Pinnacles National Park ​

Pinnacles is the national park that nobody can name in the "list all the California national parks" game, and honestly, that's part of its charm. While everyone's fighting for parking at Yosemite, you can roll up here and have an entire volcanic rock formation basically to yourself — assuming you go between October and April, because summer at Pinnacles is what scientists refer to as "inadvisable."

The talus caves — Bear Gulch and Balconies — are formed by massive boulders tumbled into canyons, creating dark, narrow passages you scramble through with a headlamp, feeling like a budget Indiana Jones. And then there are the condors. California condors with their 9-foot wingspan circling the High Peaks. These birds were down to 22 individuals in the 1980s, and watching them soar overhead is the kind of conservation success story that makes you briefly optimistic about humanity.

Photo Gallery ​

Good to Know ​

Temperature: Do NOT come in July or August unless you have a personal vendetta against your own comfort. 105°F on exposed rock is less "exploring" and more "voluntary suffering."

Cave Closures: Caves close periodically for bat pupping season. Check before you go.

Two Entrances: East and West sides don't connect by road. Pick one. East (via Hollister) has Bear Gulch Cave. West (via Soledad) has Balconies Cave.