You have all been so helpful to me in planning trips for my quests to see all the national parks. This August my daughter-in-law and maybe my 12 year old granddaughter and I are planning to visit Pinnacles and Channel Islands National Parks. I KNOW - August is the wrong time to be visiting Pinnacles, but I am flying from New Hampshire and those are the only two parks I have left to see in the surrounding area and the summer vacation is the only time we can do the trip together. They live in San Diego so I will be flying there probably from Boston, always hoping for from Manchester, NH but it doesn't often work out.

At this point I think we will have four days to drive from San Diego to both parks and back to San Diego for me to fly home the next day - so two days of flying, four days for traveling to and from and in the parks.

I'm looking for advice and how much time for each park, specific islands/places to see in Channel Islands, your recommendations of places to stay near both parks, and anything we should not miss in both places.

Thank you in advance for your help,

Barbaralois

Are you a hiker? That is really the only way to experience Pinnacles. It is definitely not a drive-thru type of place. And yes, August is the wrong time to be going there, but you already know that. Soledad or Paicines are the closest places to stay, but I have no recommendations as we always camp.

A very light hiker - more of a walker - can you recommend some short easy hikes?

Yes, there are some easy hikes -- but, (and I know your really want to visit Pinnacles) I'd definitely reconsider. It isn't really in the 'surrounding' area being MUCH closer to San Francisco/Monterey etc. San Diego is a big place and we don't know where you are actually starting from but even best case it will be an eight hour drive to Pinnacles. Then down to say Ventura is another 4+ hour drive. With the return to San Diego you are talking probably 15+ hours in the car total.

Plus accommodations nearby (like in Soledad) run mostly to the Motel 6 genre. The best selection would be and hour away over near Salinas/Monterey

If you are thinking of s NorCal trip in the future -- that is where I'd slot in Pinnacles National Park, not on a quick trip from San Diego.

Here are some hikes in Pinnacles. Read about them and see what appeals to you. Keep in mind that if there are crowds and the parking lots to the hikes are full, you will have to take a shuttle (if they are running), or you'll have to walk to the trailheads.

https://www.alltrails.com/parks/us/c...-national-park

You do not have to be much of a hiker to do the Balconies Cliff/Cave Trail Loop in Pinnacles. It is wonderful and one of the most unique hikes in the US. You will love it. We did it in August. You'll be ok.

We did not stay near Pinnacles. We stopped there on the way. We did have some amazing aguas frescas at a small roadside market. Long time ago, but I am sure that kind of place still exists.

For Channel Islands, we only did a kayak trip to Anacapa Island. A ferry take you and the kayaks (we did this through a company) and the group explores one end of Anacapa. Supremely spectacular and fairly easy. One caution is that I would go with a company that does not make everyone wear wet suits. Too hot.

Thank you, shelmm. I just looked at the Balconies Cliff/Cave Trail Loop and that seems like the one we should do.

And Shelmm, did you come in on the west side?

Thank you Austin Traveler - that was helpful to read about all the trails. Would it be likely to be busy in August even though it will be hot just because it is still summer vacation for schools? And which side of the park do you recommend? Or would you say to decide by what trails you want to go on?

Janisj, I know you are probably right but I'm probably not going to be in northern California any time soon. My college roommate and I have been in all the other national parks in California, Oregon, Washington, so this is probalby my last chance for Pinnacles. I do get all the downsides to it.

The Balconies cave hike is much shorter from the west side and is probably the easiest of the more interesting hikes at Pinnacles. The other easier hike is Bear Gulch cave from the east side. The hike to Bear Gulch does have some limited shade compared to most trails at Pinnacles which are exposed. I've only been to Pinnacles in the spring so can't comment on the crowd levels in August. I'd get there early both for the heat and trailhead parking.

Can you get to Bear Gulch from the west side? How long to go around from the west side to the east side?

Yes, access by road is from the west side of Pinnacles.

As for crossing the park on foot, I imagine that to be for actual hikers rather than pretenders like myself. However, if you want all the details, then alltrails.com is an amazing resource that will give you extensive details (every step of the way) about trails both here and abroad.

Everything is accessible from either side. The length of time depends on where you want to go. There isn't an easy way to get to Bear Gulch from the west side. The shorter route requires going up the peak and back down. The longer flatter route is probably around 12 miles roundtrip. The only cross park trail that isn't steep is Old Pinnacles. I've used that to go from the east side to Balconies cave and it was around 5 miles roundtrip.