We visited Pinnacles in the spring of 2019. The weather couldn’t have been more perfect (though it did start to rain just after we left), and we enjoyed a gorgeous trek from Peaks View to Bear Gulch and on through the cave to the reservoir. If you ask the kids, exploring the cave was the best part. They still talk about how awesome it was, and I wholeheartedly agree that it was a lot of fun. The Rim Trail on the way back took us past stunning views that were absolutely worth the climb. And seeing quite a few condors, including a couple tending a nest, was definitely a highlight as well.
But when I think about our trip to Pinnacles now, over two years later, the first thing that comes to mind is the wildflowers. Purple silver bush lupine greeted us at the entrance and made many more appearances throughout the day. Orange California poppies dominated the scene. Green miner’s lettuce beautifully brightened up fallen trees. Blue dicks and fiesta flowers, yellow triteleia, and red wooly paintbrush rounded out the rainbow. I particularly liked the white pipestems and unfortunately named but lovely pink bitter root.
An Unplanned Trail
When we arrived in the park around 10:30 the Bear Gulch parking area was already full, which is why we started our hike to the reservoir from Peaks View. The kids weren’t too thrilled with the extra mileage, but this unplanned stretch along the Bench Trail aside Chalone Creek, then over the bridge to the Sycamore Trail along Bear Creek is where the majority of the color was on full display. It was a poignant reminder of this blog’s theme – finding joy in the unexpected.
I can think of lots of times in my life where an unexpected twist has brought joy I otherwise would not have experienced. Career moves, friendships, calls to service – God has consistently shown me that he’s always got something incredible up his sleeve, particularly when things don’t go exactly according to my plans. His love abounds for me so much that he interrupts my carefully plotted routes and “leads me beside peaceful streams” (Psalm 23:2b, NLT) through blankets of wildflowers. “And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you,” (Matthew 6:30a, NLT). I truly shall not want.
Love this. And lupine is one of my very favorite flowers!