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The park has an East and West side, and is best visited in spring or fall because of the intense heat during the summer months. The East side has shade and water, the west has high walls. The rock can vary widely in quality but there are a lot of spectacular 'pinnacles' to climb.
Peregrine falcons live in this area and the California Condor has recently been reintroduced experimentally. Bobcatss, cougars, coyote, California quail, wild turkey, and many other birds and mammals live in the area. Like many parks in central California, Pinnacles has a small problem with wild pigs (a mix of feral domestic pigs and imported wild boars) rototilling the landscape on a regular basis.
There are several trails for day hikers, some of which are strenuous. Views of the surrounding hills and valleys are lovely on a clear day, and the line of the San Andreas Fault is visible from some vantages.
Established in 1908 as a much smaller park, Pinnacles now includes tens of thousands of acres in California's Coast Range.