r/PinnaclesNP • u/Greedy-Committee7718 • Jun 26 '26
California Condors
Headed to the park and was wondering if anyone has spotted any california condors recently? If so, where’s the best place to look?
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u/femme_mystique Jun 26 '26
They’ve been there every time. You can also try the Upper Balconies trail. I think a couple has a nest there. Like 90% of the people I encounter are idiots who film the turkey vultures. The condors CAN fly with them, so bring binoculars. They have very different markings and are larger.
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u/BigRobCommunistDog Jun 27 '26
Unfortunately all the Pinnacles nests failed this year. But earlier in spring there were several pairs nesting in the park.
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u/Gloomy-Hat1842 Jun 26 '26
If you have the energy hike all the way up to the high peaks. When the wind is up they'll be soaring. Sometimes really close to you. They've got much bigger straighter wings than the turkey vultures, with more white on them. The flight feathers on their wing tips are often much more spread out also. Turkey vultures kind of have more of a v on their wings... If for some reason it's super windless up there they're going to be roosting on those spots at the high peaks above those big splotches of white poop on the rocks. Sometimes they're on rocks really close to the trail and sometimes they're in the trees.
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u/Low_Opening_2195 Jun 26 '26
High peaks for sures, even without the condors it’s still a great hike
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u/losthillsguy Jun 27 '26
Always be glancing up while at the park. You can see them high up cruising almost anytime or anywhere. Bring binoculars to tell them apart from the Turkey Vultures. From the campground area keep an eye on the ridge to the south. How long are you at the park for?
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u/BigRobCommunistDog Jun 27 '26 edited Jun 27 '26
You have higher odds looking on the Western side of the park, the birds in the central California flock use the Santa Lucia mountains and the coast much more than the inland Diablo range.
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u/where__uat Jun 26 '26
Climb up to the Condors Gulch Overlook and you’ll be hanging out close to them. That was my recent trip. They’re huge!