Ultimate Guide to Balconies Cave, California (Tours, Pricing, History, Map)
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The Pinnacles National Park has some of California’s oddest landscapes, including out-of-place rock spires and gorges filled with boulders, forming talus caves just awaiting exploration. The two most famous talus caves here are Bear Gulch Cave and Balconies Cave. Balconies Cave, on the Western part of the park, boasts excellent trails and scenery.
Many people feel excited to come here as this is the best place to view the California Condors. They are seen mainly in the High Peak sections of the park. But there are many other birds too here, and, if you are lucky, you may spot wrens, roadrunners, and the California Quails.
History of Balconies Cave
The caves in the Pinnacles National Park will give you a completely different experience. You will not be walking into underground tunnels, but you will be exploring through steep canyons filled with massive boulders.
These types of caverns are technically known as talus caves. But how did the caves in Pinnacles National Park get created? There are narrow canyons formed by fault-line fractures surrounding the Pinnacles in a maze-like fashion. The cliffs above got eroded.
Eventually, huge boulders fell below, and the canyons were a mess. The talus caves were thus formed at the end of the last Ice Age due to the erosion of the peaks.
Balconies Cave is of great importance to many bat species, especially the Western Mastiff Bats. The majority of the bats are found in the cracks in the cave area.
The cave is found in the park’s western area, but the caves are subject to flooding. The caves are kept open during the hibernating season of the bats only if the caves are not flooded.
Geological Formations in Balconies Cave
The caves at the Pinnacles National Park are different from those we come across in other parts of the state or the country. These caves are not artificial and were not created through limestone deposits either. They are created through massive rock formations, and these caves are known as talus caves.
Wildlife in Balconies Cave
Out of the 23 species of bats available in California, 14 types of bats can be found in the various caves of Pinnacles National Park. The Western Mastiff bats, especially the solitary males, have housed themselves in the tiny cracks of the area. One would also come across various small animals and insects in the area.
Is Balconies Cave Haunted?
Balconies Cave is not haunted and is visited by many visitors every year.
How Big is Balconies Cave?
The exact dimensions of the cave are unknown, but it is smaller than Bear Gulch Cave.
Balconies Cave Tours
The NPS does not conduct any tour of the Balconies Caves, but you can explore the caves independently. Balconies Cave is named after the neighboring rock formation that looks like balconies carved into the side of the mountains.
It boasts some fantastic hiking including an elevation drip in the 2nd part of the cave. It would help if you came here fully prepared with your hiking tools, especially a flashlight, as you will navigate through the dark labyrinth of rocks and boulders that make up the cave.
Balconies Cave Tour Prices and Discounts
Pinnacles National Park has an entrance fee of USD 20. You can either pay the entrance fee or use the National Parks Pass to enter the premises. The private vehicle entrance fee is USD 30 and is valid for seven days.
There is an annual America the Beautiful Pass that comes for USD 80. It is a real money-saver, and you can gain entry to all the national parks with this single pass.
Is Balconies Cave Cold?
The cave tends to have cold temperatures during the winter and remains comfortable in summer. The average temperature hovers around 54 degrees F, and you can carry a light jacket if you feel the chill quickly.
What to Wear?
When visiting Balconies Cave, always wear light clothing, sunglasses, and a generous amount of sunscreen lotion. Always opt for a snug-fitting hat as the wind is strong here, and knock the hat off your head!
Balconies Cave Hours
Nobody needs a permit to hike to Balconies Cave. The entry station opens daily at 7:30 am and closes at 8:00 pm. However, the gate will automatically open if any visitor wants to exit the park after 8:00 in the evening.
What to Do at Balconies Cave (Beside Tours)
When you are at Pinnacles National Park, you must come to the Visitor Center. Although the shop at the Eastern entrance is larger and has more souvenirs, the one at the Western entrance is a smaller shop with limited resources. You can check out Balconies Cliff Trail, have a picnic lunch at Chaparral, and hike the Juniper Canyon Loop.
Best Time to Visit Balconies Caves
Like Bear Gulch Cave, Balconies Cave is home to bats, but there is no colony. So, the cave does not close to protect them. The best time to visit Balconies Cave would be in the morning.
How to Get to Balconies Cave
Pinnacles National Park is divided into two sides – east and west, and it is not possible to drive to the other side through the park. One would find the Balconies Cave in the western area of the park. The west side is accessible from Highway 101 near the town of Soledad.
Now head east along Highway 146 till you reach the park entrance. There is a small visitor center but no campground or overnight accommodations. The gates on the western side open from 7:30 am to 8 pm on all days of the week.
Hotels near Balconies Cave
Camping is strictly prohibited on the west side of Pinnacles National Park, so you need to go to the east side to access the campground and stay overnight.
Apart from the campground, there are other good options for staying nearby. These are Inn at the Pinnacles, Valley Harvest Inn, and Motel 8, a budget-conscious choice.
Visiting Balconies Cave
Do you need more information before visiting? Call (831) 389-4486 or email NPS through the form for an information packet.
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