A new West Pinnacles Visitor Contact Station at Pinnacles National Monument is slated for completion just after the new year, replacing the existing flood prone Chaparral Ranger Station. The new contact station is one of 800 National Park Service projects receiving funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act(ARRA).

The West Pinnacles Visitor Contact Station is among several other improvements set to open on the west side of the Pinnacles National Monument. Additional facility upgrades include housing for park staff, a maintenance building withan emergency operations center and an entrance station.

On Tuesday, November 22, 2011, from10:00AM –5:00PM, beginning at the west entrance to the Pinnacles, Chaparral Road will be closed as the road is repaved and heavy construction equipment will be present. The park will remain open and visitors may access the park from the temporary road closure by foot.

Beginning December 5, 2011, a temporary contact station providing visitor information will reside at the Chaparral parking lot until final completion of the new West Pinnacles Visitor Contact Station in January,2012. Visitors should remember to bring water, snacks, and flashlights when visiting as Western National Parks Association (WNPA) sales will not be available during this period of transition.

For more information on new West Pinnacles facilities and improvements visit the Park Web site.