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Fishing in Pinnacles National Park

Lakes
1
Rivers
3
Access
0
Boat Ramps
0
Shops
0
Species
1

Pinnacles sits in the dry hills of central California, east of the Salinas Valley, built around the eroded remnants of an ancient volcano.

The park's water is almost entirely intermittent — streams that run in winter and spring, then shrink and disappear through the long, hot summer. That seasonal reality defines what fishing here looks like, which is to say: there isn't much of it.

The three-spined stickleback is the only native fish species in the park, a small predatory fish that tops out around three inches and feeds on aquatic insects.

It can be spotted along Bear Gulch and the South Wilderness Trail when water is present, but it's a wildlife observation, not a fishing target. Bear Gulch Reservoir, reached by a roughly 2.

4-mile out-and-back trail, is the park's most prominent standing water. Non-native catfish were eradicated there in the mid-1980s by draining the reservoir and electroshocking the remaining fish.

Green sunfish, which showed up in park streams in the mid-1990s and threatened the California red-legged frog population, were also removed.

The only non-native fish currently present in the park is the mosquitofish, which the park has determined is not practical to eradicate. Occasionally, fish move upstream from the Salinas River during flood events, but they don't survive the dry season.

Pinnacles is a rock climbing and hiking park. Anyone coming specifically to fish should look to waters outside its boundaries — the park's streams simply don't support it.

Species & education

Learn what type of fish are in Pinnacles National Park and what's needed to catch them.

Find which waters have the species you want to catch

Sacramento Pikeminnow

Sacramento Pikeminnow

Ptychocheilus grandis

Water and weather conditions (10 day forecast)

See the best times to fish Pinnacles National Park and check the forecast before you go.

No forecast data available.

Park alerts & road status

Closures and conditions Pinnacles National Park has posted, from the National Park Service.

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Hours & fees

When Pinnacles National Park is open and what it costs to get in, from the National Park Service.

Plan your visit on nps.gov

Hours

Open 24 hours

Entrance to the east side of Pinnacles National Park is open 24 hours, 7 days a week, including holidays.

Entrance fees

Entrance - Private Vehicle$30
This pass is valid for 1-7 days and includes everyone traveling in a single, private (non-commercial) vehicle up to 15 passengers to Pinnacles East Entrance and West Entrance.
Entrance - Motorcycle$25
Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles, scooters, or similar motorized vehicles with up to 4 total passengers to Pinnacles East Entrance and West Entrance.
Entrance - Per Person$15
This entry fee is for a single person traveling on foot or by bicycle. It is valid for 1-7 days to Pinnacles East Entrance and West Entrance.
Entrance - Non-commercial Groups$15
Non-commercial groups traveling in vehicles that have a capacity of 16 passengers or more pay $15 per person up to the maximums listed for commercial groups with comparable passenger capacity ($40 or $100). People 15 years old or younger, anyone with a pass that may be used for park entry, and drivers hired for transportation only are exempt from the per person fee.
Commercial Entrance - Sedan$30
The charge for vehicles with a seating capacity of 1-6 passengers is $30. This entrance fee is for commercial tours of one or more people traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure or recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of the service. Passenger ages or entrance passes do not affect the price.

Parking & getting around

Where to leave the car in Pinnacles National Park. Lots fill early on busy days, so plan where you will park before you head for the water.

  • Bear Gulch Day Use Area

    Bear Gulch is situated near hills dotted with Blue Oak trees and Grey Pines. Rock Formations can be seen in the distance between two hillsides. Parking area for Condor Gulch, Moses Spring Trail, and High Peaks trailheads. Location of the Bear Gulch Nature Center. It is located on the east side of Pinnacles.

  • Chaparral Parking Area

    This is the preferred parking area on the west side of the park that offers stunning views of the rock formations. It can hold a total of 43 vehicles, 1 is designated for ADA. It is the closest parking for popular hikes such as the Balconies Cave Loop and Juniper Canyon Trail Loop.

  • Jawbone Parking Area

    This west side gravel parking area can accomodate roughly 30 vehicles. It is situated near chaparral covered hillsides and grey pine trees. There is a connector trail to the Chaparral Parking area as well as access to the Jawbone Trail across the main roadway.

    Accessibility: Gravel parking area not easily wheelchair accessible.

  • Manzanita Parking

    This parking lot is just before the Bear Gulch and Old Pinnacles intersection. It is situated on the shoulder of the East Entrance Road just after the Peaks View Parking Area. The Bench Trail is located across the crosswalk. It is located on the east side of Pinnacles.

  • Moses Spring Parking Area

    This small parking area is located at the end of the road near Bear Gulch Day Use Area. It is the nearest parking to the Moses Spring Trailhead. It is located on the east side of Pinnacles.

  • Old Pinnacles Parking Area

    Gravel parking area situated near a seasonal creek and a hillside blanketed with shrubs, blue oak, and grey pine trees. It is located past Peaks View and Manzanita Parking Areas. Old Pinnacles Parking Area is along the Chalone Creek Road which is adjacent the East Entrance Road. It is located on the east side of Pinnacles.

  • Overflow parking

    Gravel parking area on the east side of Pinnacles located in the campground behind the campground store and pool. This is the parking area to utilize shuttles that run seasonally up to Bear Gulch Day Use Area. Picnic tables and elevated fire grills are available under large Vally Oak trees. The Bacon Ranch is a short walk from here and the Bench Trail is the only trail that leads out of the campground.

  • Peaks View Parking Area

    Peaks View is a paved parking area on the east side near a seasonal stream surrounded by rolling chaparral covered hills. It is is midway from the camground and Bear Gulch and Old Pinnacles parking areas. There is ADA parking, an accessible vault restroom, water station, picnic tables, and spotting scopes with a bench. Trail access to the Bench Trail, ADA access to a portion of the Bench Trail. The Bench Trail connects to South Wilderness Trail, Sycamore Trail, Blue Oak Trail, and Old Pinnacles Trail.

    Accessibility: ADA vault restroom, water station, and picnic tables. Two spotting scopes and a bench next to one of the ADA parking spaces.

  • West Visitor Contact Station Parking

    This parking area is the first upon entering the west side of the park. It is located next to the West Visitor Contact Station and can accomodate 40 vehicles, 2 of which are designated for ADA parking. Visitors can access the Prewett Point Trail and Jawbone Trail from this area and be rewarded with exceptional views of the Pinnacles rock formations.

Getting around

Pinnacles National Park is accessible through highway 101 for the West entrance, and highway 25 for the East entrance. From highway 101 you must pass through the City of Soledad to find highway 146 which will lead to West side of Pinnacles. To enter East Pinnacles you must find highway 25 through the City of Hollister coming from the North, and King City through Bitter Water Road (G-13) when coming from the South. NOTE: There is no through road between the east and west entrance.

Directions on nps.gov

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Gateway towns

Where to base yourself for fishing in Pinnacles National Park.

  • SoledadCA

    Closest town to the west entrance, with hotels including the Inn at the Pinnacles just minutes from the gate.

  • HollisterCA

    Main base for the east entrance, with more lodging options and access to the campground side of the park.

  • King CityCA

    Southern gateway town with lodging options; the local chamber of commerce is listed by the park for visitor services.

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