The unincorporated community of Paicines, formerly Tres Pinos, is located at 680 feet above mean sea level in San Benito County, California along State Route 25. Guide signs along SR 25 say the community is 13 miles south of Hollister. The community is at the intersection of Panoche Road and SR 25. Bolado County Park is just over three miles north of the community and the site of the San Benito County Fair.Hydrologic features in the area include Tres Pinos Creek, the San Benito River, and the Paicines Reservoir. The area is in the San Andreas Rift Zone area in proximity to the San Andreas Fault. Areas to the south and east are mountainous. The county line runs along the Gabilan Range.The community is a gateway to Pinnacles National Park, a National Park straddling the mountains along the Monterey-San Benito County line.Famous people associated with Paicines include Lieutenant General Janet C.