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| Bear Gulch Cave. Photo courtesy of Pinnacles NPS |
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| Bear Gulch Cave Trail map. Map courtesy of Pinnacles NPS. |
The 1.5-mile round trip includes a walk through a scenic canyon and to a pretty reservoir. You’ll gain about 275 feet in elevation, but most elementary school kids can handle the route.
To reach the trailhead, use the park’s east entrance on Calif. Hwy. 146 (aka Chalone Creek Road). Turn left/southwest on the road leading to the Bear Gulch Day Use Area. Park in the lot at the end of the road. The trailhead is at the stone wall just before the lot.
You’ll initially take the Moses Spring Trail, which ascends up a hillside along a dirt path. Lush and shaded, there’s plenty of slanted and twisted trees as well as moss-covered boulders, creating the feel of an enchanted forest.
In 0.2 miles, the trail splits; go right/south onto riparian trail with ferns in the understory. Pause and listen to the canyon sounds.
Incredibly large boulders abound in this stretch, and by late morning so do rock climbers; they’re efforts can make for quite a sight. Two small caves also are along this portion of the route.
At 0.5 miles, the trail splits gain. Turn right/south, which brings you to the Bear Gulch Cave Trail proper.
Bear Gulch Cave
Within short order, you’ll reach Bear Gulch Cave. This talus cave technically is not a cave at all. It formed when running water cut deep fissures and chasms into the rock, causing chunks to fall off; due to the tight canyon spaces, not all fully hit the ground. Over thousands of years, they piled atop one another, creating the feel of a cave.
Within a couple of steps of passing through the cave’s narrow entrance, you’ll need a flashlight, so be sure to bring one for each member of your party. While some shafts of light break through the ceiling, parts of the caves are pitch black.
As squeezing between narrow rocks, you’ll be serenaded by Bear Gulch Creek, which runs through the cave. The sound of water tricking over the rocks is delightful, and along the way you’ll have to step across some of those stones to reach the other end. Following a rainfall, the cave floor can be wet, but the tiny waterfalls that the heavier runoff brings will quickly make you forget about that. Railing and steps, placed there by the CCC during the 1930s, also help make the going easy.
A colony of Townsend’s big-eared bats sometimes roosts in the cave. Found throughout the western United States and Mexico, Townsend’s bats have extremely long, flexible ears, and thanks to a large wing area compared to their body mass, they are able to hover in flight. They feed almost exclusively on moths but have been seen eating flies, dung beetles, and other small insects.
Upon leaving the cave, head through the boulders and take stone steps up to sparkling Bear Gulch Reservoir, about 0.15 miles away. The reservoir collects runoff from Santa Cruz Mountain and can hold up to 166 million gallons. The shores of a reflecting pool marks a great spot for a picnic lunch or snack.
Gorge rim
The trail loops back by taking Moses Spring Trail south. This singletrack heads along the gorge rim, and some spots have steep drop-offs. Still, the views of the gorge from above are impressive, and wildflowers usually line the trail in spring and summer. The route passes its namesake, Moses Spring, along the way.
When you reach the beginning of the loop, go straight/east, staying on Moses Spring Trail. At the next trail junction, go right/northeast back to parking lot.
Be forewarned: Sometimes rangers close the trail because of storms, high water, or to ensure the safety of the bats roosting there. The cave usually is closed mid-May to mid-July while the bats raise their newborns. Always check ahead with rangers or online to see if the Cave Trail portion of this hike is open.
Also, some days – especially weekends and during the peak season in summer – the trail can get quite busy, leaving no parking spaces. Arrive early or alternately park at the visitor center and take a shuttle to the Bear Gulch Day Use Area (which is not at the end of the road, so this will add a little distance to your hike).
Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks series.
