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:

20 May 2025World Bee Day
Close to the wind
International Nurses Day
Protecting Earths biodiversity for everyone
An endless stretch of sky
A grand view
17 Nov 2024Red deer stag in Glen Affric, Scotland
14 Sep 2023Przewalskis horses, Hustai National Park, Mongolia
1 Dec 2024Antarctica Day
18 Sep 2025Dunquin Pier, County Kerry, Ireland
1 Jan 2025Happy New Year!
Stripes in sight
25 Jun 2024Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, USA
24 Dec 2024Silent night, sparkling lights and hearts full of joy
Hello, is it tea you’re looking for?
18 Jul 2024Coral Reef Awareness Week
13 Jan 2026Hen Galan
Tis the season for travel
5 Jan 2025Plum-headed parakeet
One rare streak
22 Mar 2025Happy World Water Day!
11 Nov 2025Externsteine in the Teutoburg Forest, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
17 Jan 2025Brown pelican, San Diego, California, United States
16 Apr 2024Union Square, Manhattan, New York, USA
15 Dec 2024Lake Misurina, Dolomites, Italy
Postcard from Italy
26 Sep 2024Blue-throated toucanet, Los Quetzales National Park, Costa Rica
Ludlow aglow
Cosmic cliffs
Call of the wilderness