Balconies Trail to Machete Ridge

Balconies Cave Trail is an out-and-back trail where you may see wildflowers located near Paicines, California.

It’s hard to believe how many people don’t know about this place, which was newly designated as a National Park in January 2013. Pinnacles National Park is hidden just south of San Jose in the Gabilan Mountains, and is a short drive for anyone living in the Bay Area. With beautiful rock spires piercing the horizon, huge boulders, inviting caves, light crowds, and endangered California condors ...

Pinnacles National Park is located just over two hours outside of San Francisco (depending on the traffic). It was designated the 59th national park in 2013 and while it is small it offers beautiful views and unique wildlife viewing. Keep an eye out for California condors on this hike! This trail is accessed from the west entrance of the park. Once you pay your entrance fee you will drive a few...

Start the hike from the Bear Gulch Trail Parking lot.  While pulling in, the trail head is on the left.  The Trail is marked Reservoir, Caves, and High Peaks.  Continue down the trail until faced with a junction.  Make sure to admire rock formations while hiking!At the junction take the Bear Gulch Cave Trail.  Make sure to have a flashlight or headlamp.  Bear Gulch Cave can be pretty dark in pl...

Start at the Old Pinnacles Trailhead and embark on a roughly 9 mile long adventure surrounded by amazing geological rock formations and natural landscapes. Bask in the peace of nature... meander through meadows alongside the West Fork of Chalone Creek and into Old Pinnacles. Continuing on at the next junction-hang left and trek on to the Balconies Cave Trail. Adventure through the Balconies Cav...

This hike can begin at Old Pinnacles Trailhead (East Entrance) or Chaparral Trailhead (West Entrance) and can be hiked in either direction. This description is from Old Pinnacles Trailhead, hiking clockwise, which gets the most demanding part of the hike done first. From Old Pinnacles Trailhead walk 0.2 miles to get on the High Peaks Trail, which quickly starts switchbacking up to the High Peak...