Exploring Bear Gulch in Pinnacles National Park
Pinnacles National Park is not very well known, even in California. It’s often overshadowed by the more famous Yosemite, Sequoia, Joshua Tree, and other National Parks. But those who take the time to visit are sure to leave impressed and can’t wait to return soon! I know we did!
We arrived at the entrance station on the east side of Pinnacles just after 8 A.M. To my surprise, there was already a short line to get in. It was a cool Sunday morning, around 50 degrees, and there were no clouds in the deep blue sky. This was my wife and I’s first time visiting the park, and we had just planned on a day trip.
The goal was to check out the Bear Gulch Talus Cave. I’d seen pictures online, and it looked amazing. We drove into the park and passed the campground, located a short distance past the entrance station.
After gaining some elevation, we arrived at the Bear Gulch Parking Area before too long. The parking lot was pretty small and nearly full. There was a ranger blocking the road to an even smaller and full parking lot about a quarter mile up the road. We found a spot and decided to do a short two-and-a-half-mile lollipop loop comprising the Bear Gulch Cave Trail, Rim Trail, and Moses Springs Trail.
Hiking Bear Gulch in Pinnacles National Park
The first section was mostly flat and led to the cave’s entrance. We got super lucky from the start! We were able to see two California Condors soaring overhead. They were enormous! They were pretty high up, but you could clearly see the white triangle on the underside of their wings. Besides their larger size, that’s the easiest way I know to distinguish them from Turkey Vultures. Pinnacles is one of only a few places in the country where you can see condors in the wild.
Not even 100 yards into the hike, I already considered it a success because of the fantastic wildlife sightings, but little did I know that sweeping views were just ahead. We went through a short tunnel along the way to the entrance of Bear Gulch Cave, which was pretty cool.
When we got to the entrance, there was a big sign that flashlights were required! We turned on our headlamps and ventured in. The temperature dropped what felt like ten degrees immediately upon entering. It was humid and cool, and I could hear flowing water a short distance away. Bear Gulch is a talus cave, meaning rockfalls formed it. So, there were a few areas where light slipped in, but others were pitch black with the headlamp off.
You can expect quite a few narrow and wet stairs along the way. There were a few raging waterfalls right next to the trail. A rock wall was built up in one section with flowing water on each side. The wall was there to help hikers avoid getting their feet wet. My wife and I failed miserably at this, slipping almost immediately and resigning ourselves to wet feet for the remainder of the hike.
Next, after climbing some more steep stairs, we came to the upper portion of the cave, which was gated off from public access. It’s only open a few weeks each spring and fall. A large colony of bats roosts there, and the National Park Service limits access to protect them.
We soon exited the main portion of the cave trail. I’m 5’11, and there were a few spots where I had to crouch. In one place, I did have to get down on my hands and knees to make it through.
Hiking the Rim Trail
Soon, we came to a steep flight of stairs and a dam. There was a small waterfall tumbling down as well. We made it to the reservoir and the start of the Rim Trail. This was a great spot to take a little break and have some water while enjoying the view. There were a half dozen others with the same idea. Sitting there, we kept getting buzzed by one particularly bold California Scrub Jay, likely looking for a snack.
After a 15-minute break, we headed up the Rim Trail, which soon flattened to beautiful views of the surrounding mountains. Quite a few people were rock climbing on the nearby cliffs. We hoped to see more condors, but we were not lucky. There were tons of other birds buzzing around.
On the Rim Trail, then returning to the parking lot via the Mose Springs Trail, we saw plenty of turkey vultures, more scrub jays, stellers jays, an acorn woodpecker, and a hummingbird that buzzed between us so quickly that I have no clue what species it was.
In all, this was a short hike. About two and a half miles is all. But it was very rewarding, and I can’t recommend it enough. As we approached the parking lot, a friendly park volunteer set up a display stand with information about wildlife in the park. “Have you seen any Condors today?” She asked as we approached. “Two this morning about 100 yards up the trail,” I answered. “Oh, you got lucky! You never know if you are going to see them. They can be so elusive.” She said excitedly, pointing her binoculars towards the sky.
We said goodbye and headed back to the car, even more excited to have spent the morning in such a splendid park.
