Pinnacles National Monument
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Pinnacles National Monument
Central California
Pinnacles National Monument offers great outdoor adventure for your next family vacation. There is hiking through unique geological spires and rock formations, rock climbing, picnicking, camping, and talus caves to be explored as well as fantastic wildlife viewing. Continue reading for further information on Pinnacles National Monument. Photo from www.Pinnacles.AreaParks.com
Uniqueness
Pinnacles National Monument gets its name from rock spires and crags that are remnants of an ancient volcano. The volcano eroded over millions of years as it moved northward along the San Andreas Fault. Rock debris in the form of boulders has weathered and settled, leaving behind spires of volcanic rock and talus caves.
Located near the boundary of the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate, Pinnacles is an excellent example of tectonic plate movement. The Pinnacles Rocks are believed to have originated in the Neenach Volcano, near present-day Lancaster, California. The unique breccias of Pinnacles are only found elsewhere in the Neenach Formation, some 195 miles (314 km) southeast. The displacement of the Pinnacles from its point of origin is a testament to the longevity and importance of the San Andreas Fault, which once split the original volcano. The right lateral movement of this giant transform fault has carried the Pinnacles north at a rate of approximately 0.59 inches (1.5 cm) per year.
People come to Pinnacles to hike, rock climb, watch and study wildlife, view wildflowers, and experience nature. Pinnacles offers solitude, challenge, and escape from urban development. Unlike many national parks, Pinnacles is most popular in the cooler months. During the spring, when the grasses are green and a variety of wildflowers can be seen along any trail, hiking is at its best. Fall and winter are also excellent times to visit.
The rolling chaparral and dramatic rock faces of Pinnacles National Monument inspire loyalty in visitors, from picnickers to rock-climbers, and from stargazers to cave explorers. Pinnacles is visually stunning, as anyone who has seen the smooth orb of the moon glide from behind the crags of the High Peaks can attest, or who has watched the flashing black and white wings of acorn woodpeckers as they tuck acorns into the thick bark of gray pines.
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