Nestled in the central valley of Northern CA is another crown jewel of outdoor excursions. The park features slender pointed formation of giant boulders, hence its name... pinnacles. The monument is located between Hollister and King City, off of Hwy 146. It's about two-hour drive from San Jose (80 miles). We could not have a better weather last weekend at the park. It's breezy and a bit on a cooler side but very ideal for hiking. The spring landscape with colorful plants is a feast to the naked eyes. Spring is the best time (from February to late May) to hike in the park. Summer can be scorching hot with temperature in the low 100s'. We hiked the easy Old Pinnacles trail to the Balconies Cave trail then looped back on the beautiful hilly Balconies Cliffs trail (6 miles round trip, no elevation gain) for about 6 hours...