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Making America's Best Idea Even Better
Pinnacles National MonumentAn oak sprout
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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.

Pinnacles bee photo by Keir Morse  

Did You Know?
Pinnacles National Monument has the greatest number of bee species per unit area of any place ever studied. The roughly 400 bee species are mostly solitary; they don't live in hives.

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