Moses Trail to Bear Gulch Caves and Rim Trail Loop – Pinnacles National Park, California

Pinnacles National Park, a unique landscape born of fire, is home to rare talus caves, towering rock spires, ancient volcanic remnants, woodlands, and canyons – walking along any one of the park’s many trails immerse you in the distinctive geology of Pinnacles and perhaps grants an encounter with its diverse wildlife.

Of the many sought-after highlights of Pinnacles National Park, two stand above the rest – Bear Gulch Caves and the High Peaks.

During our visit in July, with temperatures soaring into the 100’s, posted heat advisories warned hikers to avoid the High Peaks area and other trails that involved strenuous hiking, so we opted to head to the cool comfort of Bear Gulch Cave – keep in mind, that the cave provides a home to a colony of Townsend's big-eared bats as they rest here in winter and raise their young in the late spring and summer. Subsequently, the entire cave is closed from mid-May to mid-July while the bats are raising their young – thankfully, the lower half of the Bear Gulch Cave is usually open from mid-July through mid-May each year, depending on the presence of the colony of bats, so check with a ranger on the status of the cave before setting out on your hike.

To reach the cave, begin your hike at the end of the road past the Bear Gulch Day Use Area – you will find the trailhead at the south end of the small Moses Spring Parking Area (a trail sign directs you to a picnic area, the caves and the reservoir, and the High Peaks).

The path parallels a service road for a stretch, passing the Moses Spring Picnic Area and a sign for the path you are walking, which is technically the Moses Spring Trail - continue hiking along this forested path to reach Bear Gulch Cave.

After 0.2-mile, you come to the intersection of the Moses Spring Trail and the Rim Trail (note: this will be your return route) – stay left on the Moses Spring Trail towards the caves and the Bear Gulch Cave Trail proper.

Bearing left, you will follow a dry creek bed upstream and pass through a short tunnel – exiting the passageway, the views open to the canyon, and at this point you are surrounded by colorful rocky outcrops. Continue hiking until you reach a narrow canyon – squeeze through the slot and make your way towards a sign advising “Caution Flashlights Required Low Ceilings Slippery When Wet”, this is the start of Lower Bear Gulch Cave.

The Bear Gulch Cave Trail leads to one of California’s finest talus caves (a collection of huge boulders that collapsed and formed a maze of dark passages and damp crevices) and beyond the cave, the trail provides shoreline access to the picturesque, boulder-lined Bear Gulch Reservoir – a man-made lake rimmed by massive boulders and rock pinnacles.

Break out your flashlights and make your way into the cave - after passing under an initial low overhang, the ceiling opens, and the trail crosses a short bridge over, the normally dry, Bear Creek. Continuing through the talus maze, the cave gets darker and darker as you climb higher - a staircase with a railing protect hikers from plummeting into a shadowy crevasse.

Eventually you emerge from the cool confines of the cave to make your way to the reservoir – watch for red-legged frogs and snakes, such as the striped racer or whipsnake.

From the reservoir, climb higher into the Pinnacles along the Rim Trail - beyond the reservoir, rock outcrops and excellent views of Bear Gulch Canyon, the High Peaks, and the Gabilan Range reward hikers for their effort.

Enjoy the vistas along the Rim Trail as you make your way back to the intersection with the Moses Trail – from the intersection, retrace your steps to the parking area for a roundtrip hike of 1.8 miles.