Juniper Canyon Trail

Juniper Canyon Trail climbs to the High Peaks, a series of volcanic spires and narrow ridge walks that are the most dramatic terrain in Pinnacles National Park — and one of the most critical nesting habitats for the California condor in the entire recovery program. When the park was redesignated from monument to national park in 2013, condor habitat protection was central to the argument, and the High Peaks now support a breeding population that has grown steadily from the 27 birds alive in 1987 to more than 500 in the wild today. The trail climbs steeply through chaparral of chamise, manzanita, and blue oak before reaching the sculpted rhyolite crags where carved stone steps and pipe handrails assist hikers through the most exposed sections. Condors are commonly spotted riding thermals above the spires — their 9.5-foot wingspan is unmistakable, and the numbered wing tags that each bird carries can be read with binoculars to identify individuals in the recovery database. Peregrine falcons, prairie falcons, and golden eagles also nest in the High Peaks, making this one of the premier raptor-watching routes on the California Coast Ranges.