Information provided by Pinnacles National Park
The Pinnacles National Park reinstated hiking measures Jan. 18 to protect nesting raptors.
Pinnacles said 12 pairs of Prairie and Peregrine Falcons produced a total of 40 fledglings last year and that it also had successful nesting by birds of prey including American kestrels, golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, red-shouldered hawks, Cooper’s hawks, long-eared owls, barn owls and great horned owls.
Park rangers plan to continue to monitor raptors to better understand the birds.
“We ask you to refrain from any off-trail hiking and climbing in sensitive areas which include the High Peaks, the Balconies Cliffs area, the Piedras Bonitas/Gargoyle area, Resurrection Wall, Little Pinnacles/Yaks Wall, and the Egg Rock/Teapot Dome areas,” said Park Superintendent Blanca Alvarez Stransky. “Without your cooperation in avoiding the advisory areas, this program could not be the success that it is.”
The specific locations of these sensitive areas are posted on information boards at trailheads, at the visitor centers, on the web at www.nps.gov/pinn or by calling 831-389-4486.
For more information regarding the park’s raptor monitoring program, please call the office of Research and Resource Management at 831-389-4486 extension 4279.