Pinnacles Campground in Beautiful Central California

Published on by naomyoutdoors
  • Location: In Pinnacles National Park near Paicines, CA
  • Month: September
  • Site: #17
  • Bathrooms/showers: Yes, flush toilets and showers available
  • Cost: $40-129; PLUS National Park entrance fee of $35 for the day
  • Reservations: HERE

Camping in a National Park like Pinnacles is SUCH great experience, especially with such an underrated national park like this one. I made a road-trip itinerary directly around Pinnacles National Park because it sits a bit more isolated than others, but it is well worth the experience. Well-known for their condors and caves, I truly enjoyed this campground and it’s diverse camping experience. And I hope this encourages you to visit this beautiful camping spot and national park

Campground

Pinnacles campground sit right within the borders of Pinnacles National Park. To access it, it is important to note that it lies off the East Entrance of the park–there are two entrances to the park that DO NOT connect by road. Therefore, finding the correct directions to this campground is important. Always double check the location entered into the gps!

We arrived later in the evening, and I immediately lost cell signal in the national park (I have verizion). We also arrived when the sun had set far enough that trees covered it, so it was still warm, but not unbearable. I strongly recommend shade bringing umbrellas or shade cover because the weather can easily be over 100 degrees depending on what time of year you are visiting.

Pinnacles Campground is very flat with paved roads and dirt campsites. Most campsite had minimal tree coverage.

This campground has bathrooms and showers available for use. The convenience store and visitor center are within walking distance with a pool accessible between April and September. Over 30 miles of incredibly unique trails are available for use nearby.

The campground has both tent and group campsites, as well as cabin-like sleeping options and RV electric hookups. 

Campsite

This campsite (and surround ones) sat completely exposed to the elements. Both a picnic table and fire pit were available. The parking spot was paved with plenty more room for additional cars. The campsite was also ample enough for many additional tents as well. Shrubs bordered this campsite on one end, and the other side we neighbored with an unoccupied campsite. But it was otherwise not crowded at all.

What is nearby the Campground?

Like I previously mentioned, there are over 30 miles of trails to explore nearby. I highly recommend downloading All Trails on your phone so that you’re able to download digital copies of the map and easily follow your location. I did not have signal except for some few spots, so having a map on my phone that could still track my gps location was very helpful. 

Some trails that are popular include The Balconies, Bear Gulch Trail to Bear Gulch Reservoir, and High Peaks, but please do your research with each trail as weather conditions can be harsh. The caves are definitely cooler in temps, but the surround trails and significantly exposed to the heat.

The trails were probably my favorite part because of the unique experience they provided. Stairs and paths led you through the slot canyons and caves in Pinnacles National Park, and at times you had to scramble. The caves made me feel like I transported to another land entirely and it was so cool walking through to the reservoir.  

Finally, this campground lies 1.5 hours north of Paso Robles; 1-2 hours south of Monterey depending on which entrance you used

Final Thoughts

I honestly don’t have anything else significant to note about this campsite except that it was easily accessible with lots of space in every direction. The roads were paved, and the campground was well-kept with no noticeable negatives to report. I think it’s a great pit stop in a roadtrip, and the campground location is perfect in order to explore the park a little more. My next visit, I would venture to get another site with more shade cover if I planned to spend more time in the campsite itself.

Curious about other campsites in California? I review all the wonderful campsites (and not so wonderful campsites) here that I have stayed at. Take a peek, get outside, and happy adventuring!

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