Pinnacles National Park is located in the chaparral-covered Gabilan Mountains, east of central California’s Salinas Valley. It derives its name from name from rock spires and crags that are remnants of an ancient volcano. The volcano eroded over millions of years as it moved northward along the San Andreas Fault. Rock debris in the form of boulders has weathered and settled, leaving behind spires of volcanic rock and talus caves.
In terms of protection, there’s not a great deal of difference between a national monument and a national park, although national monuments are ususually designated such for their significance in one area. Pinnacles was established as a national monument in 1908 for its rock formations.
With the national park designation, Pinnacles will also be recognized for its majestic valley oak savanna ecosystems and its human history as an ancestral home to the Ohlone people, who left stone artifacts in the area. It’s also the only National Park System site within the ancestral home range of the California condor.
Obama Elevates Calif.'s Pinnacles to National Park Status
