Get starry-eyed at Pinnacles National Monument

Pinnacles National Monument is an under-the-radar kind of place. If, to you, the great outdoors is better experienced off the main drag, then you might consider venturing off Highway 101 for a visit. It’s outside the Central California town of Soledad, about 260 miles from Los Angeles.

At Pinnacles, you can hike, climb and absorb some natural silence among talus passages, canyons and 23 million-year-old volcanic rock formations. Plus, the park’s free night hikes, guided by naturalists, seem a great reason to stop in. There are a few on the calendar this spring.

The next one is on April 11, 8-10 p.m., which will take in trails on the west side of the park. At the turnaround, the group will take a seat for some time-out under the Milky Way. Reservations are required, and availability is limited.

No reservations are necessary, however, for the “Nature Hike and Star Viewing” on Friday, May 1. You can start out at 5 p.m. on a guided 3.6-mile round-trip hike up the Juniper Canyon Trail, or at 5:30 p.m., on an easier 90-minute trek on the Balconies Trail. After picnicking at dusk, everyone will gather at 8:30 p.m. for a talk and some stargazing.

The hikes and talks are free, but parking is $5 per vehicle, with entry valid for seven days.

Why go: You’ll be doing your part to celebrate the International Year of Astronomy. It’s this year, commemorating the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s use of the telescope as a sky-watching tool.

Contact: Pinnacles National Monument, (831) 389-4486 x243

- Susan Derby, Special to the Los Angeles Times

[Photo: Pinnacles National Monument. Credit: Keir Morse; National Park Service]

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This entry was posted on Sunday, April 5, 2009 at 7:12 am by Susan Derby and is filed under California, California's Central Coast, Family & Kids, Outdoors & Adventure, Sky watching, Spring. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.