Pinnacles National Park, California, United States 16 Jan 2025

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:

22 Nov 2023Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA
21 Jun 2025Summer solstice
15 Dec 2024Lake Misurina, Dolomites, Italy
20 Mar 2025Spring equinox
Mountains of sand
Queen Elizabeth II (1926–2022)
Look up, incoming…
24 Sep 2023World Rivers Day
8 Jan 2026Tufted titmouse, Massachusetts, United States
18 Aug 2025Avalanche Lake Trail at Adirondack High Peaks, New York, United States
Charming Turenne
The oldest way to fly
10 Jul 2024Collared aracari
The dog days of summer
12 Oct 2025Village of Saranac Lake, New York, United States
Halfway there
13 May 2024Fish River Canyon, Namibia
A wave of remembrance
Sport where you least expect it
The sprout with amazing potential
13 Dec 2024Christmas market, St Stephens Basilica, Budapest, Hungary
Love is in the snow
15 Sep 2024Stockholm Public Library, Sweden
24 Mar 2024Silvereyes
A vibrant, sun-drenched island
14 Feb 2024Valentines Day
An island crossroad of culture
24 Jun 2024Kelimutu, Flores, Indonesia
The bears and the bees…
An endless stretch of sky