, United States · 103.4 miles away
Parks nearby
More parks in California
Frequently asked questions
Where is Pinnacles National Park?
Pinnacles National Park is in California, United States (36.4800° N, 121.1600° W).
When was Pinnacles National Park established?
Pinnacles National Park was established in 2013, per the source listed at the foot of this page.
How big is Pinnacles National Park?
Pinnacles National Park covers 26,686 acres (10,799 ha).
How many people visit Pinnacles National Park each year?
It recorded 343,208 recreation visits in 2025, the latest published figure.
When is the best time to visit Pinnacles National Park?
March to May and September to November — mild weather; summers are very hot.
Does Pinnacles National Park have campgrounds?
Yes — Pinnacles National Park has campgrounds.
How do I get to Pinnacles National Park?
The nearest town is Soledad, California. The nearest airport is San Jose Mineta International Airport. Pinnacles National Park is a national park of the United States protecting a mountainous area located east of the Salinas Valley in Central California, about five miles (8 km) east of Soledad and 80 miles (130 km) southeast of San Jose.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_United_States_National_Park_System_official_units — Wikipedia list of National Park System official units — unit name, state, official designation.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_areas_in_the_United_States_National_Park_System — Wikipedia list of National Park System areas — year established and gross area.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_parks_of_the_United_States — Wikipedia list of US national parks — coordinates, established date, area, recreation visitors (2025), description.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinnacles_National_Park — Wikipedia article — description (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.nps.gov/pinn/ — Official park page.