Pinnacles Campground is such a gem in central California and far exceeded our expectations when we visited in November. We stayed in one of the cabins and after staying in a far inferior cabin in Zion, I really appreciated the solid construction and thoughtful details of the cabins here. They were clean, roomy, and the beds pretty comfy. As for the facilities, the bathrooms were clean and the grounds well kept. We loved the camp store! It had well-designed and high-quality Pinnacles swag, the staff was friendly and helpful, it was very well stocked with everything we forgot to bring, and we used the many treats they offered to motivate our kids to finish up beautiful hikes with us. One of our favorite parts was the hike we did where we saw many types of birds, including condors! There are also caves and other attractions along the way to keep us and our kids entertained. Finally, it seems like the campground has something fun to offer in each season. When we were there the fall colors were beautiful and the temps moderate. I want to go back later this spring to enjoy the pool and wildflowers. We look forward to many more visits to the Pinnacles! read more

We came here for our 7th annual camping weekend, with 2 other families. The place was a bit deserted, and clean. The caves were about 4.4 miles away, and the hike was tremendous, especially if you don't bring enough water. Someone at the parking lot gave the 10 of us 1 bottle of water, and we all chugged 2 sips of it. The general store was limited, but they didn't gauge you. I bought a gallon a water & a toothbrush for $4 and change, so that was great. Can't imagine how much that would be at some of the more popular campsites. The only thing I wished was different: letting us have a camp fire so we can do smores, and lights in the bathroom. You had to go in the dark! Probably would not be my top choice in the next few years. read more

I liked this campsite. We got a good site with no reservation (we never reserve sites, we almost always get a good campsite, too) and on Halloween weekend when we figured it would be packed. There were still plenty of open sites. Some teenagers were loud, but they got quiet at 10 pm when quiet time started. No complaints! read more

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Pinnacles is a great place to spend a few nights. Site 49 Loop C was spacious and shaded and the facilities were clean. We tried out the pool one sunny afternoon. It is not heated, so it was very cold! The camp store is well-stocked with supplies, snacks and souvenirs and the folks behind the counter are ready to answer questions about the park. The parking lots at the trailheads fill up fast in the morning, so it was nice to be able to leave right from the campground and add just a few miles roundtrip to our hikes. The bathroom right by the pool has the only showers at the campground: two coin-operated shower stalls each in the men's and women's restrooms. One of the showers in the women's restroom was out of order. I used the working shower once but was uncomfortable navigating how to shower with my mask on. The shower is a stall in a shared bathroom, so it did not feel COVID-safe so take my mask off. It was not a problem, but I wish I had known the showers would be so limited. read more

That's the bugs. Restrooms a convenience car games are free showers available for $0.50 3 minutes enough for fast shower not bad. surprisingly swimming pool available in your swimwear read more

Pinnacles Campground - Campgrounds Near Me - Paicines, California

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Not impressed. The only pro would be that the campground is very close to the park. Cons: Absolutely no cell or internet service. Can pay $10 per device, but wifi will only work at the office not at your site. The visitor center was ran by one rude park ranger and a couple of unknowledgeable volunteers. It seems like a run down state park rather then a National Park. They do have a medium size pool which was nice but, NO seating. The showers were filthy and was .50 cents for 3 mins. There is not much to Pinnacles NP. Now if you like longer hikes or rock climbing. This is the spot. Otherwise, it takes about 20 mins to drive through the park and not much to do at the campground. read more

Camp site 40 is close to the restroom and the amphitheater. There is also a condor nesting tree visible from this site. The number of condors visible from this camp site is unbelievable. Bring a camera and keep looking up :). Firewood was delivered to each site towards the end of the day and was $12. Great wood, long lasting, and comes with a fire starter cake (yay for cheating). Camped in early April and it got pretty frosty at night. If you have one day, stick to Bench trail/Bear Gulch/Reservoir hike. A shuttle takes you to the start of bear gulch if you want to shorten it, but the wildflowers were beautiful on the bench trail. read more

Pinnacles Campground - View from the shuttle on the way back to the campground after a LONG day - Campgrounds Near Me - Paicines, California

Various reviews about Pinnacles are somewhat accurate... We just spent 3 nights there over July 4th Weekend. I was like the reviewer who started freaking out when she first drove the Campground because so many of the spots had NO privacy or shade. We got lucky & one of the 4 sites we reserved (we had a group of 24 total) had good afternoon shade & was in the quiet loop furthest from the Office/Store. It was pretty & quiet & we actually could not even tell we were camping with others in the campground. (We had sites 79, 80, 81 & 82) In the interest of other campers not getting a really bad spot, I looked at as many campsites as I could and divided them in to Yes- No and Maybe categories ~ Yes(-: 34, 39, 49, 58, 62 & 63 (but only if camping in them together with friends), 68, 71, 73 & 74 (but only if camping in them together) , 79 & 81 (only if camping in them together). No )-: 20 thru 33 (all of these sites are right on the road with NO shade and NO privacy) , 36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 47, 48, 51, 52, 59, 65, 72, 76 Maybe (if that's all there is available) 35, 53 & 54 (together) 56, 60, 66 There are more sites than listed above, but with a total 12 adults & 11 kids in our group sharing 4 sites (79 - 82) -- it was a busy weekend. Also, the Camp Store was fantastic. During a long really hot weekend, they were fully stocked with plenty of cold drinks & ice cream. The prices were very fair with minimal markup (except on Beer & Camp Site essentials)......The bathrooms were clean and stocked and the personnel were friendly. The swimming pool was a life saver for the kids. There were a ton of people in it in the heat of the afternoon and stayed clean enough looking. The hiking was hot, but the 'hike' up to the Reservoir was fantastic for the whole family ~ just enough distance for the small kids & beautiful scenery the whole way. ..definately recommend it. Lastly, if you forgot anything and remember on your drive there, there is a Grocery Store & a Pharmacy on the outskirts of Hollister, right on Highway 25 ---- (& follow the directions to the East Entrance for the campground) read more

A spectacular location with lots of amenities and great trails, but very crowded and loud. Many neighbors close by, screaming kids and people up well past quiet hour. At the moment, campers must walk 2 miles just to get to the first trailhead. The camping fees don't cover park entrance, so a weekend camping here will put you at $120 minimum- not including any expensive items you may need from the camp store ($7 ice anyone?). The Pinnacles is well worth a visit, but I wouldn't camp here more than once unless I had money to burn and a crowd of friends to get drunk with. read more

If I could pick one campsite in Pinnacles campground it would be #49 because of it's relatively secluded location, decent shade and nice setting. Many other reviewers provide detailed site analysis that are well thought out (see Margaret from Concord, CA) and I wish I'd given 66 a closer look while we were there. In general, I was less impressed with sites on the 57-83 loop than other reviewers simply because I didn't think the setting was that great. In contrast, I found the setting for #35, 37 and 39 much nicer. But overall most of the sites in this campground are decent and only a handful should be avoided (I'm looking at you, 20). read more

They got everything you might need in case you forgot it! Super friendly staff! Love this park!

Super easy to get there from San Jose. Took about 90 minutes, but it was a straight shot so it didn't feel as long. Most of the sites are right on top of each other or the spot designated for the tent is right next to the road. The sites right in the middle of the campground have zero shade or privacy. We stayed in site 66, it was PERFECT. 100 feet from a bathroom and right across from water. We could also back our car up the long drive right up to the kitchen. The site backed up to a tiny creek and had a decent amount of space- we could have easily fit another 4-6 person tent in there in addition to the one we brought. There were plenty of trees to set up a rain tarp to go over the picnic table. We didn't have anyone staying on either side of us, which was great, because their tent sites were really close to our tent site and kitchen area. But, in comparison to other sites, this one had a ton of privacy. I looked at some of the other reviews for the "good" sites, but I couldn't really find any that had as much privacy as 66. Most of the sites would be great for groups staying together versus single groups. There are only about 3 bathrooms for the entire 80+ campsites; some of the sites were a pretty good walk from a bathroom. Also, the bathrooms have no light in them, so make sure to bring a headlamp at night! The camp store and visitor center was pretty good. The ranger who we talked to was not very friendly... after telling her this was our first time here, she was very to the point, pessimistic about the weather ("it's going to be like this all day, be ready to get wet"...) and told us we probably wouldn't see any condors with the rain and cloud cover. We were like, okay, so should we not have come...? For the record, it didn't rain a drop and we saw three condors flying at the top of the high peaks trail. I wish she would have been a little more welcoming. Bear gulch cave was awesome! High peaks trail is definitely challenging, a lot of uphill and downhill and some really technical stuff down the "steep and narrow" portion. Can't wait to go back! read more

The drive out was absolutely beautiful. Its amazing that someplace so remote is less than 2 hours from San Jose. We stayed in site 66. the neighbors were close but the brush made it semi private we were close to the bathrooms which were clean and simple, bring your soap. There was water right across the way too. We brought our dog and there was a nice walking path she could go on. the trails in the rest of the park are not dog friendly though so if you plan on hiking keep this in mind. There were wild turkey and rabbits along the path. My boys enjoyed riding their scooters around the campground and loved the caves. we will be going here again for sure! read more

A group of 6 of us came this past Memorial Weekend and though we had a blast, the campgrounds could have been better. Low ratings are due to: 1. Lack of showers: there are only two showers for galz and two showers for boys in this entire campsite!! To make matters worse, there's a pool to generate a high demand for showers! We went on a long hike and I needed a shower - I think I waited at least 40 minutes if not an hour to shower. Ridunkulous! 2. Campsites: not the bestest individual campsites as most of them are right next to the little road that cars drive by or kids on bikes loudly bike on at 6am in the morning. Most sites also don't have shade. Ours were pretty good - #31 and #32. #30 next to us had zero shade and #20 we walked by looked horrid as it is on a crazy slant. However there were a few good things: the hike was really cool - we hiked to Balconies Cave which was fun though congested, and we also hiked above it on the way back where you can see really cool rock formations. There is also a free shuttle from the campsite to other parts of the park. Water faucets were also conveniently located between sites. Good things to know: no campfire with real wood, you have to buy the fake stuff ala Duraflame and such. Each car needs to pay $5 entrance fee on top of the campsite fee. There are bathrooms, but no light at night so bring a headlamp. They also run out of TP so bring that too. Overall a nice park, but boy...that shower situation will keep me from coming back. Hopefully they'll fix that someday. read more

My wife and I stayed in our tent trailer on 10/20-22/2018. No rain yet for CA so no fires or even charcoal grills. We were Sunday and Monday night so I would say it was maybe 15% full. I looked at Yelp reviews trying to find a good site. We picked 32 which is in a "corner" of an oval. LOTS of shade. Lots of deer in our site which was fine. Close to water and restroom. I would also recommend 35 as it is very private between two large hedge bushes. Here is a link to a map which would have been handy before I picked a site. http://npmaps.com/wp-content/uploads/pinnacles-campground-map.jpg read more

Loved it here. Really feels like a getaway since it's in the middle of nowhere with absolutely no cell phone service. Stayed at group site 126. Got very hot during the day not much shade at all. Bring plenty of shade! Like pop up tents or tarps. Make sure all food and coolers are completely put away at night in the food locker or your cars because the raccoons are massive and will appear as soon as lights are out! read more

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I was excited to visit Pinnacles- America's newest National Park, but I didn't really know what to expect. The road to Pinnacles is winding and desolate. No cellphone reception or satellite radio during much of the drive on the 199. We didn't see many other cars or people, either...(make sure you have plenty of gas and supplies before heading to the park)...I was a little nervous and unsure of what I had gotten myself into! We arrived at the park around 6:30pm. The store, pool, and information booth were all closed. Fortunately, we ran into the camp host who supplied us with directions to our camp site. Our site was large and secluded- although we heard other voices we never actually saw other campers from our site. The restrooms were close by. They were clean- pretty standard camping restrooms. There weren't any showers close by- I think the only shower is located by the pool (near the store/camp host). At night, I was in awe of the sky- you could see so many stars! We heard some wildlife from our tent- skunks and raccoons, I think. But overall it was a very peaceful night! The next day we decided to take a short hike to the caves. This is a MUST if you visit Pinnacles. Bring water and carefully read the trail signs- we got a little lost and turned around along the way. When we eventually found the caeca it was well worth the trek! Bring a flashlight and some water- you'll need both for this hike! Overall, great place to camp and hike! Hope to be back sometime soon! read more

Come on!!! I know camping is all about being one with nature, but seriously, ONE ladies' shower-- by one I mean one STALL-- for the entire campsite? On a hot 100+ degree day when the pool gets packed, one shower really just won't cut it. And the 4 minute wait after 7 minutes of water is ridiculous. I caught the last minute of the person before me, then I had to wait in grime and soap for 4 whole freaking minutes...while tens of people were anxiously waiting for their turn behind me. They need to clean out their pool... Few mosquitos. Good service. Their 'grocery store' is adequate enough. read more

We visited Pinnacles in November 2020 and stayed in one of the new canvas tent sites! We had a lovely trip. One of the best family camping experiences we've had to date. Autumn was in full effect - leaves were all shades of yellows & oranges, tons of birds (chatty turkeys everywhere!), bunnies, deer, and we even saw Condors! The weather was warm in the sun with a little chill in the air, and cold at night. We did the Bear Gulch hike with the kids, which is super great if you have children 8 and under. The canvas tents are new-so they are super clean and well furnished inside (1 queen bed, 2 twins, side table, coat/bag hooks, broom, adirondack chairs on the deck, solar powered lights). You do have to remember to bring your bedding- no linens are provided. Generally the sites there are rather large and spread out, which is a major bonus. The camp store is pretty much stocked w/ most everything you may need, if you forgot anything food/supplies wise. We are very much looking forward to getting back there in the Spring with the kids to explore some more. read more

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We came in off Highway 25. $10 per car for park entrance and another fee for the campsite. There is a small convenience store; be sure to stop there for any camping stuff you need,beer, ice cream or general directions. Behind the store is nice shimmering swimming pool for your kids; probably can take 20 kids. Free. Restrooms are free and clean, but showers will cost you 3 quarters. The campground is vigorously patrolled by park people, so if you need any help, there's friendly help always available. We had site #51, for five people with 3 tents. Running water was 200 feet down the road, but restrooms were a good 12 minute walk away. Site #50 is more secluded with five feet high hedges. It's a family type campground with quiet people all around. Tip: if you go here to see a blue moon be warned to put a rain fly on your tent, because the moon will be very bright and you may not be able to sleep at night. If the moon is bright, the stars will be weak. We were here, two days ago and 97F feels hotter than 97F. Tip: bring plenty of sun protectant, water bottles and a wide brimmed hat. There is no swimming at the reservoir. During hot weather, no fires are permitted; you can use a gas stove though. Fat hungry raccoon's are plentiful around here and will steal your food at any time; be sure to use the bear lockers and lock it all up. Bring a big tube of mosquito repellent. Tip: bring a large tent for day use, to be out of the sun. The air is so clear here, you def. want to hike to the caves or to the reservoir; the area is picturesque. read more

Pinnacles is just a gorgeous park, the pics I've seen of it just doesn't do it justice! The campground is also very well maintained. Bathrooms were super clean. We had site 49 in loop C which from what I read is one of the best, most secluded and we were happy with it. There are lots of flies in the campgrounds but, hey, you're in nature right? Def recommend camping here, or if you have just a day, do the Bear Gulch and reservoir hike. I think you'll be surprised what a hidden gem this park is! read more

I think other reviewers have pretty much said it. This place is near the trails, and it seems the only campground within an hour's drive, so This Is It if you want to hike around Pinnacles and spend the night. We have an RV. It drowned out some of the noise from other campers, but not completely. Kids are aplenty... and kids tend to be LOUD. Plus they don't know how to use flashlights, so we kept getting lights shown in our RV until 10 or 11p at night. We were in Site 15, which was one of the better sites I think. The problem with Site 15 was that the late-night arrivals drive around the campground and their lights shown right in our RV as well. *sigh* We just couldn't win with that one. We were initially in Site 17 or 18, but moved. The yellow jackets and bees were teeming in the oak trees. I have never seen this before. Every leaf had a bee or yellow jacket hovering around it. And it's loud. The buzzing is very disconcerting. I felt like I was in a horror movie! They didn't bother us so much, but we also brought a screened in tent, which kept most of them at bay. Of course, a few managed to fly in, but they didn't even come near our food (we didn't have any meat thankfully). We couldn't get rid of the flies. The little black flies were relentless. In our eyes, our ears, our hair. Ugh! It was enough to drive someone mad! But again, we had our RV to retreat to, so it could have been a lot worse. We didn't have any problems with mosquitoes. We went this last weekend (mid-October), and when we arrived it was 90-degrees. Hot! But the following day it cooled to upper-70s and was very pleasant. Some sites had some shade, but from what I saw, most didn't have shade. I don't know how people would survive in the summer. I was dying when it was only 90-degrees! Tents and RVs will get baked in the sun. There are no hookups, but they do have water spigots scattered around the campground (threadless). The water was tasty :) We drove to the end of the road and walked the trail to the Bear Caves. It was a very well-maintained trail, and there's a bathroom and water spigot at the trailhead. I was impressed. Once you get out of the campground, the land is just magnificent. Bring your flashlights!! The caves are dark, pitch-black. The store is well-stocked and prices are reasonable (for a State Parks concessionaire). Ice cream, soda, chips. The basics are there. As well as stuffed toys, books, and trail maps. The staff was helpful. No complaints there. We're definitely going back, but I'm hoping to figure out another way to stay near Pinnacles without having to camp at the Pinnacles campground. read more

About 2 hours drive from the peninsula, which makes this a great local getaway. Hiking, climbing, caves, and even a California condor nest. Large campground with varying levels of privacy depending on the site you choose - what others have written is true - you have to choose wisely. Good camp store that can restock your empty beer cooler if needed. Get there early in the year (NOW) to avoid the heat. Didn't bother with the showers - it is camping, after all. Maybe next time. All in all an excellent weekend trip with friends; if you have kids, it won't take long for them to make friends because it is a great family place with lots of kids, young and old. Have a great time. read more

This is my second time here. I absolutely love this place!! I just wish it wasn't getting so much attention because it is starting to get crowded. No dogs are allowed on trails unfortunately =/ Be careful there is poison ivy. Which I got yest. Extremely hot. Wear shorts or comfortable clothing. Water is a must. Flashlights! Don't underestimate the power of a flashlight or you might slip & fall. Hiking boots are better than running shoes. The earlier you get there the better! The less sun hits your face the better :) Be happy & enjoy! read more

I had an incredible time at Pinnacles this past weekend! I came with a small group of friends and we were greeted by hospitable staff upon arrival. The campground was amazing; nestled by a creek with shaded trees. It was nice and clean and had numerous water spigots and bathrooms close by. We spent our Saturday hiking at a nearby trail, within walking distance from the campground. It was the perfect day hike; a moderate 6.5 mile loop. The underground caves were remarkable and the pine trees along the trail provided us shade throughout most of the hike! We saw tons of California Condor along the way! There is also a ton of rock climbing spots close to the campground. Everyone that worked at the campground store was genuinely kind and super helpful with answering my questions. The store had everything you could need from necessity items, to food and clothing. Pinnacles campground was by far one of the best places I've stayed. It was a truly amazing weekend and I will certainly be going back! read more

This is the place to stay if you are visiting Pinnacles National Monument. The Parks Service took over operating this campground recently, maybe in 2007, so reservations can be made through the national parks reservation system. Rates are $23/site/night and showers are free. There are conveniently located water spigots and bathrooms with flush toilets and sinks on each loop. They warned us they'd been having problems with feral pigs and raccoons, but the only animals we saw were rabbits and lizards. The camp store sells beer, firewood, and many other things, plus there is a park visitor center there. The pool was filled with screaming pre-teens in 60 degree weather. My one complaint is that the site are very close together with no privacy. To the people who packed 17 screeching children and 6 minivans into the 2 sites next to ours: Next year, reserve a group site! If I wanted pack of 4 year olds dragging crap around my campsite and playing with their beeping toys, I would have brought my own! read more

If you are camping with children and do not like rustic camping this may be the type of campground for you. I am NOT one of those people. I like serenity and quiet when I am camping, and you will not get this at Pinnacles campground. Especially during the summer I learned that caves + swimming pool = lots of screaming children/scout groups. Most of the kids that roved the camp loops like west side story gangs on razor scooters did die down after 10:00, but the sites are so close together that we could vividly hear the camp fire conversations of two groups around us all night long. With the camp store selling wood for $10 a bundle, I was shocked they kept the fire going all night too. Half of the sites are essentially in a field with the sun blaring down. A quarter of the rest are in the shade but you will get eaten alive by mosquitoes. The rest of sites are good but get reserved quickly. Each loop does have flush toilets, sinks, and running water spouts (although the water is yellow). I love the park, but next time I will be camping elsewhere. read more

Hot during summer, suggest a Sept-Oct timeframe, we camped both and it is much cooler and tolerable. Camping is good, pool is great during summer, hiking trails are awesome both summer and fall. Tons of wildlife just keep a clean campsite and you should be good. Bobcats, deer, raccoons, condors, the reason to get into nature. Beware: Of the old grumpy man who manages the campground. Total power trip dude, very rude. Imagine a long drive with kids, checking in lady at desk very nice gives you your pass, asks if you know where to go, to only be stopped on the road to your site by this grump to deny you to setup, when not a single sole is in the campground. It was empty, unbelievable. He came an apologized to me so I knew he knew he was being a jerk off. Everyone else that works there is very nice, except for grump-meister. read more

Starting off... We stayed at spot 67. Awesome location. You can fit two vehicles, side by side, in front of the campsite. You will then walk through a 15 feet long & 6 feet wide path and you enter a huge opening. About 10 full size truck can fit in this location. If my truck wasn't too ginormous, I would've driven it into the site. The bench is located on top of a little hill on the left. On the right is a huge flat area where you can set up multiple tents. Just watch the ground. I saw some spot that has ants. To the left on top of the little hill is a nice spot to tie up a hammock to sleep in. The fire pit is on the top of the hill next to the bench, though when we were there, we were not allowed to start up a fire... Smokey the bear warned us that only we can prevent forest fire. A huge metal bear box or raccoon box is also up on the hill too. You can fit a decent size cooler and a whole bunch of beer in it. As for shade, we were surrounded by big o trees. Having a large tarp will make chilling on the ground more enjoyable. There were raccoons, but I did not see any. Bathroom is to the right, I think, of the path. There is total privacy at this spot. I did not see anyone else near by. Though you can hear people from afar. That's pretty much all you need to know about this spot. If you have a small truck or car, you can drive it into the campsite. you're not suppose to, but I doubt they'd know. read more

We stayed in site #88 on Wednesday, September 14, and Thursday, September 15. Here are the pluses and minuses. + Camping on the Bench Trail into Pinnacles National Park + Minutes from Old Pinnacles Trailhead and Bear Gulch Day Use Area + Electric Hookup for RV's (nice since the low was 46F and the high was 84F) + Small store with foodstuffs, basic supplies + Clean pool (minus a few dead bugs on the surface) + Spigets near sites + Dump station + Picnic table - Bathroom was nasty, 1 stall, 2 small pay shower stalls with no hooks, no seating area outside the shower stall yet inside the shower area, only out in the main bathroom area. No shelves above sink(s) - No bathrooms near sites - No garbage/recycle bins near sites - Campground loops/sites not paved, very dusty - No water hookups - No other nearby campgrounds We stayed here in the middle of the week after school started, so it wasn't very crowded. The hiking on The Balconies Cave Trail and Bear Gulch Cave Trail was awesome. read more

We went camping at Pinnacles a couple of weeks ago when it was 110 degrees! I guess that I should have known that it would be so hot but we sort of underestimated what that feels like. Coming from San Francisco, the temperature was twice as hot as what we are used to. Sort of tough to hike or just lounge around in the sun when it's that hot so my review might be a little jaded. We stayed in spot 68 which was great. It was private and the water and the bathrooms were right there, but far enough away for privacy. The other spots that Jason W. gave are pretty spot on as well. Be careful of the open ones in the middle of the campgrounds, there is no shade and believe me you will want shade. Bring a lot of bug spray, they were vicious. Granted it is camping, but the yellow jackets and flies were pretty voracious. Seriously, a big net to go over the table would be clutch. One night we couldn't eat because the yellow jackets were attacking our dinner so we jumped in the car to eat! There were also a ton of kids and families which is fine, this place seems good for that since they have the pool, but the pool is pretty nasty. We only jumped in since it was crazy hot. There are just so many dirty kids swimming around that it's just never going to be clean, but then again you are camping so you're not really expecting "clean". So, I'll give Pinnacles a solid 3 since it was pretty close to the city and was a nice retreat. I might go back, but not during the hot season. Might head back in November or something since I would like to check out the trails which we avoided because of the heat. read more

One of my biggest struggles with campgrounds, is the fact that you have to reserve so far in advance for a weekend night! With pinnacles, I was able to reserve 2 sites, with under a month's notice. We arrived at Pinnacles and immediate were greeted with signs stating no campfires. I had checked their website before and the site said that campfires were allowed. As we were unpacking, a ranger stopped by and saw the firewood in my car and reiterated that campfires were not allowed. We were SUPER disappointed, to say the least. Our entire meal plan revolved around cooking over a fire! We didn't bring a stove! D'oh! Luckily, I had packed enough food that we could just eat our food that didn't need cooking and be fine for the whole trip. Let's just say that PB&J and cheese and bread saved us! The campfire thing would've normally cause me to leave at night - normally when I camp, it's waaaay colder and I need the campfire to stay warm in the evening. But it was so warm and pleasant out after the sun went down, that we found we were totally happy without the fire. The first night, were in site 14, which was a great site - right near the bathrooms, but not too loud. It was relatively private. The second night, we moved next door to site 13, which was much less private. Luckily, our neighbors were a family with extremely well behaved kids! They were great neighbors that didn't seem to mind our music and drinking (not too loud, of course.) There are a LOT of critters running about at night. I actually had to turn on my sound machine on my iPhone because it was so distracting. Yeah, it's lame, but it was just so loud! Lots of rabbits and raccoons everywhere. Lots of bugs, but mostly non-biting and stinging ones. I got a handful of mosquito bites. We spent day 2 hiking up to the balconies caves. It was quite a long hike, at around 10 miles. Not hard- but just long! And hot! Overall, we'll be back! Just need to bring a stove next time, as campfires are not allowed through the whole summer. read more

Staff was friendly but the campground itself was riddled with ants. Black ants and Red ants. The toilets clogged up frequently the showers were 50 cents for 3 minutes. The swimming pool was tiny. I think the pool in my complex is bigger. Beware of the raccoons they are very bold and will take any food laying around. The other campers would ignore the 10mph speed limit and will speed on the roads endangering kids playing and adults crossing the road to throw trash or go to the bathroom. We only saw the park ranger once patrolling the grounds. The only reason it gets a 3 star is because of the hikes were good. Good chance this will be our only stay there. read more

This campground is pretty good, and we had a great weekend at Pinnacles On the plus side, they have flush toilets, a swimming pool, a couple showers, a small store, and the hiking is awesome. The negatives are like other people have mentioned - many of the sites are not very private, and some of them (in the 20's and 30's) looked like people were basically setting up tents in a parking lot with some dead grass here and there. But some of the sites were really nice and more private. We stayed in # 51, which was pretty good. It was right on the small street, but there weren't a lot of other sites right near it, so it still felt semi-private. Site #52 is very close and there is really nothing separating the 2 sites, but we were lucky, and the people in that site were nice and quiet. Also, the creek is right behind these sites, so that was nice. The bathroom was a bit of a walk, but I can't complain because it had 3 flush toilets, 3 sinks and it was clean! It is definitely hot in the summer, so look for a site that has some shade. read more

Stayed here before Thanksgiving and it was awesome. A real gem of a spot. The campgrounds are perfectly maintained - including the bathrooms. We were in one of the new tent cabins and they are awesome. They have comfortable beds (you need to provide bedding/sleeping bags) and great light from the windows. It's cold in the winter of course, but nice to have an option outside of a tent! The store is also awesome -- everything you need from food and snacks to an array of camping items if you forgot anything. Lastly, the hiking and animal sighting is incredible - great for families and for those who want to push it. You can't beat the hike through the caves to Moses Spring and for those who want to go on to Condor Gulch. We saw condors, which is an incredible experience. Oh and killer stargazing. I'd highly recommend it as one of the best camping spots in the Central Coast! read more

Good people met us at check in and got us a very nice RV spot. Reserve.gov is not reliable. This could be a premier Bay Area NP! We need to prod our elected officials to support the national parks. This park needs an upgraded septic system. With a few improvements I could see my family visiting regularly. The pool is scetchy due to poor support budget wise. The volunteers and staff are awesome. I fully support this park for families. The showers are gross. The park needs monatary support to make it great. It's a hidden gem that I hope gets the support it needs. If it does we will most definitely return. Also, Hollister is a beautiful town that was very nice to visit on our way out. Very pleased we visited. read more

We stayed here from 7/21-23 in site 120 in a 34' motorhome. The campground provided everything we needed to enjoy some truly amazing scenery. Electricity was important to us so our two Labs were kept safe in the air conditioned RV while we hiked in 100° heat. There was no water hook up at our site but water was available if needed. (There is a dump station which is always a plus.) Staff was super helpful and friendly. The best part was how quiet it is at night and falling asleep to the sounds of crickets chirping. You can not beat the proximity to the park! We will definitely go back. read more

Pinnacles Campground - It's a girl! - Campgrounds Near Me - Paicines, California

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Worst park campground I've ever stayed in, bar none. There are bathrooms in the tent area and in the group camping area, but in between is the large area with plugins, and there are no bathrooms there. I guess they assume that everyone who has an RV has a toilet. That's absurd . We have a small tent trailer with no toilet. So did the people next to us, so did people with small van campers. Just because you have lights and a little fridge you prefer to plug in and not run off the battery, it doesn't mean you have a fully equipped RV. In the middle of the night it's pitch black and hard to walk anywhere - even with a good flashlight it's hard to find your way around and over the bridge to the tent area. It was about a seven minute walk going slowly and carefully to a toilet. The second day I tried the group camping bathroom, but the septic was backed up and all of the stalls were overflowing onto the floor. This is the middle of the day and no one around to fix it. The place was overrun by teenage group campers and it was absolutely gross. Also, although it was a hot day in May, the swimming pool was closed. And there's no cell phone service. There is a public telephone outside the park store but it doesn't take coins, only calling cards. I inquired about buying a calling card but they don't sell them there! WTF? This is real issue if you have a medical problem. (They told me that you can dial emergency services without a calling card, but since everything else in this campground seemed so haphazard and poorly maintained, I wouldn't count on that to work.) So be warned that if you need to make a phone call you need to purchase a calling card somewhere on the outside. And the campground is even further than the bathrooms, so a considerable hike just to get to a phone if there were a problem. We both have some medical issues, so I was very uncomfortable staying there. The hiking is wonderful, the vistas are gorgeous, but it's not worth it, IMHO. read more

Our family camped at Pinnacles this November and it was awesome. It's definitely under the radar for being a National Park. The hiking is beautiful and it's one of the few places in California with a pretty heavy presence of Condors. Pinnacles is a hidden gem and we can't wait to go back! read more

Good-size campground with spots for RVs and tents, .5 miles from the entrance of Pinnacles National Monument. The campsites have shade and are well-spaced. The campground has more comfort than most - flushing toilets, pool and nature talks. Only 2 hours from San Francisco. read more

Pinnacles Campground - Campgrounds Near Me - Paicines, California