North Wilderness Trail,
Pinnacles National Park
The North Wilderness Trail is an unmaintained trail, accessed from either the west side of the park at the Chaparral Picnic Area, or from the east side of the park at the Old Pinnacles Trail junction. Half of the trail follows a creek and cairns mark the way. From the Chaparral Picnic Area, you can see the Pinnacles formation. This trail is not as busy as others in the park. Bring plenty of water and wear a good pair of boots.
Elevation
The North Wilderness Trail has a maximum elevation of 2,135 ft., a minimum elevation of 1,049 ft. and an elevation range of 1,086 ft.
Metrics
| [ A to B ] or [ B to A ] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Length 2 | Min Ele 3 | Max Ele 4 | Range 5 |
| 6.7 mi | 1,049 ft | 2,135 ft | 1,086 ft |
| [ A to B ] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time 6 | Floors 7 | Gain 8 | Loss 9 |
| 3.0 hrs | 82.9 | 995 ft | 676 ft |
| [ B to A ] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Floors | Gain | Loss |
| 2.9 hrs | 56.3 | 676 ft | 995 ft |
Calories
The following chart shows the total calories that you may expend on the trail while hiking in both directions. The chart is based on data derived from a statistical model of energy expenditure that relates gross weight, typical speed and trail topography.
Topo Maps
Download the PDF North Wilderness Trail topo map and the adjoining quads to plan your hike. These are full-sheet, 7.5 Minute (1:24,000 scale) topographic maps.
Adjoining 7.5' Quadrangle Legend
- Northwest Topo Map: Paicines, CA
- North Topo Map: Cherry Peak, CA
- Northeast Topo Map: Panoche Pass, CA
- West Topo Map: Mount Johnson, CA
- Topo Map: Bickmore Canyon, CA
- East Topo Map: San Benito, CA
- Southwest Topo Map: Soledad, CA
- South Topo Map: North Chalone Peak, CA
- Southeast Topo Map: Topo Valley, CA
Difficulty
The following chart illustrates the difficulty of hiking the North Wilderness Trail compared to two other trails. The x-axis is cumulative elevation gain and the y-axis is maximum elevation. The length of the trail is reflected in the size of the bubble.
FAQ
What is the length of the North Wilderness Trail?
The length of the trail is 6.7 miles (10.9 km) or 14,729 steps.
How long does it take to hike the North Wilderness Trail?
A person in good physical health can hike the trail in 3.0 hours in one direction and in 2.9 hours in the opposite direction.
Warnings
Prevent tick bites: Treat clothing and gear, such as boots, pants, socks and tents with products containing 0.5% permethrin.
(cdc.gov)
- The Brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) may be present in this area. The Brown dog tick transmits Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
- The Western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus) may be present in this area. The Western blacklegged tick transmits Anaplasmosis and Lyme Disease.
Footnotes
- Steps is a unit of distance equal to the sum of stride lengths that vary with the terrain.
- Length is the distance of the trail between the two trailheads, measured on the trail.
- Min Ele is the minimum elevation on the trail.
- Max Ele is the maximum elevation on the trail.
- Range is the difference between maximum and minimum elevation.
- Time is the typical total time required to hike the trail.
- Floors is the gain divided by twelve feet, the height of one floor.
- Gain (cumulative elevation gain) is the sum of every gain in elevation.
- Loss (cumulative elevation loss) is the sum of every loss in elevation.