This 2-mile hike gains a modest 361ft of elevation to provide spectacular views of Scorpion Bay, Cavern Point, and the Pacific Ocean. The first hike I recommend for visitors to Santa Cruz Island is a loop around Scorpion Bay and Cavern Point. Scorpion Bay to Cavern Point Hike ( Full Hiking Guide) I will provide links to the guides as well as hike highlights below. Make sure to see the full in-depth guides for each hike. So once you’ve taken a boat to Santa Cruz Island and pitched a tent at your campsite, it’s time to explore the island on some amazing hikes! There are three main hikes from Scorpion Anchorage that I found to be really amazing. I figured I might see one or two…I ended up seeing more like 30-40! These foxes are everywhere and have no hesitations about taking whatever you don’t have secured away. The most famous is the island fox! I heard numerous stories of these crafty little foxes before I first traveled to Santa Cruz. There are over 600 plant species on the island, 140 birds, and 11 land mammals. The flora and fauna of Santa Cruz is amazing. Santa Cruz Island was inhabited by Native Americans for 10,000 and recently inhabited by European settlers for 150 years. If it is not, you can place your bags in a bear box and come back at a later time. If you arrive before this time, check your campsite to see if it is free. Sites share access to pit toilets and water spigots. The campsites are shaded and fairly close together.Ĭheck-in for the campsites is 11:00 AM. Each site has a picnic table and bear box. There are also 6 group sites that allow up to 15 people. The Scorpion Canyon campsite has 25 individual sites that allow up to 6 people to camp. Much like the boat ride, you’ll want to book your campsites for Scorpion Campsite very early early. To really enjoy the trails and scenery of Santa Cruz Island, a minimum of 24-hours is required. You can choose to visit the island for a day trip, but an overnight camping trip is much nicer in my opinion. For those looking to camp, continue reading from here. If you’re just planning a day trip, you can skip down to the hiking section of this post. The ranger will first speak to the day trippers and then address the campers and backpackers.Īfter speaking with the ranger, you will take the walkway past Scorpion Bay and inland towards the Santa Cruz Island Visitor Center. Once you arrive at Scorpion Anchorage, you will pick up your bags on deck and climb a ladder to meet a National Park ranger. Keep your eyes open and your camera ready. The boat ride to Scorpion Anchorage on Santa Cruz Island is gorgeous and often passes by whales and pods of dolphins. You’ll also want to call Island Packers at (805) 642-1393 prior to your boat ride to ensure your trip has not been cancelled due to rough seas. If you’re prone to sea sickness, make sure to have your Dramamine ready to go. You will have to store these in a separate area on deck. Make sure to have your water and gas canisters out of your bags. From there, you can store your bags below deck. When you arrive at the Channel Islands office you will check in at least an hour before your departure to receive your ticket. Seniors (55+) cost $54 for a day trip or $74 for overnightĬhildren (3-12) cost $41 for a day trip or $57 for overnight I will provide camping information later in this post.Īdults cost $59 for a day trip or $79 for overnight You can plan a day trip, or book an overnight camping trip. The boat ride to Santa Cruz Island takes around 60-minutes each way. Make sure to plan your trip well ahead of your planned departure dates, as weekend boats can fill up quickly. You can also take a boat to the more remote Del Norte (Prisoner’s Habor) area, but that landing has no water and only a few campsites. The information provided in this guide is for boat landing at Scorpion Anchorage. To to optimize your travel, I suggest taking their earliest available boat ride to the island. There is a large parking area just outside of Island Packers, but it tends to fill up later in the day. The port station for Island Packers is located within Ventura Harbor at 1691 Spinnaker Dr #105B, Ventura, CA 93001. If you want to visit Santa Cruz Island you will need to book a boat transfer through Island Packers. In this guide, I’ll provide all of the information you need to go camping and hiking on Santa Cruz Island, the largest island in Channel Islands National Park. Due to this protection, you’ll need to plan ahead if you want to enjoy this National Park. The islands are highly protected and the National Park Service does a great job of limiting human impact on the land. These islands provide an abundance of recreational opportunities like hiking, camping, kayaking, snorkeling, and more. Channel Islands National Park is made up of five islands just off of the California Coast.
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