What do I do if our school is late or we enter the wrong side of the park?
If you don't think you're going to make it to the park in time for your program, please call the Pinnacles Visitor Center at 831-389-4485 and tell the ranger on duty what time we should expect your group to arrive. The park educator leading your educational program will not assume that a field trip is canceled until they have received confirmation from the lead teacher.

If you have entered the park on the wrong side, please notify the ranger on duty at the Pinnacles Visitor Center or Chaparral Ranger Station. The ranger will notify the park educator leading the group via radio or phone.

What if the weather is bad and I think we should cancel our educational field trip to Pinnacles?
If the weather does not look promising, please call the Pinnacles Visitor Center at 831-389-4485 and ask to speak with the park educator who is leading the group. They will be able to communicate the current weather conditions at Pinnacles or reschedule the trip if necessary.

How many adults should accompany the students on the educational field trip to Pinnacles?
To ensure the safety of the students, teachers, chaperones, and park staff, it is necessary to have a 1:10 adult to student ratio. Please plan accordingly to ensure there are enough adults to accompany the students. The program may be canceled if there is not at least 1 adult for every 10 students.

As a teacher, what should I suggest to parents and students to bring on their trip to Pinnacles?
Each student, teacher and chaperone that comes to participate in an educational program at Pinnacles should each have 1 liter of water for a typical 2 mile round trip hike. For a longer hike, each individual should have 1 liter of water for each additional mile. This is especially a concern during the summer months when daily temperatures can exceed 100°.

Each student, teacher, and chaperone should have proper hiking shoes, such as sneakers or boots. Please be advised that sandals are not proper hiking shoes. Everyone attending the trip should also be prepared with the proper clothing depending on the season. The weather at Pinnacles is unpredictable and can change frequently throughout the day. Teachers may call 831-389-4485 to receive a weather update for the week. To help teachers prepare all those that will be attending an educational program, an Educator’s Preparation Guide will be sent to each school group.

What if a medical emergency occurs during our educational field trip at Pinnacles?
The staff at Pinnacles National Monument have been trained and certified to handle medical, fire, earthquake, and search and rescue emergencies. If an emergency should occur, the park educator leading the school group will immediately notify the appropriate staff members via radio.

What kind of educational programs does Pinnacles offer?
Currently, Pinnacles offers educators the option of choosing from the park developed Wings on the Wind or Frog Eat Icky Bugs programs. These programs require a minimum of a three day commitment. If you do not have three days, you may choose a one day visit led by an park educator, or a one day teacher-led visit without assistance from the park rangers.

What is the difference between the Wings on the Wing and Frogs Eat Icky Bugs programs?
The Wings on the Wind program focuses on the current California condor reintroduction project currently taking place at Pinnacles National Monument. In this program, students will understand the concepts of extinction and endangered species, make evaluations and record data, and analyze the ecosystems at Pinnacles to comprehend why this park was chosen as a release site for the California condor.

The Frogs Eat Icky Bugs program focuses on the possible reintroduction of the Foothill Yellow-legged frog into the park. In this program, students will understand the concepts of habitat, use equipment to test the water quality of streams at Pinnacles, and analyze the data collected. Students will then use the information collected to make an educated decision about the Foothill Yellow-legged frog’s proposed reintroduction into Pinnacles. Please be advised that this program is only available in spring because of the dry climate and water resource shortages in the park!

Participation in the park developed programs requires a minimum of a three day commitment. The three days allows for a pre-visit at school, a park-visit to put into effect what the students have learned, and a final post-visit to tie concepts together and inspire students to take action through service learning or other means of hands-on application to teach others all they have learned. These educational opportunities meet the California State Content Standards for grades 4-8.

How do I schedule an educational program at Pinnacles?
Educators may schedule a program at Pinnacles by downloading the Educational Program Request. Educators can also apply for an Educational Fee Waiver. These are two separate forms and both of these should be completed for an anticipated visit. Completely fill out the forms and indicate which option will best serve the educational needs of the students. If the school is an accredited school and the objectives for visiting the park are educational in nature, the entrance fee can be waived. When completed, mail or fax the forms back to the address or fax number indicated on the form.

How far in advance must I schedule an educational program at Pinnacles?
The Educational Program Request and Application for Educational Waiver of Fees must be received via fax or post at least 30 days in advance of the date of the school visit. The 30 day notification will allow our staff adequate preparation time and provide an opportunity to alleviate potential scheduling conflicts. Programs that are not requested 30 days in advance risk the possibility of cancellation due to conflict.

How long does a typical educational program last?
The resource education staff members are flexible when meeting the needs of the school groups visiting the park for an educational program. We understand that groups need to leave the park at specific times in order to maintain the school’s bus schedule. If arriving by bus, school groups typically arrive at approximately 9:00 – 10:00 and depart at 1:00 – 1:30 . If arriving via personal vehicles, school groups typically arrive at approximately 9:00 – 10:00 and depart about 2:00 – 2:30 . The times vary, depending on the distance traveled by the school to visit Pinnacles National Monument .

What is the best time of year to visit Pinnacles?
Pinnacles is a beautiful place to visit anytime of year, but the best time depends on what the teacher wants the students to experience in order to bring concepts they are learning in class to life. For example, if students are learning about wildflowers of California , teachers should schedule a trip in March – May during the season when wildflowers are in bloom. If students are learning about how nature prepares wildlife for hibernation, teachers should schedule a trip in fall.

It is useful to know that there is always some type of vegetation to examine and discover at Pinnacles, regardless of the season. The most popular time of year is March and April when average high temperatures range from mid 60s to mid 70s. The least popular time of year is December – February when the average high temperatures range from low 50s – mid 60s.

How many students can the trail accommodate?
The size of your group must be limited to no more than 35 people on the trail. Groups that consist of more than 35 people may cause negative impacts to the trails and park resources. Most of the trails at Pinnacles are narrow, which makes it difficult to effectively discuss educational concepts to large groups while hiking. Large class sizes may still visit the park given that the class can be broken into smaller groups. In order to comply with this policy, please plan accordingly.

What trails will the students be hiking on while at Pinnacles?
If the students are visiting on the east side of the park, they will most likely hike the Moses Spring/Rim Trail Loop. This trail loop is considered to be moderate on an easy to very strenuous scale and is approximately 2 miles long. Other trails accessible from the east side of the park are the Condor Gulch, Bear Gulch Caves, and Chalone Peak Trails.

If the students are visiting on the west side of the park, they will most likely hike the Balconies Trail. This trail is considered to be moderate on an easy to very strenuous scale and is approximately .6 mile. It connects with the Balconies Cliffs and Balconies Cave Trails for a 1.2 mile loop. Other trails accessible from the west side of the park are the Juniper Canyon , Tunnel, and High Peaks Trails.

Before visiting Pinnacles, the park educator will discuss which trail they will be leading the students on when they come to the park. If the teacher has a specific trail they would like the students to hike on, please notify the park educator before the scheduled educational program.

Will my school group be able to enter and go through the caves?
There are two talus caves at Pinnacles National Monument. If interested in experiencing either of these caves, flashlights are required! The Bear Gulch Cave is on the east side of the park and the Balconies Cave on the west side of the park. Since the discovery of a maternity colony of the endangered Townsend Big-eared bats in 1997, the Bear Gulch Cave is only open seasonally. The Balconies Cave is open year round for visitor exploration, but may be closed periodically because of flooding.

I want my class to experience the Bear Gulch Cave. When is the best time to schedule a program so that we may be able to walk through the entire cave?
This is a difficult question to answer because the schedule of cave openings and closings depends primarily on the population and behavior of a protected colony of Townsend Big-eared bats. The lower half of the Bear Gulch Cave is open during the months of October – May. If you would like their class to experience the cave while it is completely open, you will probably want to plan your visit at the end of March or October. However, there is no guarantee that these times will coincide with the opening of the cave, and groups will not be rescheduled for the cave opening.

How do I familiarize myself with the trails my students will be hiking during their educational field trip at Pinnacles?
The best way to become familiar with the trails at Pinnacles is to visit the park and hike the trails the students will be hiking on personal time. However, if this is not an option, teachers can become familiar with the trails their students will be hiking by reading detailed trail descriptions.

Is it possible to camp at Pinnacles National Monument?
Yes, there is a campground within Pinnacles National Monument near the east entrance of the park called the Pinnacles Campground that has tent, RV, and group sites.

Can rocks, pine cones, or other park resources be taken out of the park for educational purposes or for souvenirs?
One of the rules that the park educator will go over with the students is to take away only memories – students, teachers, and chaperones are permitted to take pictures, but not permitted to take park resources for any reason.

If a pilot car is provided by the park for buses entering the west side, where will the bus/es meet the pilot car?
The bus will meet the pilot car on Hwy 146. It will be easily recognizable as the pilot car because it will be parked on the side of the highway waiting for the bus and have a yellow flashing light on top of the car.

If you have additional questions, please feel free to send an email to the park's education specialist.