High Peaks to Bear Gulch Loop

High Peaks to Bear Gulch Loop is a 6.7-mile circuit from the Moses Spring trailhead, over the High Peaks ridge, down Blue Oak, and back through Bench and Sycamore. Plan four to five hours. The park rates it strenuous, and that fits: you get a long, exposed climb, a steep rocky ridge, and a mostly open descent before the shaded return. If that is more than you want, the separate 5.3-mile Condor Gulch to High Peaks loop is shorter; it uses Condor Gulch in place of Blue Oak and is still a serious hike.

The 6.7-mile line here follows the cave-free High Peaks, Blue Oak, Bench, and Sycamore itinerary. Bear Gulch Cave is a separate detour. The route description does not say whether its mileage includes the cave, and longer accounts put the cave version around 7.4 miles, so treat the cave as extra walking.

Most of the work comes before Blue Oak. The route climbs roughly 1,425 feet toward the spires, then threads the Steep and Narrow section on rock-cut steps. Some ledges are close to steep drops; rails help through the tightest passages, but this is not the stretch to rush or choose if heights make you uneasy. The views open across the pinnacles and surrounding ridges, and the trail itself is part of the view when the steps wind between the rock walls.

There is no drinking water along the trails. The High Peaks are mostly exposed, and summer temperatures on the ridge can run at least 10 degrees hotter than the parking area. Start in cooler hours and fill up before leaving the developed access area.

Blue Oak leaves the High Peaks for rolling, grassy slopes. It is a long, sun-baked descent with less shade and less drama underfoot than the narrow ridge, but it keeps the route moving through a different side of Pinnacles. In spring, grasses and wildflowers fill the open meadows. Bitterroot and two-leaved onion grow in the rocky areas; the park's peak bloom period is usually March through May, though rain and temperature shift the timing each year.

Bench and Sycamore trade the open ridge for a more sheltered return beneath valley oaks, sycamores, and buckeyes. After hours in the sun, this wooded stretch is a welcome change of pace. The loop closes by Bear Gulch; water in the creek is not dependable, so do not count on it as a refill.

These rocks began as a volcanic field about 23 million years ago near present-day Lancaster, roughly 195 miles southeast of the park. Movement along the San Andreas Fault carried the formation north on the Pacific Plate. Water and wind have since weathered the fractured rock into the towers and narrow passages you walk among today.

Moses Spring Parking Area is the nearest lot to the trailhead, but it has only 10 spaces. Bear Gulch Day Use Area has 64 spaces, restrooms, drinking water, and the Nature Center; its lot can fill early. There is no separate hiking or parking fee, but park admission applies. No reservation is required. Pets are not allowed on park trails; service animals are permitted.

Bear Gulch Cave is seasonal and may close during winter flooding or for bat protection. Check the park's current cave status before adding it; the stored route and 6.7-mile distance do not include the cave detour.