Chalone Peak Trail

North Chalone Peak, at 3,304 feet, is the highest point in Pinnacles National Park and rewards the demanding 4.5-mile climb with a panoramic view that encompasses the Salinas Valley farmland to the west, the Santa Lucia Range, and on exceptionally clear days, the Santa Cruz Mountains and even the Santa Barbara Channel Islands to the south. The trail begins at the Bear Gulch Day Use Area and climbs through blue oak woodland and chamise chaparral before transitioning to gray pine and Coulter pine at higher elevations — the Coulter pine produces the heaviest cone of any pine in the world, weighing up to 11 pounds, and hikers should be alert beneath them in wind. A primitive fire lookout structure sits near the summit, no longer operational but intact as a historical artifact. The upper mountain is designated wilderness, and a free wilderness permit is required for the final approach. The trail receives far fewer visitors than the cave and High Peaks routes, offering solitude in proportion to the effort invested. Water sources are absent above the trailhead; carry at least 3 liters per person for summer or late-spring attempts.