Travelers can get there from Soledad, Greenfield and King City. H uge rock formations, caves, wildflowers, nature trails and animal life greet visitors to the monument, which was created by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908. Though the park has access from both its west and east sides, the two roads leading to it don't meet within the monument, so from either direction, there's one way in and one way out. S everal trails wind their way through the park and give hikers a close-up view of the formations which have made the Pinnacles an increasingly popular destination. The huge rocks, many of them tumbled upon one another, are a fascinating study in geology and offer a marked contrast to the smooth hills which surround them.
Trails dip into caves and wind past sheer cliffs, often dotted with rock climbers.
There's also poison oak, so be careful. Animals that make their home in the park include black tailed deer, gray foxes, bobcats, rabbits, rodents, reptiles and bats. Bird watchers may see the California woodpecker. T he National Park Service has categorized the various trails into degrees of difficulty, ranging from easy to trenuous. Distances covered by the trails range form just over a mile to 7.6 miles.