Temporary Operational Guidelines

Following guidance from the White House, Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state and local public health authorities, Pinnacles National Park will remain open for day-use. Review the full list of closures and operation changes here.

Open:

• All parking lots and most trails on the east side of the park. Weekend and holiday visitors are encourages to arrive prior to 9:30am to ensure a parking spot.
• All west side parking lots and trails.
• The Pinnacles Campground; reservations can be made at recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777

In addition, entry fees are waived

Closed:

• Bear Gulch Nature Center and West Visitor Center remain closed.
• Shuttle services inside the park remain non-operational.
• ALL CAVES remain closed (Balconies and Bear Gulch Caves).

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I enter the park from the West entrance?

Yes,the West entrance (Soledad side) of the park is open to vehicles for day-use. You must enter the park between the hours of 7:30 am and 8:00 pm. Restrooms, water, and maps are available.The Visitor Center is closed.

Can I enter the park from the East Entrance?

Yes, the East entrance (Hollister side) is open for day-use, this includes hiking, climbing and picnicking. All parking areas are open. 24 hours, 7 days a week. The official park store is open 9am-4pm, Thursday-Monday. The shuttle is not running at this time. The campground is open and is accepting reservations. Please visit recreation.gov to make reservations or call 1-877-444-6777

What facilities and services are closed?

West Side Contact Station, and Bear Gulch Nature Center are closed until further notice. Bear Gulch Caves and Balconies Caves remain closed until further notice.The cave closure does not effect any trails. The Bear Gulch Reservoir loop is still accessible. There will be no shuttle service available.

Which facilities and services are open?

All trails except the caves. The cave closure does not effect any trails.The Bear Gulch Reservoir loop is still accessible as well as the High Peaks trail to Balconies Cliffs loop.

The park book store is now open! Store hours are Wednesday through Monday, 9:00 am to 4:00 PM.

The campground is open! Visit recreation.gov to make reservations. The campground store is open 9am to 5pm, 7-days a week. Please call [phone] for more information.

All restrooms in the park are open but will be closed more frequently for cleaning. The pit toilet at Scout's Peak is closed.

Which trails are closed?

-The Bear Gulch caves
-The Balconies caves

Can I go through the caves?

Not right now. Due to the confined nature of the caves, both the Bear Gulch caves and Balconies caves are closed until further notice.

Can I still camp in the park?

The campground is open! Please visit recreation.gov or call 1-877-444-6777 to make reservations. For more information on campground facilities please call [phone].

My county has a shelter-in-place order, can I still visit the park?

Please check all shelter-in-place orders for your state/county as well as any orders for counties you will be passing through on your way to the park for guidance.

Are you collecting entrance fees?

We will not be collecting fees for entry into the park until further notice.

People who choose to visit Pinnacles National Park during this pandemic are encouraged to adhere to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state and local public health authorities to protect visitors and employees. As services are limited, the NPS urges visitors to continue to practice Leave No Trace principles, including pack-in and pack-out, to keep outdoor spaces safe and healthy.


Updates about NPS operations will be posted on www.nps.gov/coronavirus. Please check with individual parks for specific details about park operations.