National Park Service LogoU.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park ServiceNational Park Service
National Park Service: U.S. Department of the InteriorNational Park Service Arrowhead
 
 
Making America's Best Idea Even Better
Pinnacles National MonumentTalus in the Balconies Cave
view map
text size:largestlargernormal
printer friendly
Pinnacles National Monument
Natural Features & Ecosystems

natural features & ecosystems includes:

Geology
Cave / Karst Systems
Faults
Geologic Formations
 
 
Flashlights are required in the cave.

The Balconies Cave is a narrow canyon with a roof of talus.

Pinnacles National Monument gets its name from rock spires and crags that are remnants of an ancient volcano. The volcano eroded over millions of years as it moved northward along the San Andreas Fault. Rock debris in the form of boulders has weathered and settled, leaving behind spires of volcanic rock and talus caves.

The Five Sisters rock formation, as seen from the Bear Gulch Reservoir  

Did You Know?
Pinnacles National Monument began as a volcano that first erupted about 195 miles south of its present location. It has traveled northward along the San Andreas Fault, and currently moves at a rate of about 2 - 3 centimeters per year.

Disclaimer Accessibility Privacy Policy FOIA Notices USA.gov

Last Updated: December 20, 2006 at 16:44 EST