A few weeks ago, taking advantage of the three day Presidents Day weekend, we headed out of town with some of our Scout families for a camping trip to Pinnacles National Park. Sami and I had visited this park over Spring Break 2022, and we had really enjoyed our visits to both the east and west sides of the park. Following two winters of atmospheric rivers, the park looked a bit different and this trek presented some challenges that Sami and I did not encounter on our trip nearly two years ago.
For one it rained. And rained. And rained. February always presents some risk of wet weather, but the El Niño of this past winter brought copious amounts of precipitation over California, and of course we had the good fortune of a major storm the weekend of our trip. Having made our reservations to the campground nearly six months in advance as is recommended, we were at the mercy of the elements. The drive up from the San Gabriel Valley to Paicines was uneventful, and indeed lovely. The bright blue skies were decorated with puffy white clouds over green hills and fields. Until we hit Coalinga. After our fuel and restroom stop off Interstate 5 along California route 198, the weather changed from sunny blue to grey. It was still scenic, the greys set in contrast over the rolling green hills dotted with early wildflowers along 198. But the scattered raindrops gave way to heavy drizzle as we approached the entrance to the east side of the park, setting the mood for a subdued adventure. At least there was a nice new sign at the east entrance.
After meeting our group at the turnoff to enter the park, we soon made it through the visitor kiosk. As usual, we had our national parks annual pass at the ready. We found our campsite, a large group campsite near Chalone Creek and the Bench Trail. After parking the van, we made quick work of setting up our tents. The rain picked up and was coming down fast, which made set up more uncomfortable. I was thankful for the superfluous number of AA batteries for the portable air compressor to blow up the air mattress inside the tent rather than doing so in the car. The end result: a nice dry tent in which to do some reading while listening to the sound of the rain outside.
After about 1.5 hours, the rain let up. We walked to the visitor center to get some advice on weather and possible trails if there was a significant break in the rain. We were happy to find that the morning would be dry enough to get in some hiking, and that the upper Bear Gulch caves would be accessible. The lower caves, which Sami and I had hiked last time were flooded, and thus were closed on this trip, but we would still be able to enjoy an adventure the next morning.
The rain decided to hold off while the guys started on dinner. I used that as an opportunity to stretch my legs and take a little walk along the Bench Trail. While a little muddy, the trail was not too dicey. It was quiet, and pretty along the creek. I walked down the trail over the bridge and toward the Bear Gulch Day Use area. I only went about a mile; the day was short and I didn’t want to worry anyone being gone too long. Even so, the time was pleasant, and the sounds of the wind in the trees and the flowing of the creek was relaxing.
The next morning brought cloudy cool weather that turned into sunny blue skies. The ranger’s prediction the day before proved accurate: we would have the morning into the early afternoon hours for outdoor adventures. We enjoyed an early breakfast and set off before 8:00 to ensure a parking spot at the Bear Gulch parking area. We hit the trail and headed toward the reservoir. The lower caves were fenced off, however we could continue the trail on the right to get to the upper caves. There was definitely more water than when Sami and I hiked the upper caves, which caused me to be a bit more cautious with the trail, however, everyone arrived at the reservoir just fine.
Unlike in 2022, we did not stop for a snack break at the reservoir. I did not meet with my squirrel nemesis; in fact, I would not have been able to get to the other side without getting into the water. Instead, after taking photos, we trekked on, taking the Rim Trail back to the parking area. There was more lichen in vibrant greens and oranges decorating the rocky cliffs, and the wildflowers were starting to bloom.
We made it back to the cars the partly cloudy morning had given way to fair skies. Indeed, the day was turning out to be a perfect day for hiking- not too hot or cold, beautifully sunny with a nice breeze. So the adventure was not over. We drove to Old Pinnacles to explore more of the park.
The Old Pinnacles Trail runs along the Chalone Creek and connects the east side of the park to Balconies Cave on the west side. From the trailhead at the Old Pinnacles parking area, it is about a 2.6 mile hike to Balconies. The trail is mostly sunny, with only limited shade through the forested areas. Still, it is a very nice trail from which you can see more of the rock formations in the national park. While rated moderate according to the NPS website probably on account of distance, the trail is flat.
We learned from the ranger the day prior that Old Pinnacles Trail, was closed about half-way in, and that unfortunately Balconies Cave would be closed as well. Our plan was to hike until we got tired or hit the closure; the rain would be coming back later in the afternoon. After having a snack and reapplying sunscreen, we headed to the trailhead and hiked west. The weather held up, and the day continued to be sunny and on the cooler side. The boys went on ahead, and I stayed a bit back- at points with some of the other scout family members or by myself. It was pleasant hiking along the sparkling creek and listening to the sound of the breeze rushing through the trees. After hiking about 1.5 miles, the boys hit the closure. I was not far behind, and we turned around. It was time to head back to camp for lunch before the inclement weather returned. Though we didn’t get to see the Balconies on this trip, it was still a nice time and a relaxed adventure.
Some things to consider:
While on the trail, we found out from a ranger that there had been an accident in the Balconies Cave a week or two prior which resulted in the closure of the caves. The winter rains meant that the caves were much more slippery than usual. This could definitely be detrimental, especially if hiking the balconies from west to east where it is easy to lose footing on a good day.
The Old Pinnacles Trail has some shade, but is rather sunny. Sun protection and water are a must on this hike.
If you have the good fortune to be able to explore the caves, a flashlight is necessary and a headlamp is even better. There are some dark places in the Balconies Caves where we wouldn’t have been able to see without light. Also, we learned the hard way during our 2022 trip to bring both extra batteries and any tools needed to change out dead batteries.
The weather can change quickly in the park. I found dressing in layers to be helpful, especially since the morning started off chilly but got warm while we were on the trail. We also checked with the park rangers in making our plans for the day since there were storms coming in.
There is very limited cell service in Pinnacles National Park. This was great for me, as it forced me to slow down and not stress out about work and other obligations. On the flip side, it made checking the weather forecast more difficult, and in the event of an emergency, it would have been difficult to get a hold of people.
While we did end up cutting our trip short on account of the powerful winter storm that came through in the evening (and I had to drive home through anyway), this trek was still a fun adventure. I was able to explore a bit more of the east side of the park, and enjoy how lush the park looked after two years of wet weather. It was also nice to spend some time with our scout family. After all, life is an adventure meant to be shared, and our national parks are a great place to do just that.
The Cranky Camper 