• A spadefoot toad looking straight at the viewer, only his eyes are visible. Photo by Paul Johnson

    Pinnacles

    National Park California

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  • No Fires - Fire Danger Very High - No Fuego

    No Fires in the campground, no smoking on the trails. Observe these rules to protect park resources. No se permite fumar en los senderos, tampoco se permite las fogatas en el campamento. Proteja los recursos del parque y respete las advertencias.

Ranger Programs

Ranger Sierra on Cave Walk Program

Ranger Sierra Willoughby describes the formation of talus caves during a guided hike to the Bear Gulch Caves.

NPS Photo | Martha Willoughby

Ranger programs are a fun way to enhance your experience at Pinnacles National Park. Programs are generally offered on weekends (at both the East and West sides of Pinnacles) from President's Day Weekend in February through the end of May. Evening programs are offered on the east side of the park at Pinnacles Campground Friday and Saturday evenings from early January through Labor Day.

All ranger programs are FREE. Upon your arrival to the park, ask a park ranger or consult one of the Ranger Activity Boards located outside the Pinnacles Visitor Center, the Bear Gulch Nature Center, or the West Pinnacles Visitor Contact Station for the day's opportunities.

Special programming, including the West Pinnacles Speaker Series, night hikes and other unique Pinnacles events are also scheduled through out the year. Please check the Schedule of Events page to find out if they are occuring during your visit!

 

2013 East Pinnacles Ranger Program Schedule:

Friday and Saturday Evenings, 30-45 minutes (Mid-february through Labor Day weekend). Program times vary each month:

February March April May - June - July August September
7:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m. 8:00 p.m. 8:30 p.m. 8:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m.

Evening programs happen at the Pinnacles Campground Amphitheater; and the presentation topics are ranger's choice. Please check the 'Ranger Activity' bulletin boards in front of the Pinnacles Visitor Center or the Bear Gulch Nature Center.


2013 West Pinnacles Program Schedule:

2013 Summer Speaker Series

Hands of the Land
Saturday, June 8, 2:00 p.m. - Soledad Library

Join Ranger Autumn to discover the people who shaped the Salinas Valley into the Salad Bowl of America. We'll explore the lives of area farmers, immigrants, activists, and writers with family-friendly activities.

Cowgirl Poetry
Saturday, June 15, 2:00 p.m. - Pinnacles National Park, West Side Visitor Contact Station
Janice Gilbertson was born and raised on a Salinas Valley ranch and she draws on her experiences there to create her poetry. Join us as Janice shares her sotires through entertaining and enthralling poems.

Life of the Amah Mutsun
Saturday, June 22, 2:00 p.m. - Pinnacles National Park, West Side Visitor Contact Station
Valentin Lopez, chairman of the Amah Mutsun Tibal Council, will captivate us with the unique culture and history of the Amah Mutsun tribe -- exploring the relationship between the tribe's descendants and Pinnacles.

July is all about the natural resources of Pinnacles National Park

A Tour of Pinnacles National Park

July 6th, 2:00pm – Soledad Library

Join Ranger Matt to explore the incredible aspects of Pinnacles National Park—the nation's newest national park!

Wildflowers: Up Close and Personal
July 13th, 2:00 pm - Pinnacles National Park Visitor Contact Station, west side
With his stunning macro photography, David Guvernick, co-author of Wildflowers of Monterey County, will show us Pinnacles' breathtaking wildflowers through a new and unexpected perspective.

On the Edge: Prairie Falcons of Pinnacles
July 20th, 2:00 pm - Pinnacles National Park Visitor Contact Station, west side
Pinnacles Raptor Biologist, Gavin Emmons, will help us explore the fascinating lives of Pinnacles' Prairie Falcons. We'll learn what it takes to survive on the edge and what part we play in the falcon's continued success.

In August the topic will be sustainability and climate change.

Defining Climate Change
August 3rd, 2:00pm - Soledad Library
Join Ranger Matt to discuss what climate change is and look at some places where it is impacting people and wildlife.

A Night Under the Stars
August 10th, 2:00pm - Pinnacles National Park, west side
Join Pinnacles Partnership Board Member David Buamgartner and others to look at the planets and stars!Scopes provided.

A Changing Ocean
August 17th, 2:00pm - Pinnacles National Park, west side
Elliot Hazen, working with UC Santa Cruz and partnered with the Pacific Grove NOAA lab, will share the effects of climate change on the area's ocean and steps we can take to keep it healthy.

A Green Pinnacles
August 24th, 2:00pm - Pinnacles National Park, west side
Candice Wong from rrm design will show us how Pinnacles is 'going green' and share ideas on how you can make your own home more sustainable.

THANKS FOR JOINING US! If you have ideas for speakers on any of the monthly topics we have for June, July and August let us know.

Hope we see you back for the 2014 Speaker Series.

 

Did You Know?

A close-up view of rhyolite breccia

Rhyolitic breccia is the rock that the High Peaks and other rock formations at Pinnacles are made of. Rhyolite breccia is composed of lava sand, ash, and angular chunks of rock that were explosively ejected from the Pinnacles Volcano.