Pinnacles National Park

January 10, 2013, was a “monumental” day for the California national monument known as Pinnacles when it formally became this country’s 59th national park.

Pinnacles National Monument was established by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908. The park was created for the vision and preservation of local homesteaders and later was developed by a group of residents living in the area who went by the name “Pinnacle Boys.” What today is Pinnacles National Park has grown physically since that first inception to its present size of about 26,000 acres in the southern portion of the Gabilan Mountains.

The park hosts between 350,000-400,000 visitors per year, many from Europe and Asia. Yet, with its proximity to the San Francisco Bay Area (over 7 million people and 101 cities), the park is accessed by hikers, climbers, bird watchers (especially those seeking the endangered California condors), geology buffs and artists. Pinnacles’ natural wonders—which includes the mammoth rock formation, crags, spires, wildlife, flowers, caves and even a tunnel arch—make it an ideal destination for nature photography.

Unlike most national parks, Pinnacles is distinctly divided into two parts, west and east, with no road linking the two. Michelle Armijo, who worked at the park as