Bear Gulch Reservoir

Bear Gulch Reservoir is a small pool held by a stonework dam, tucked among the rock spires at the upstream end of Bear Gulch Cave. It is the signature destination on the Bear Gulch side of Pinnacles, and a striking place to pause after the climb. Allow about a mile uphill from Moses Spring Trailhead; this is a hike, not a drive-up viewpoint.

Moses Spring Trail climbs through the talus cave passages when they are open. Cave access changes with the season and can also close for high water, rockfall or bat activity, so check the current status before setting out. When the cave passage is closed, use the trail bypass. From the reservoir, you can return the same way or make a longer circuit on the Rim Trail.

The developed Bear Gulch area has drinking water, restrooms and a picnic area. There is no drinking water or food service along the trail to the reservoir, so fill up and pack a snack before leaving the trailhead. The facilities at the base are useful, but they are not beside the water.

The dam's rough stonework blends into the boulder country around it. CCC work on the dam is dated to 1935, when its scenic value mattered as much as downstream flood control. There may have been an earlier dam before the park, but its date and its relationship to the 1935 work are unclear.

The reservoir is also breeding habitat for the threatened California red-legged frog. The frogs disappeared here in the early 1980s, probably after non-native black bullhead catfish were introduced. Park staff drained the reservoir and removed about 1,700 pounds of catfish in 1985; recovery work began in 2001 by protecting eggs brought from nearby streams. A 2003 survey counted 427 newly transformed frogs. If you spot one, keep your distance: approaching close enough to make it jump counts as harassment.

On a still day, frame the spires and their reflection together, with the reddish shoreline rocks across the bottom of the picture. That gives the water some depth and keeps the rugged setting in the shot; reflections depend on conditions, so enjoy them when the pool is calm.