Pinnacles Talus Caves

About this spectacle

Pinnacles National Park harbors a network of talus caves formed not by water dissolving rock, but by massive boulders tumbling into narrow canyons and jamming together overhead, leaving dark passageways beneath. Visitors squeeze and duck through Bear Gulch Cave or Balconies Cave, guided by headlamp through chambers where shafts of light filter between boulders. The rock walls are volcanic breccia — remnants of an ancient volcano — rough-textured and ochre-tinged. In the cooler interior, the air drops noticeably, a relief on hot days. The caves are home to a colony of Townsend's big-eared bats, and sections are seasonally closed to protect roosting and nursery activity. Emerging from the far end into sunlight, with the volcanic spires of the High Peaks above, rewards the effort of the scramble.

When to go

Jan — Dec, peak Oct — Apr

Getting there

Nearest airport: SJC. Nearest city: Salinas.

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