Do I need a reservation for Pinnacles?

No. Pinnacles National Park does not require a timed-entry or vehicle reservation to enter in 2026. You still pay the entrance fee ($30 per vehicle) or show an accepted pass.

Is there an entrance fee at Pinnacles?

Yes. A private vehicle pass is $30 per vehicle. An America the Beautiful pass is accepted for the entrance fee, and does not cover any reservation or permit.

Pinnacles reservations & entry requirements, 2026

The 2026 season at Pinnacles

This is what applies across the published season. Use the date checker below for a specific day.

West entrance gate hours apply on every date in 2026.

An entrance fee or accepted pass is required on every visit, separately from anything below.

Park entrance
Required
You must pay the park entrance fee or show an accepted pass.
- Private vehicle: $30, valid for 7 days.
- Motorcycle: $25.
- Per person on foot or bicycle: $15.
- An America the Beautiful pass covers this entrance fee. It does not cover any reservation or permit below.
- One entrance pass is valid at BOTH the East and West entrance stations. A park entrance pass is required year-round. If arriving in a private vehicle you pay only the vehicle fee, not the per-person fee. If the entrance station is unstaffed on arrival you can pay on the way out or digitally. Cashless - credit cards and mobile payment only.
Timed entry
Not required
Nothing here is required in 2026.
- No advance reservation is required to enter Pinnacles. Pinnacles Campground reservations are separate and must be made at least 48 hours in advance through Recreation.gov. Backpacking is not allowed at Pinnacles, so there is no wilderness permit to obtain. Entire park, both East and West entrances
Vehicle, road, or corridor
Required all year
West entrance gate hours apply on every date in 2026.
- West entrance gate hours
  Dates
  Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026
  Hours
  7:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
  Fee
  Not published
  Opens
  No advance booking
  Applies to West entrance gate on Highway 146 near Soledad. The East entrance off Highway 25 is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays.
  - West side is day-use only - no overnight parking or camping.
  - East side allows 24-hour access to trails, but no overnight parking without a camping reservation and outside the campground area.
  - Expect long lines and delays between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm on weekends, holidays, and in spring.
  - A Pinnacles Campground reservation is what makes overnight parking legal on the East side; it grants nothing on the West side, where camping is not permitted at all.
- No road connects the East and West: The shortest driving route between the two entrances is through King City on Highway 101.
- Bear Gulch Cave seasonally closed to protect: No permit or ticket is needed for either cave - this is a closure, not a reservation.
Shuttle
Not required
Nothing here is required in 2026.
- Seasonal East-side shuttle - not currently running. The shuttle service has concluded for the season as of the page check on 2026-07-26. It runs seasonally in late winter and spring, Friday through Sunday only. The last shuttle leaves Bear Gulch Day Use Area at 5:30 pm. There is no shuttle on the West side.
Your campground or lodging
Not applicable
Pinnacles National Park has no in-park stay that changes what you need to enter.
Selected activity
Not applicable
Pinnacles National Park has no headline activity permit that visitors confuse with entry.

Fees and passes

Entrance fee rates at Pinnacles National Park
Private vehicle	$30
Motorcycle	$25
Per person, on foot or bicycle	$15
Valid for	7 days
Park annual pass	$55

One entrance pass is valid at BOTH the East and West entrance stations. A park entrance pass is required year-round. If arriving in a private vehicle you pay only the vehicle fee, not the per-person fee. If the entrance station is unstaffed on arrival you can pay on the way out or digitally. Cashless - credit cards and mobile payment only.

An America the Beautiful pass is accepted here. It covers the entrance fee only. It does not cover a timed-entry permit, a vehicle reservation, a parking tag, a shuttle ticket, or an activity permit.

The $55 Pinnacles Annual Pass is valid only at Pinnacles, is good 12 months from the purchase month, and admits up to two motorcycles or up to 15 passengers in one private vehicle. Federal passes must be displayed on the dashboard with the signature and expiration date facing up; passes are non-transferable and the passholder must be present.

Fee-free days

Feb 16, 2026
May 25, 2026
Jun 14, 2026
Jul 3, 2026
Jul 4, 2026
Jul 5, 2026
Aug 25, 2026
Sep 17, 2026
Oct 27, 2026
Nov 11, 2026

From 2026 a fee-free day waives the entrance fee for U.S. residents. Other visitors still pay it. A fee-free day never waives a reservation, a permit, or a booking fee unless the park says so.

Rules that apply to one area only

These do not apply to the whole park. Where you go changes the answer.

Pinnacles East Entrance Station near Hollister off CA Highway 25, and Pinnacles West Entrance Station near Soledad off US 101 - one pass covers bothPinnacles National Park entrance fee · Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026
West entrance gate on Highway 146 near Soledad. The East entrance off Highway 25 is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays.West entrance gate open 7:30 am to 8:00 pm - East side has 24-hour access · Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026

What a campground or lodging booking does and does not cover

Pinnacles National Park entrance feeNot covered by an in-park booking. A Pinnacles Campground reservation does not include the entrance fee. The campground is on the East side only; camping is not permitted on the West side.
West entrance gate open 7:30 am to 8:00 pm - East side has 24-hour accessPartly covered by an in-park booking. A Pinnacles Campground reservation is what makes overnight parking legal on the East side; it grants nothing on the West side, where camping is not permitted at all.

Quick answers

Do I need a reservation for Pinnacles?: No. Pinnacles National Park does not require a timed-entry or vehicle reservation to enter in 2026. You still pay the entrance fee ($30 per vehicle) or show an accepted pass.
Is there an entrance fee at Pinnacles?: Yes. A private vehicle pass is $30 per vehicle. An America the Beautiful pass is accepted for the entrance fee, and does not cover any reservation or permit.

Official links, coverage, and sources

When reservations are released

Pinnacles National Park entrance feeBuy on arrival, on the way out, digitally, or in advance at Recreation.gov.

Official booking and park information

Official park alerts and conditionsnps.gov(opens in a new tab)Alerts override anything on this page.
Official fees and passesnps.gov(opens in a new tab)

What this does not cover

Road, weather, and fire closures that change day to day. Check the park’s alerts page.
Backcountry and wilderness permits beyond the headline permits listed above.
Commercial use authorizations, filming permits, and group-size rules.
Availability. We tell you what is required, not whether anything is left.

Effective dates and sources

Fees and passesNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Park entranceA park entrance pass is required year-round at Pinnacles National Park. ... If you are arriving in a private vehicle, you only need to pay the vehicle fee (not the per-person fee). If the entrance station is unstaffed when you arrive, you can pay on the way out or digitally.
Fees & Passes - Pinnacles National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Pinnacles National Park entrance feePrivate Vehicle $30.00 This pass is valid for 1-7 days and includes everyone traveling in a single, private (non-commercial) vehicle up to 15 passengers to Pinnacles East Entrance and West Entrance. Motorcycle $25.00. Per Person $15.00.
Directions - Pinnacles National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to No road connects the East and WestImportant Travel Information: No Through Road. When visiting Pinnacles National Park, it's important to note that there is no road connecting the East and West entrances of the park. The shortest route between the two entrances is through King City on Hwy 101.
Operating Hours & Seasons - Pinnacles National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-31 · applies to West entrance gate hoursEntrance Gate Hours. East Side: 24-hour access to trails. Note: No overnight parking without a camping reservation or outside of the campground area. West Side: Gate open from 7:30 am to 8:00 pm. Day-use only, no overnight parking or camping.
Operating Hours & Seasons - Pinnacles National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Seasonal East-side shuttleShuttle Service (East Side Only). Service Status: The Shuttle Service has concluded for the season. ... The shuttle service is available seasonally in late winter and spring from 8 am to 5:30 pm Friday through Sunday from Pinnacles Campground.
Status of the Caves - Pinnacles National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Bear Gulch Cave seasonally closed to protectBear Gulch Cave: Lower Cave: CLOSED. Upper Cave: CLOSED. Balconies Cave: OPEN. ... Both sections of the cave fully close during mid-May through mid-July for the pupping season, when the bats are raising their young.
Permits and Reservations - Pinnacles National ParkNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to No advance reservation is required to enterReservations. No advance reservations are required to enter Pinnacles National Park. Reservations for the Pinnacles Campground can be made at recreation.gov. All reservations must be made at least 48 hours in advance.

Something wrong here?

Park rules change, sometimes at short notice. If a line on this page does not match what the park publishes, tell us and we will fix it and re-check the source.

corrections@nationalparkentry.com· Last factual change 2026-08-05 · Sources last reviewed 2026-07-31

Nearest other national parks

Chosen by distance from Pinnacles, not by editorial preference.

Pinnacles National Park entry requirements