News Release

Pinnacles National Park is beginning to increase recreational access to vehicles for day-use visitation on the West side, with limitations.

Date: May 29, 2020
Contact: Christopher Symons

Soledad, CA – Following guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, Pinnacles National Park is increasing recreational access on the west entrance of the park. The National Park Service (NPS) is working servicewide with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and using a phased approach to increase access on a park-by-park basis.

Beginning 5/30/20, Pinnacles National Park will reopen access to:  

• The west entrance of the park located near Soledad, CA to vehicular traffic. Once all the available parking spaces in the park are full, vehicles will not allowed into the park. Traffic will not be allowed to form a line to wait for available parking spaces. Due to increased wildland fire danger, parking along the roadside outside the park boundary is highly discouraged. The West Entrance will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and outside of these times the gates will remain shut.

In addition, entry fees are waived, and the following spaces continue to be available:   

• The east entrance located in Paicines, CA will remains accessible via by bicycle or foot traffic from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Vehicle parking is not permitted inside the park. Limited, private parking may be available outside the park.
• The campground (accessible through the east entrance) remains open to campers with existing reservations, which can be made online at Recreation.gov before arrival.

With public health in mind, the following facilities remain closed at this time:

• Nature and Visitor Centers remain closed.
• Shuttle services inside the park remain non-operational.
• Trail closures, including the cave trails and sections of the High Peaks trail are closed.

The health and safety of our visitors, employees, volunteers, and partners continues to be paramount. At Pinnacles National Park, our operational approach will be to examine each facility function and service provided to ensure those operations comply with current public health guidance, and will be regularly monitored. We continue to work closely with the NPS Office of Public Health using CDC guidance to ensure public and workspaces are safe and clean for visitors, employees, partners, and volunteers.

While these areas are accessible for visitors to enjoy, a return to full operations will continue to be phased and services may be limited. When recreating, the public should follow local area health orders, practice Leave No Trace principles, avoid crowding and avoid high-risk outdoor activities.

The CDC has offered guidance to help people recreating in parks and open spaces prevent the spread of infectious diseases. We will continue to monitor all park functions to ensure that visitors adhere to CDC guidance for mitigating risks associated with the transmission of COVID-19, and take any additional steps necessary to protect public health.  

Details and updates on park operations will continue to be posted on our website https://www.nps.gov/pinn/learn/news/newsreleases.htm and social media channels. Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus.
www.nps.gov

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 419 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.