Best time to visit Pinnacles National Park
The short answer
Best months to visit Pinnacles National Park: May and October–November. Daily highs run about 65–80°F, with about 75% of April's visitors.
How we picked these months: each month is scored on daily highs (65–82°F is ideal), rain, snow and seasonal closures, then reduced by up to 30% for crowds, measured against the park's busiest month. We list the months within 15% of the top score (at most 5).
Weather and crowds by month
Pinnacles National Park month by month
Park-wide averages across 3 locations. Crowds compare each month with the park's busiest month: Quiet is under 35% of it, Moderate under 60%, Busy under 85%, Peak above that.
| Month | Rating | High / low | Rain | Crowds | Closures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Fair | 59° / 41°F | 3.9 in | Moderate | – |
| February | Good | 61° / 41°F | 2.2 in | Busy | – |
| March | Fair | 63° / 43°F | 2.7 in | Peak | – |
| April | Good | 69° / 46°F | 0.8 in | Peak | – |
| May | Best | 75° / 50°F | 0.4 in | Peak | – |
| June | Good | 85° / 56°F | 0 in | Busy | – |
| July | Fair | 90° / 61°F | 0.1 in | Busy | – |
| August | Fair | 90° / 61°F | 0 in | Moderate | – |
| September | Good | 86° / 59°F | 0.1 in | Moderate | – |
| October | Best | 79° / 53°F | 0.5 in | Moderate | – |
| November | Best | 66° / 45°F | 1.2 in | Busy | – |
| December | Fair | 58° / 40°F | 3.3 in | Moderate | – |
Weather by location
Parks with a big range of elevation can differ a lot from one area to another. Open a location to see its own numbers.
Park-wide (center of the park)
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 58°F | 40°F | 3.8 in | – |
| February | 59°F | 40°F | 2.1 in | 0.6 in |
| March | 61°F | 42°F | 2.5 in | – |
| April | 68°F | 45°F | 0.8 in | – |
| May | 74°F | 49°F | 0.4 in | – |
| June | 84°F | 55°F | 0.1 in | – |
| July | 90°F | 61°F | 0.1 in | – |
| August | 89°F | 61°F | 0 in | – |
| September | 85°F | 58°F | 0.1 in | – |
| October | 77°F | 52°F | 0.5 in | – |
| November | 65°F | 44°F | 1.2 in | – |
| December | 57°F | 39°F | 3.1 in | – |
West Pinnacles
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 59°F | 40°F | 3.9 in | – |
| February | 61°F | 40°F | 2.4 in | 0.5 in |
| March | 63°F | 43°F | 2.9 in | – |
| April | 69°F | 45°F | 0.8 in | – |
| May | 74°F | 49°F | 0.5 in | – |
| June | 84°F | 55°F | 0 in | – |
| July | 89°F | 59°F | 0.1 in | – |
| August | 89°F | 60°F | 0 in | – |
| September | 85°F | 58°F | 0.1 in | – |
| October | 79°F | 53°F | 0.5 in | – |
| November | 67°F | 44°F | 1.3 in | – |
| December | 58°F | 40°F | 3.4 in | – |
East Pinnacles
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 60°F | 42°F | 4.0 in |
| February | 62°F | 42°F | 2.2 in |
| March | 64°F | 44°F | 2.6 in |
| April | 71°F | 47°F | 0.8 in |
| May | 77°F | 51°F | 0.4 in |
| June | 87°F | 58°F | 0.1 in |
| July | 93°F | 63°F | 0.1 in |
| August | 93°F | 63°F | 0 in |
| September | 88°F | 60°F | 0.1 in |
| October | 80°F | 54°F | 0.5 in |
| November | 67°F | 46°F | 1.2 in |
| December | 59°F | 42°F | 3.3 in |
Pinnacles National Park by season
Spring (March–May)
Spring (March–May) is a good time to visit Pinnacles National Park. Daily highs average 63–75°F and lows 43–50°F. Expect about 1.3 in of rain a month and little or no snow. Visitor numbers run 92–100% of the busiest month, which is peak by this park's standards.
Summer (June–August)
Summer (June–August) is a mixed time to visit Pinnacles National Park. Daily highs average 85–90°F and lows 56–61°F. Expect about 0.0 in of rain a month and little or no snow. Visitor numbers run 55–76% of the busiest month, which is busy by this park's standards.
Fall (September–November)
Fall (September–November) is among the best times to visit Pinnacles National Park. Daily highs average 66–86°F and lows 45–59°F. Expect about 0.6 in of rain a month and little or no snow. Visitor numbers run 52–66% of the busiest month, which is moderate by this park's standards.
Winter (December–February)
Winter (December–February) is a mixed time to visit Pinnacles National Park. Daily highs average 58–61°F and lows 40–41°F. Expect about 3.1 in of rain a month and little or no snow. Visitor numbers run 56–67% of the busiest month, which is busy by this park's standards.
For what to do in each season, see our guides to trip planning, fees and hours, trails, camping and things to do, where the planning page also has our written advice on when to go. In-depth topic guides cover individual places and hikes.
What the National Park Service says about the weather
Pinnacles National Park has a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers, and mild winters with moderate precipitation. The park is several miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. A wider variation in seasonal temperatures can be expected in the local area. Summers are hot with temperatures above 100 degrees. Winters are cooler with highs in the 60s. Big swings in temperature occur between day and night, year round.
Weather: modeled monthly averages for 2014-2023 (Open-Meteo Archive API), averaged over 3 locations. Modeled grid cells can read cooler than weather stations in deep canyons and deserts, and warmer or colder at high elevation. Visits: monthly recreation visits for 2021-2024, National Park Service.
