High Peaks & Balconies Cave, Pinnacles NM

The two separate park entrances to Pinnacles National Monument are not connected by road, so be sure to use the right entrance. To tackle our route, approach the West Chaparral entrance from US 101.

Begin our counter-clockwise loop trail at the parking lot head directly into the valley to the south, down Juniper Canyon Trail. We'll be continuing along this trail for 1.8 miles.

Spring is a great time of year to visit the park not just because of the relatively cool weather, but also to enjoy the plentiful wildflowers scatter around the trails. Time to dig out the wildflower field guide!

Here you'll find the beginning of the curious column-shaped rock formations which gave the Pinnacles National Monument its name. Jutting high above the chaparral vegetation, these protrusions are the eroded remains of a twenty-three million year old volcano. Thanks to the shape of the rocks, Freud would probably have a field day up here.

Turn right, remain on Juniper Canyon Trail for a further 0.6 miles.

At this junction take a left turn onto High Peaks Trail where we reach the highest points of the hike.

High Peaks trail rises among strange rock formations and offers up great views across both the Salinas Valley and the San Andreas Rift Zone. Up here you're sharing the scenery with vultures, eagles, falcons and if you're lucky, the Californian condor with its nine-foot wingspan.

Another junction. Bear right here and remain on this trail for another 0.6 miles.

The High Peaks Trail gets a little exciting, clambering up and down steps etched out of stone, through some tight spaces and some narrow ledges. Rest assured however that safe passage is assured up here thanks to good use of guardrail installations.

Take the left fork and remain High Peaks Trail for 2.0 miles.

The highest peaks are now behind you, and now it's time to lose all the elevation you've gained and head downhill towards Chalone Creek Rd. Here is a great place to enjoy the panoramic scenery, chaparral terrain and even more wildflowers.

We'll level with you - your ups and downs are over. Take a left onto Old Pinnacles Trail and you'll be following a nice flat trail running alongside the Chalone Creek. It's 2.3 miles along this trail until you reach Balconies Cave.

Here you'll want to make the decision between heading into the Balconies Cave, or taking the alternative Balconies Trail which bypasses the cave itself.

If you're in two minds here, then we'd suggest that you head for the cave. You'll find the cave to be short, dry and only pitch-black for a short section. There is a small section where you're required to clamber up rocks, but that shouldn't be a problem.

The cave was created by a rockfall when the hillside now known as the Balconies collapsed into the valley. Use your flashlight to negotiate the dark cavities between the huge boulders as you clamber up, over and squeeze through the caverns. Passage is safe and relatively easy - anyone taking our route will have no problems with the caves.

This is where the cave by-pass route meets with the main trail.

Crossing the wooden bridge over the stream signals that your Pinnacles trek is coming to an end. Pat yourself on the back and enjoy the remaining part of the trail which continues at grade.