Pinnacles National Park, California, United States 16 Jan 2025

Pinnacles National Park, California, United States

Jagged pinnacles and spires, monoliths and unusual caves—welcome to Pinnacles National Park in central California. It all began in 1908 when President Theodore Roosevelt designated the area as a national monument. Later in 2013, Pinnacles earned its status as a national park. As we celebrate the anniversary of its establishment today, let"s take a moment to appreciate this landscape. This land owes its formations to an ancient volcanic eruption that occurred 23 million years ago. The fiery beginnings made towering spires, cliffs and talus caves, created by falling boulders wedged into narrow canyons. Over millennia, tectonic forces shifted the landmass northward, leaving the park far from its volcanic birthplace. Talk about a journey!

© yhelfman/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Winter wonderland
16 Jan 2024Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
16 Jan 2026Leopard at Etosha National Park, Namibia

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Like paint on a canvas
16 Oct 2025Eurasian lynx
6 Jun 202581st anniversary of D-Day
7 Jul 2025Northern gannets, Shetland Islands, Scotland
Sentinel of the sea
2 Nov 2025Maple and bamboo forests in Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan
19 Sep 2025Thousand Islands region, St Lawrence River, USA-Canada border
Aug 30, 2023International Whale Shark Day
Rising with the sun
Protecting the gentle giants
10 Jul 2024Collared aracari
Crowning jewel of London
An island crossroad of culture
Let’s protect our turtles
16 Sep 2023Oktoberfest begins
21 Dec 2025Winter solstice
15 May 2024The Blue City of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
Alpine grandeur
Where is this scenic view?
28 Nov 2023Giving Tuesday
15 Oct 2025Amethyst laccaria mushrooms, Seabeck, Washington, United States
Rainbow reflection
14 Nov 2024Manarola, Cinque Terre National Park, Liguria, Italy
7 Jan 2026Old Rock Day
On the open ocean road
Let’s have a lek, see?
The fjords of Italy
30 Jul 2024Friendship Day
2 Jan 2026Aerial view of Venice, Italy
Spanning the soft sunlight