Picnic area · Pinnacles National Park
An oak-shaded picnic stop behind the east-side campground pool.
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Pinnacles Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Pinnacles National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this place
Pinnacles Campground, Stores and Picnic Grove“You're approaching the entrance to Pinnacles Campground, with two useful stores nearby. The Campground Store sells basic food and camping supplies; think picnic top-up rather than a full meal.”
Plays as you drive up to Pinnacles Campground Day Use Area in the Parkwolf Pinnacles Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
Pinnacles Campground Day Use Area is a public picnic grove on the east side of the park, tucked behind the campground pool and store. Tables and elevated grills sit under large Valley Oaks. It’s a handy place for a proper pause between the east entrance and a longer day out; I wouldn’t make a special trip just to see it.
The grove shares the campground’s gravel overflow lot, the largest parking area on the east side, with space for about 150 vehicles. Flush restrooms, drinking water and trash/recycling receptacles are here too. Campers can leave extra vehicles in the lot overnight, but camping in the lot isn’t allowed.
To reach the Bench Trail, walk through the campground beyond the group sites; the trailhead isn’t beside the picnic tables. Bacon Ranch is past the dirt road from this area. A seasonal shuttle stop near the store runs to Bear Gulch Day Use Area. Dogs can stay in the picnic area on a six-foot leash, but they can’t go on park trails.
Wildlife
47 sightingsCalifornia CondorMost seen around 1 PMSighting map
26 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
19 sightingsChipmunkMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
33 sightingsTurkey VultureMost seen around noonSighting map
26 sightingsAcorn WoodpeckerMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
16 sightingsSteller's JayMost seen around 8 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Pinnacles. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
EasyBacon-Butterfield Ranch Trail2.8 mi · 1.8 hr · At the trailheadAn easy valley walk through two old homesteads.
ModerateCampground to Balconies Cave9.4 mi · 5 hr · 0.5 mi awayA sunny creek walk to a talus cave and a cliffside return.
ModerateCampground to South Wilderness Trail5.8 mi · 3.5 hr · 0.5 mi awayA mellow oak-valley walk on a faint, unmaintained creekside trail.
ModerateCampground to Bear Gulch Day Use Area2.3 mi · 1.5 hr · 0.5 mi awayA moderate one-way walk follows two creeks to Bear Gulch.
EasyBench Trail Accessible Section0.8 mi · 30 min · 1.2 mi awayOak shade and High Peaks views on a gentle accessible walk.
ModerateSycamore Trail1 mi · 45 min · 1.3 mi awayA gentle creekside mile between Peaks View and Bear Gulch.
ChallengingHigh Peaks Trail to Old Pinnacles Trail to Condor Gulch Trail Loop12.6 mi · 7.5 hr · 1.5 mi awayA full-day circuit through caves, High Peaks spires, and wild ridges.
ModerateBlue Oak Trail5.3 mi · 3.5 hr · 1.5 mi awayOak and tall grass give way to the High Peaks.
Store · At the trailheadEast Pinnacles Park StoreAn east-side stop for park books, gifts and a passport stamp.
Store · At the trailheadPinnacles Campground StoreA quick campground resupply stop for basics and firewood.
Sight · 0.2 mi awayPinnacles AmphitheaterA seasonal ranger talk is an easy evening extra.
Sight · 0.3 mi awayBacon RanchHomestead buildings with the story of early park hospitality.
Campground · 0.3 mi awayPinnacles CampgroundA practical basecamp with the Bench Trail at your doorstep.
Sight · 1.2 mi awayPeaks View Parking AreaPicnic tables and trail access beside a low-key peaks view
Entrance station · 1.4 mi awayPinnacles East Entrance StationGet oriented before the east-side road continues to Pinnacles Campground.
Visitor center · 2.1 mi awayBear Gulch Nature CenterA compact ranger stop before Bear Gulch trailsParkwolf’s Pinnacles ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
