Pinnacles National Park, California, United States Jan. 16, 2025

Pinnacles National Park, California, United States

Jagged pinnacles and spires, monoliths and unusual caves—welcome to Pinnacles National Park in central California, United States. 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. 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

Scenic Mount Michener
Jan. 16, 2024Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
Jan. 16, 2026Leopard at Etosha National Park, Namibia

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Dec. 6, 2025Everglades National Park, Florida, United States
Oct. 23, 2025International Day of the Snow Leopard
Sep. 28, 2025Town of Pienza in Tuscany, Italy
For Mother’s Day, we salute these marsupial moms
Dec. 26, 2023Happy Boxing Day!
Apr. 25, 2024World Penguin Day
Oct. 11, 2025World Migratory Bird Day
Feb. 26, 2026Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, United States
Dec. 5, 2023Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau Castles, Bavaria, Germany
Feb. 13, 2026Third Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge connecting Laos and Thailand
Sep. 23, 2024Sea Otter Awareness Week
Stretching out in the Everglades
Nov. 12, 2025Colosseum, Rome, Italy
Masterpiece of acoustic science
Mar. 15, 2024Abbotsford, British Columbia
Feb. 4, 2025Golden Bridge, Bà Nà Hills, Da Nang, Vietnam
Mar. 20, 2025Spring equinox
A legend sprung from the ground
Sep. 17, 2024Mid-Autumn Festival
Winter at Valley Forge
Dec. 20, 2023Val Gardena, South Tyrol, Dolomites, Italy
Sep. 4, 2024Dusky eagle-owls, Pakistan
Jul. 9, 2024Talampaya National Park, Argentina
Dec. 13, 2025Merced River, Yosemite National Park, California, United States
Aug. 27, 2023Jeju Island, South Korea
Jul. 29, 2025International Tiger Day
Oct. 12, 2023Old barn and canola field, Palouse region, Idaho
Books are mans best friend
Say hello to these halophytes!
Jun. 25, 2024Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada