Lower section of Bear Gulch Caves reopens at Pinnacles National Park

PAICINES, Calif. (KION) Staff members at Pinnacles National Park announced that the lower section of the Bear Gulch Caves has reopened to visitors for the season.

The caves close in the early summer for bat pupping season. The closures prevent visitors passing through from threatening their ability to raise their young.

The Colony of Townsend's Big-Eared Bats has moved out of the lower section, so now the park can reopen it to visitors.

The upper section is still closed, but staff members say visitors can pass through the caves and around the section without needing to turn around. The upper section is usually only open for a few weeks each year in late October and late March, according to the park.

Balconies Caves reopen at Pinnacles National Park

The Balconies Caves reopened at the park after being closed for more than a year. During the closure, staff worked to remove graffiti, but they were not able to remove all of it because it is a delicate process in a sensitive ecosystem.