South Wilderness Trail,
Pinnacles National Park
The South Wilderness Trailhead is located on a service road about 1,000 ft south of Pinnacles Highway 146. If arriving by car, the best place to park is at the Peaks View Picnic Area — from the picnic area, hike east along the Bench Trail for about 1,500 ft to the service road. The South Wilderness Trail follows a creek in Frog Canyon. There are places where the trail crosses the creek, making it easy to lose sight of the trail. Look for cairns that mark the way. The trail ends at the park boundary where a sign is posted that says, "South Wilderness Trail Ends Here". This is an unmaintained trail with long grasses that hang over the trail — check your clothes and body for ticks when you return.
Elevation
The South Wilderness Trail has a maximum elevation of 986 ft., a minimum elevation of 862 ft. and an elevation range of 124 ft.
Metrics
| [ A to B ] or [ B to A ] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Length 2 | Min Ele 3 | Max Ele 4 | Range 5 |
| 2.1 mi | 862 ft | 986 ft | 124 ft |
| [ A to B ] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time 6 | Floors 7 | Gain 8 | Loss 9 |
| 51 min | 10.0 | 120 ft | 31 ft |
| [ B to A ] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Floors | Gain | Loss |
| 49 min | 2.6 | 31 ft | 120 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 South 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: Mount Johnson, CA
- North Topo Map: Bickmore Canyon, CA
- Northeast Topo Map: San Benito, CA
- West Topo Map: Soledad, CA
- Topo Map: North Chalone Peak, CA
- East Topo Map: Topo Valley, CA
- Southwest Topo Map: Paraiso Springs, CA
- South Topo Map: Greenfield, CA
- Southeast Topo Map: Pinalito Canyon, CA
Difficulty
The following chart illustrates the difficulty of hiking the South 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 South Wilderness Trail?
The length of the trail is 2.1 miles (3.4 km) or 4,506 steps.
How long does it take to hike the South Wilderness Trail?
A person in good physical health can hike the trail in 51 minutes in one direction and in 49 minutes 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.