- #Tenting at acorn campground valley springs full#
- #Tenting at acorn campground valley springs series#
When you reach High Peaks’ summit, look down and across at the park’s huge expanse of undulating grasslands and rock monoliths. (If you’re not crazy about heights, take the alternate Tunnel Trail.) Handholds and footholds are blasted into the rock steel guardrails are embedded for safety.
#Tenting at acorn campground valley springs series#
The path wanders through a rocky labyrinth, tracing along a series of narrow passageways, and ascending over, around, and in between a maze of boulders. Either way, you’ll climb about 1,400 feet and be amazed by the final mile of trail: a feat of very creative trail building by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. Though you can reach the peaks from either the east or west entrance station, the trek is shorter from the east side at Bear Gulch (6-mile round-trip, depending on which trail you take). The highest of the High Peaks sits at 2,720 feet, which may not seem like much until you’re on top looking down. The park’s most exciting hike is the trek to the High Peaks, a series of jagged pinnacles that can be seen from miles away. Listen and see if you catch your fellow visitors saying this common refrain: “Wow, it’s dark in here.” Yup. As you enter, turn on your headlamp (or mobile phone light), then squeeze through narrow clefts, duck under ledges and twist through narrow passageways. No matter where you want to explore, no spelunking skills are needed, but bring your sense of adventure. Bear Gulch Caves, on the park’s east side, are sometimes closed to protect the Townsend’s big-eared bats that live and rear their young (usually mid-May to mid-July, when the caves typically close). Balconies Caves, on the park’s west side, stay open year-round, except after very heavy winter rains (call ahead to check status). The park has two sets of these caves open to visitors. Sometimes these rocks were too large to fit inside, so they were caught, forming a ‘roof’ and creating these rocky tunnels, known as talus caves. Huge chunks of these rocks fragmented, broke off, and fell into the chasms. Over thousands of years, running water slowly eroded deep and narrow chasms amid the Pinnacles’ giant rocks. Pinnacles’ caves are nothing like the limestone caverns found in many places in the U.S. The east entrance, off Highway 25 roughly 30 miles south of Hollister, is open 24/7, and there is camping, a visitor centre and a camp shop. You can leave after 8pm, but you can’t drive in. Gates on the west side stay open from 7:30am to 8pm daily.
A small visitor centre is located there, but there are no overnight accommodations and no campground.
Head east along Highway 146 to the park entrance. The west side is accessible from Highway 101 near the town of Soledad. Pinnacles National Park is divided into two sides-east and west-and there is no way to drive through the park from one side to the other (though you can do it on foot-a roughly 5-mile hike). In summer, temperatures can soar over 37☌ during the day, but at night, uncountable stars sparkle in the cool night sky. Scan the skies for California condors and hike among spring wild flowers. Crane your neck to watch climbers scale the rocky pinnacles.
Follow your torch beam as you explore winding caves. Now, millions of years later, the site is a visual and physical stunner. Shaking and quaking along the San Andreas Fault carried volcanic rocks from the eruption, actually 200 miles south-east, to their present home at this spot in the Salinas Valley. RV Sites: Most Sites on the Deepwater Channel, Water, 30/50 Amp, Dump Station, Laundry, Showers,Ĥ900 Stony Creek Rd.California’s newest national park is home to cliffs, crags and cave formations that were formed by an ancient volcano.
#Tenting at acorn campground valley springs full#
RV Park and Camping: 180 Full Hook-up Sites, 20/30/50 Amp., Picnic Table, Satellite TVįacilities: Full Service Marina on Stockton Deepwater Channel, RV Park for Overnight Guests or Longer Resort Facilities: Swimming Pool and Spa, Store, 24-Hour Security, WiFi, Picnicking, Propane, Restrooms, Showers, Laundry Facilities: Swimming Pool, Horseshoes, Shuffleboard, Clubhouse, Community BBQ, Restrooms, Showers, Laundry, Dump Station, Propane, Boat StorageĬamping Sites: Picnic Tables, Water and 30 Amp Electrical, Some with 50 Amp, Tent Sites
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