California's Wildly Underrated National Park Boasts Incredible Caves, An Extremely Rare Bird, And Diverse Trails

Discover a rugged landscape of jagged stone rocks rising up out of a sea of wildflowers. Stand in the rays of sunlight filtering into caves created by falling boulders crashing into stone canyons. Wait in the High Peaks at dawn in hopes of seeing the elusive shadow of the largest bird in the United States (the California condor) pass over you. This is California's Pinnacles National Park, and it might just be the most underrated national park in the United States, according to some past visitors.

You may be used to trying to figure out the best ways to avoid national park crowds in the peak summer season, but Pinnacles National Park is actually a lot more popular in the spring. If you choose a weekday during any other season, including summer, you probably won't have to dodge tourist crowds to get the best views and enjoy the best hikes. If you're coming from far away, you're probably going to want to fly into San Francisco International Airport (SFO), rent a car, and make your way south to Pinnacles National Park. If you take California Interstate 280 or U.S. Route 101, you'll be ready to start hiking through mossy caves, in the shade of mighty oaks, or to the top of towering mountain peaks in less than three hours (with traffic).

One of the most fascinating features of Pinnacles National Park are the Talus caves. The open spaces between the bottom of the canyon and the stuck boulders above have become a cave system that visitors can actually enter and explore along some of the park's fascinating trails. One of the best is the Balconies Cave Trail. You should expect to spend over an hour, and possibly far longer exploring this unique landscape. Along the way, you may see gorgeous fields of wildflowers, mountains, and of course, the unique Balconies Cave. Expect to scramble on slippery stones and crouch to fit through tight spaces. Consider a headlamp so you can see and keep your hands free to catch yourself. Depending on the time of year this trail can get extremely hot, so make sure to pack water too.

You should also make time for an adventure in the incredible Bear Gulch Cave. You're going to want to hike the Moses Spring Trail, cross the rocky streams, walk up the stone stairs, and enter the cave. These caves might get more sunlight than subterranean cave systems like Pennsylvania's Crystal Cave, but this is a particularly dark area, so you should make sure to pack a serious flashlight. Expect to have to scramble and crawl to see everything. In springtime or after rainstorms, you will hear the sound of rushing water inside the caves, and you might even see waterfalls. Make sure to check the status of the caves page on the Pinnacles National Park website or speak with a park ranger before you go, as sections of Bear Gulch Cave sometimes close for safety reasons or to protect the bat population that lives inside.

California Condors are fascinating birds with 9.5-foot wingspans, complex social relationships, lifelong bonds, and lifespans of more than six decades. Unfortunately, these titanic birds were on the brink of extinction, with less than 25 individuals remaining at one time. However, in the 40 years since their historic low, breeding programs and rehabilitation efforts have helped to somewhat restore their population, and it's believed that their population is now in the hundreds. Many of these incredible birds live free in the wild, in and around Pinnacles National Park. While you still have to get lucky to spot one, there's no better place on planet Earth to look.

An easy trail where you might see a condor is the Bench Trail. There's plenty of wildlife along this two-hour trail, but if you want to look for these rare birds, find the spotting scopes by the campground and look along the ridge. If you happen to hike in the springtime, it is also a mesmerizing place to see blooming wildflowers. If you're looking for a challenge, the High Peaks Trail might just give you the best chance of seeing the California Condors, especially if you are high on the mountains at dusk or dawn. This challenging four-hour trek into the mountains that make Pinnacles National Park's landscape so impressive. Alongside the unbelievable views and harrowing drops, you may see California Condors swooping overhead. Some hikers on AllTrails have even reported seeing as many as 10 on a single hike. If you are lucky enough to see them, report your sightings to the Pinnacles Condor Program (their phone number is listed online) so you can do your part to protect these rare creatures.