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A white Tacoma with a camper shell parked on a rise above a broad, empty basin under building cloud.

National Park Service campground

Pinnacles Campground

National Park Service campground in Pinnacles National Park, San Benito County, California. 2,002 feet. 8.2 miles from Soledad.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
National Park Service Pinnacles National Park
Elevation
2,002 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
134 74 standard non-electric, 30 rv electric, 13 group standard non-electric
Longest rig
75 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
Electric
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
San Benito County

Overview

Pinnacles Campground is located in the unique Pinnacles National Park, 32 miles south of Hollister, California.

The park encompasses 26,000 acres of spectacular rock formations and remnants of an extinct 23 million-year old volcano.

Hiking and rock climbing are very popular activities in Pinnacles, as is watching for the majestic California condor overhead. Pinnacles National Park is a nesting place for the endangered soaring bird, the largest in North America.

Recreation

Pinnacles National Park has more than 30 miles of trails, ranging from easy to strenuous. Many trails intersect, allowing for a short loop or a longer all-day hike. Popular destinations include Bear Gulch Reservoir, High Peaks and the Balconies area. The Bench Trail provides direct access to the park from the campground.

Visitors enjoy exploring Balconies Cave and Bear Gulch Cave, which houses a large colony of Townsend's big-eared bats. Bring a flashlight!

Rock climbers flock to Pinnacles for the variety of climbing routes that range from easy top-ropes to the multi-pitch climbs along Machete Ridge.

Facilities

Pinnacles Campground is located on the eastern side of the park and is open year-round. It offers family and group tent sites, as well as RV sites with electric hookups. Roads and parking spurs are gravel. Flush toilets and drinking water are provided. Showers are available. A general store with basic foods and camping supplies is located on-site. A swimming pool is located within the campground and is open from April through September.

Natural Features

The campground is situated in a rolling landscape dotted with shady Valley Oak, Blue Oak and Coast Live Oak trees. A gentle, seasonal creek runs through the grounds.

Springtime finds Pinnacles bursting with a wide variety of vivid wildflowers that line every trail and fill entire meadows with color.

Deer and wild turkeys roam the area, and condors can be viewed from within the campground. The park ranges in elevation from 824 feet along South Chalone Creek to 3,304 feet atop North Chalone Peak.

The description, directions and fees are the National Park Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • camping
  • climbing
  • day use area
  • hiking
  • interpretive programs
  • other recreation concession site
  • visitor center
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Pinnacles Campground

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated September 5, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.

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