The Upper Bear Gulch Cave at Pinnacles National Park is open for the next few weeks — perhaps until April 1 — when the Townsend's big-eared bats that live there are expected to return. The park announced the opening on March 8.
According to the park's website, the cave provides a home to a colony of bats as they rest there in winter and raise their young in the late spring and summer. Townsend's big-eared bats are listed as a "sensitive species" by the state of California, and the park is required to protect them. The colony in the Bear Gulch Cave is the largest maternity colony between San Francisco and Mexico.
The lower half of the Bear Gulch Cave is usually open from mid-July through mid-May each year, depending on the presence of the bats. The entire cave is closed from mid-May to mid-July while the bats are raising their young.
According to the park's website, "As long as the hibernating colony of bats shows no signs of disturbance, we plan to keep over half of the Bear Gulch Cave open for almost ten months each year, from mid-July through mid-May. During especially warm springs, however, it's possible that the entire cave will be closed before mid-May if the maternity colony is present. The entire cave will continue to be closed through late spring and early summer for pupping season, from mid-May through Mid-July. The entire Bear Gulch Cave will also be open twice a year for at least one week and up to four weeks each March and October, depending on the presence of the colony of bats.
Schedule of the Seasonal Opening of the Bear Gulch Cave
These dates may change if the colony of bats changes its breeding patterns or shows signs of disturbance.
March: The entire cave is usually open for the last week of the month. It may open earlier, up to the full month, depending on the presence of bats
April 1 to mid-May: The lower half of the cave may be open.
Mid-May to mid-July: The entire cave will be closed to protect the colony of bats as they raise their young.
Mid-July to September 30: The lower half of the cave may be open.
October: The entire cave is usually open for the last week of the month. It may open earlier, up to the full month, depending on the presence of bats.
Nov. 1 to the end of February: The lower half of the cave may be open.
For more information on the Bear Gulch Caves, click here.
Below is a video of a hike through the cave, courtesy of California Through My Lens:
