We had our first companion while exploring a national park during this trip! Jim joined us for a day trip up to Pinnacles National Park. It was so much fun to share the experience with someone. Our hiking speed is faster than his but this gave us a great opportunity to take more breaks to enjoy the scenery – we’re so likely to rush to a big viewpoint and then pause for only a moment.

With only a day’s visit, we chose a loop trail that headed up through the heart of the pinnacles. What beautiful views! We were reminded of the Black Hills, particularly the Cathedral Spires.

On the descent we stopped at the Condor Canyon where we spotted a couple of California Condors.

Fabulous visit to a beautiful park. It’s not the most dramatic of the parks, nor the largest, but we were rewarded with amazing views and only a handful of other visitors. So glad that we got to share it with Jim!