Plan a Ranger Guided Field Trip!
Pinnacles National Park offers both ranger guided hikes and ranger talks to visiting school groups with reservations. Ranger-led programs are held on the east side of the park, off of Highway 25, on Tuesday and Wednesday at 10am. Note: Ranger-led programs are currently unavailable due to staffing.
Note: The road system into the west side of Pinnacles cannot accommodate buses. Transportation reimbursement may be available for some qualifying schools.
What does a typical field trip look like?
Reservations are required for all ranger programs and ranger-guided field trips, and space is limited. At this time we are only scheduling ranger talks, with guided hikes expected to begin in January.
Please send inquiries to e-mail us or call 831-389-4486 ext 4241.
Want a more hands-on experience for your students?
Service learning field trips may be scheduled throughout the school year.
Plan a Self-Guided Field Trip!
Planning to take your classroom on a field trip to Pinnacles, but don't need a ranger as a guide? A ranger is not required for self-guided excursions in the park! No scheduling is necessary; however, you may request an entrance fee waiver.
Request a Virtual Field Trip!
Can't make it to the park but still want a National Park experience for your classroom? Consider scheduling a virtual field trip!
Entrance Fee Waiver For Educational Field Trips
Visits from accredited educational institutions can have park entrance fees waived. You will need to apply for a fee waiver and complete sections 1,2, and 5. Submit your application to:
Pinnacles National Park
Attn: Mike Brindeiro
5000 East Entrance Road
Paicines, CA 95043
Email: mike_brindeiro@nps.gov
*Allow 60 days for your application to be processed.*
Frequently Asked Questions about field trips
All educational programming begins at 10:00AM. Impeding on the program start time results in a shorter or modified program. If a group has a time-related problem, Please call the Pinnacles Visitor Center at 831-389-4485 to inform the ranger on duty.
If a school group has arrived to the wrong side of the Park or if we have not heard a travel status update from a group by 10:45AM (45-minutes after the designated start time), the program will be canceled.
Park Rangers will lead outdoor activities rain or shine, unless there is an extraordinary weather event or natural disaster. Please call the Pinnacles Visitor Center at 831-389-4485 to inform us of a desire to cancel.
Groups may ask to speak with the Education Specialist to inquire about rescheduling and other programming options available.
To ensure a safe day of educational activities, schools need to provide at least a 1:8 adult to student ratio. Please plan accordingly to ensure there are enough adults to accompany the students. The program may be canceled if there is not at least 1 adult for every 8 students.
Each student, teacher and chaperone that participates in an educational program at Pinnacles should each have at least 1-liter of water for a typical 2-mile round trip hike. For a longer hike, each individual should have 1-liter of water for each additional mile. This is especially a concern during the summer months when daily temperatures exceed 100°.
Each student, teacher, and chaperone should have closed-toe hiking shoes, such as sneakers or boots; Sandals are not proper hiking shoes. Everyone attending the trip should also be prepared with the proper clothing given the season. The weather at Pinnacles is unpredictable and can change frequently throughout the day. Teachers may call 831-389-4485 to receive a weather update for the week.
If going through the caves students and chaperones are encouraged to bring flashlights or headlamps.
The staff at Pinnacles National Park have been trained and certified to handle medical, fire, earthquake, and search and rescue emergencies. If an emergency should occur, the park ranger leading the group will immediately notify park dispatch via radio and take any necessary action.
Currently, Pinnacles offers Parks-as-Classrooms activities which meet the educational standards set by the state of California. Programs cater to grades K - 12. If you do not wish to take part in a Ranger-led tour, you may also schedule a one day Teacher-led visit.
Educators may schedule a program and/or apply for a educational fee waiver at Pinnacles by downloading the Educational Program/Fee Waiver Request form. Accredited schools of the State of California with educational plans or objectives for visiting the park will have their entrance fee waived. When completed, mail or fax the form back to the address or fax number indicated on the form.
The Educational Program Request and Application for Educational Waiver of Fees must be received via fax or post at least 2 months in advance of the date of the school visit. Programs scheduled within 2 months of a desired date may only be available for a Teacher-led visit.
Pinnacles is a beautiful place to visit anytime of year. There is always some type of vegetation to examine and discover at Pinnacles, regardless of the season. The most popular time of year is March and April when average high temperatures range from mid 60s to mid 70s. The least popular time of year is December - February when the average high temperatures range from low 50s - mid 60s and rain is more prevalent.
The size of your group must be limited to no more than 35 people on the trail. Groups that consist of more than 35 people may cause negative impacts to the trails and park resources. Most of the trails at Pinnacles are narrow, which makes it difficult to effectively discuss educational concepts to large groups while hiking. Large class sizes may still visit the park given that the class can be broken into smaller groups. In order to comply with this policy, please plan accordingly.
If the students are visiting on the east side of the park, they will most likely hike the Moses Spring/Rim Trail Loop. This trail loop is considered to be moderate hike and is approximately 2 miles long. Other trails accessible from the east side of the park are the Condor Gulch, Bear Gulch Caves, and Chalone Peak Trails.
If the students are visiting on the west side of the park, they will most likely hike the Balconies Trail. This trail is considered to be a moderate hike and is approximately .6 mile. It connects with the Balconies Cliffs and Balconies Cave Trails for a 1.2 mile loop. Other trails accessible from the west side of the park are the Juniper Canyon , Tunnel, and High Peaks Trails.
Before visiting Pinnacles, the Education Specialist will discuss which trail they will be leading the students on when they come to the park.
**Note: all ranger-led education programs are conducted on the EAST side of the park.
There are two talus caves at Pinnacles National Park. If interested in experiencing either of these caves, flashlights are required! The Bear Gulch Cave is on the east side of the park and the Balconies Cave on the west side of the park. Since the discovery of a maternity colony of the endangered Townsend Big-eared bats in 1997, the Bear Gulch Cave is only open seasonally. The Balconies Cave is open year round for visitor exploration, but may be closed periodically because of flooding.
This is a difficult question to answer because the schedule of cave openings and closings depends primarily on the population and behavior of a protected colony of Townsend Big-eared bats. If you would like the class to experience the cave while it is completely open, you will probably want to plan your visit at the end of March or October. However, there is no guarantee that these times will coincide with the tenancies of the Townsend Big-eared bats.
The best way to become familiar with the trails at Pinnacles is to visit the park and hike the trails the students will be hiking on personal time. However, if this is not an option, teachers can become familiar with the trails their students will be hiking by reading detailed trail descriptions.
Yes, the Pinnacles Campground is located on the East side of the Pinnacles National Park, off Highway 25 from Hollister (North) or from King City (South). Tent, RV, and group sites are available. To make reservations, go to www.recreation.gov or call (831) 200-1722.
Pinnacles National Park protects these resources for the enjoyment of future generations. Students, teachers, and chaperones are permitted to take pictures, but are not permitted to take park resources for any reason.
Last updated: July 15, 2024