More than a century ago, before the National Park Service even existed, President Theodore Roosevelt established Pinnacles National Monument for the purpose of protecting the magnificent Pinnacles Rocks and underlying caves. As the boundary expanded, so did our understanding of the many and varied resources contained within the boundary. It soon became apparent that Pinnacles was destined to become a national park.

The Pinnacles National Park Act of 2012 recognized the role of Pinnacles as "the best remaining refuge for floral and fauna species representative of the central California coast and Pacific coast range."

Pinnacles is home to a great diversity of living creatures. People flock to the park each spring to enjoy the wildflowers, which are among the 500-plus plant species found at the park. Wildlife species also abound, with at least 150 birds, 45 mammals, 30 reptiles/amphibians, 40 dragonflies, 70 butterflies, 400 bees, and 500 moths.  As we continue to explore the park, we add new species of plants and animals to these lists.

As a part of its centennial celebration, the National Park Service is holding BioBlitzes in 100 national park units across the country. On May 21, we invite the public to come out and celebrate Pinnacles' biodiversity by helping us discover and document the amazing diversity of life forms protected within Pinnacles National Park. You can join a naturalist-led hike or go out on your own, documenting your observations with iNaturalist.

For more information on the upcoming Bioblitz click here.