Pinnacles National Park is a National Park in California. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 5 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Pinnacles
We matched 5 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Pinnacles. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Scenic Viewpoints (2)
Caves (1)
Mountain Passes (1)
Fire Lookouts (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Pinnacles the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:16 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:13 PM | 244° | 9h 57m |
| February | 6:54 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:10 PM | 5:46 PM | 255° | 10h 52m |
| March | 7:16 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:13 PM | 268° | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:32 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:39 PM | 283° | 13h 07m |
| May | 5:59 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:05 PM | 295° | 14h 07m |
| June | 5:47 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:25 PM | 300° | 14h 38m |
| July | 5:59 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:24 PM | 298° | 14h 25m |
| August | 6:23 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:57 PM | 288° | 13h 34m |
| September | 6:48 AM | 7:22 AM | 6:40 PM | 7:14 PM | 274° | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:13 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:55 PM | 6:30 PM | 260° | 11h 17m |
| November | 6:43 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:57 PM | 248° | 10h 14m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:50 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:51 PM | 241° | 9h 41m |
Computed for the park's reference point (36.4903, -121.1814); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Pinnacles, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 4:53 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.5 | 14° |
| March | 4:09 AM – 5:49 AM | 1.7 | 21° |
| April | 2:00 AM – 4:50 AM | 2.8 | 24° |
| May | 12:07 AM – 4:07 AM | 4.0 | 25° |
| June | 10:16 PM – 3:46 AM | 5.5 | 25° |
| July | 10:11 PM – 2:31 AM | 4.3 | 25° |
| August | 9:32 PM – 12:22 AM | 2.8 | 24° |
| September | 8:41 PM – 10:21 PM | 1.7 | 21° |
| October | 7:56 PM – 8:26 PM | 0.5 | 14° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
4 Estimated Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon.
Weather & best time to visit
Pinnacles National Park has a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers, and mild winters with moderate precipitation. The park is several miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. A wider variation in seasonal temperatures can be expected in the local area. Summers are hot with temperatures above 100 degrees. Winters are cooler with highs in the 60s. Big swings in temperature occur between day and night, year round.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 26% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (49%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Entrance - Private Vehicle | $30.00 |
| Entrance - Motorcycle | $25.00 |
| Entrance - Per Person | $15.00 |
| Entrance - Non-commercial Groups | $15.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
Pinnacles National Park is accessible through highway 101 for the West entrance, and highway 25 for the East entrance. From highway 101 you must pass through the City of Soledad to find highway 146 which will lead to West side of Pinnacles. To enter East Pinnacles you must find highway 25 through the City of Hollister coming from the North, and King City through Bitter Water Road (G-13) when coming from the South. NOTE: There is no through road between the east and west entrance.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Group Camping
- RV Camping
- Caving
- Climbing
- Rock Climbing
- Food
- Picnicking
- Hands-On
- Citizen Science
- Volunteer Vacation
- Hiking
- Backcountry Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Shopping
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