Pinnacles National Park

Last week was Dan's spring break and we took two days to go camping while my son was in charge of all the sheep including the last few ewes left to lamb. We got to Pinnacles in the middle of the afternoon, secured a campsite, and went on a hike. We didn't have a plan other than to start with the trail that goes through one of the caves at the park.

These caves are sometimes closed when the bats are raising babies, but they were open at this time. This cave is not one big chamber but a series of smaller chambers connected by narrow passages under overhanging rocks, following waterways, or up stairs.

This is the exit of the cave. These photos don't do justice to the scenery. In fact I was disappointed in my photos from this trip because they all seem so washed out. I think I'm regressing as an amateur photographer. (You'll be glad that I didn't include my wildlife photos in this blog! I don't think National Geographic will be calling me anytime soon.)

This view is that exit but looking back down the stairs. We came out of the cave to this small lake.

We looked at the map and decided to hike the trail that went southwest to North Chalone Peak. It was getting late in the day but since we were camping there it didn't matter when we got back as long as it was still light. This is the view from part way up the trail looking back down to where the cave entrance. Do you see that small lake at the bottom center of the photo?

 We didn't know what to expect at the end of the trail until we came around another corner and saw what looked like a fire lookout in the distance.

 Here is what it is like close up.And this is one of the views from the peak.  This turned out to be an 8.5 mile hike so we both felt glad to get back to camp and put our feet up. We used this one-night camping trip as a trial run to see how we liked sleeping in the old green truck because we are thinking about a road trip during the summer. It wasn't like home, but was much better than sleeping in the back of the Explorer at the Grand Canyon a few years ago.

To be continued...