SUNNY, MILD AUTUMN DAYS are a nice time to see Pinnacles National Park in Monterey and San Benito counties, and a federal government shutdown hasn’t stopped visitors from arriving.
For one thing, admission has been free during the shutdown, which officially ended Wednesday. The park’s main east entrance is open, but no one has been there to collect the entrance fee, which starts at $15.
“During this lapse in appropriations, national parks will remain as accessible as possible,” reads a window sign at the entrance. The sign warns that “some amenities and services may not be available.”
Pinnacles was shaped by volcanic eruptions an estimated 23 million years ago that left behind massive rock formations and deep canyons. Today it has over 30 miles of scenic trails in its 42 square miles. Pinnacles, located about 80 miles south of San Jose, is also a popular site for rock climbing.
On a recent weekday, there was ample parking. Cars with license plates from New York, Missouri and Minnesota, and closer California locations could be seen in Pinnacle’s parking lots.
Limited services at the park didn’t stop visitors like Marius Franx, 30, and Boris Dann, 29, who were looking at a map at the Moses Spring parking lot. Both men were visiting from Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
“There was no person at the (entrance) counter,” said Franx.
“The campground is still open,” said Dann, who initially learned this from an internet search.
Bats, caves and trails free to explore
Many visitors hike from that parking lot to Bear Gulch Cave, home to a species called Townsend’s big-eared bats. Signs at the park say that the cave is partially open, though it is “unlikely that you will see any bats.” Flashlights are mandatory in the cave. Balconies Cave is another popular cave, also reached after a hike.
One place to learn more about the bats is the Bear Gulch Nature Center, but the shutdown has forced its closure. For visitors who want to participate in the Passport to Your National Parks program, a stool had been placed outside with an ink pad and passport stamp.
Restrooms and trash facilities appeared to be well-maintained despite the shutdown.
Some hiking trails at the park ascend to great heights, while others are short and flat. The park is home to the California condor, a large bird brought back from the brink of extinction. Visitors on hiking trails are more likely to see quail, a small bird that tends to run rather than fly away.
Due to the distance from the Bay Area, many visitors to the national park stay overnight at the Pinnacles campground, which has restrooms, showers, a general store and a pool open in summer. Camping options include tent and RV sites. Due to very high fire danger, no campfires are currently allowed. Camping reservations can be made online.
Other visitors might want to stay at hotels located in the city of Hollister, which is 32 miles north of the park on state Highway 25. A western entrance to the park is currently closed to cars, according to an Oct. 22 posting on the park’s website. The western entrance allows visitors to enter the park near U.S. Highway 101 in Monterey County.
Pinnacles was preserved as a national monument by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908. It became a national park in 2013 after a vote by Congress.