WILDFLOWERS OF PINNACLES NATIONAL PARK
A Love Your Parks Tour Garden Story by Lisa D. Smith and Nancy J. Reid, assigned by fine art nature photographer Margot Carrera!
Located east of Monterey in central California, Pinnacles National Park is known for its geological significance, as well as its disparate landscape that stuns visitors with seasonal meadows, meandering creeks, springs and waterfalls, that are all set within a spectacular maze of rock spires, monolithic boulders, cool caves and rolling hills.
Our very first visit to the park was in April 2015, and along with the stunning geological formations, we were thrilled to see such a vibrant array of wildflowers. The peak blooming season at Pinnacles is from March through May, when over 80 percent of the park’s plants are in bloom. Depending on rainfall and temperature, flowers can begin opening as early as January and continue into June or, in a really wet year like this year 2019, into July. It’s spectacular! Wildflower species range from milkmaids and shooting stars in late winter, to poppies, fiddlenecks, monkeyflowers and baby blue-eyes in early spring, and sun cups, larkspur, bush lupine and penstemons in late spring and early summer. The best way to experience this wildflower bloom is to hit the trails! With over 32 miles of hiking trails, there’s something for everyone’s fitness level and interest.
Pinnacles is about 50 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean and 140 miles south of the San Francisco Bay area. Enjoy our Wildflowers of Pinnacles National Park Video and learn more about the Park at www.NPS.gov/pinn. To plan your visit to the Park’s eastern gateway communities within beautiful San Benito County, visit www.DiscoverSanBenitoCounty.com.
JIGSAW PUZZLE OF YARROW FLOWERS IN PINNACLES NATIONAL PARK: Use the full screen icon to make it easier. Use your mouse roller or arrow keys to rotate the puzzle pieces and click and drag to put the pieces in place. Use the Image Icon to see the picture and the Ghost Icon to set your workspace.
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