Santa cruz island california1/6/2024 If you are taking the Scorpion Canyon Trail, then you will also see the remains of the old oil well on the property which is preserved and fun to see in person. There is information on all of this in the visitor center in the park, and you can also see some old pieces of machinery around the center as well. It was a big sheep and cattle ranch for decades as well before the ownership eventually transferred to the NPS. It was home to the Chumash Indians for centuries before being privately owned by one family. If kayaking and hiking are not your thing, then the island also has some great history. Here is more information on my kayaking trip I took. The best option would be to go with a guide service, and there are multiple that will take you on day trips or overnight trips. This requires you to navigate ocean waters yourself from the island though, and should only be done by experienced kayakers. If you arrange it beforehand, you can rent a kayak and have the boat company take it over for you (but only a certain amount can go on each boat). Kayaking is the last big adventure on the Scorpion part of Santa Cruz Island. You can see a lot more hikes below I will link to them as I post about them. You can combine Smuggler’s Cove with Scorpion Canyon and go to the oil well and back down Scorpion Canyon on the way back. If you are camping, then I would recommend trying to do all of the above recommendations. If you have to pick one, this is probably the best for coastal island views. It is about 5 miles, and you are hiking along the bluffs for half of the hike, making it incredibly picturesque with tons of great views. Lastly, if you are looking for a great coastal trail, then I would recommend Potato Harbor to the Bluffs Trail then to Cavern Point. It heads out on the Smuggler’s Cove trail but splits inland, visiting an old oil well before heading down into a wide canyon at the very end of the trial. If you are looking to explore the interior of the island a little bit, then the 4.5-mile trail called Scorpion Canyon is a good one. The hike is 8 miles roundtrip, with some decent elevation gain, so you want to make sure you have enough time to complete it based on when you arrive and your hiking speed. If you are taking a day trip, then I would recommend one of three hiking trails.įirst, Smugglers Cove is the most popular trail on the island and for good reason as it is beautiful. When you get back on the boat to head over to Ventura, you can buy some snacks though. There is no food to purchase on Santa Cruz Island, so you must bring everything you need. Even though they are cute, do not feed them. I saw probably a dozen or so when I was there as they are always walking around the campsites. They really are a fun addition to the island though, as they are adorable and about the size of an average cat. The foxes here are sneaky, and I saw them steal food from people while I was there. FoxesĮach site has fox boxes, and you will want to make sure you store your food in these. There are multiple water spigots, so you do not need to bring water when you go over to the island. I found the campsites to be big and well laid out. Be sure you can carry any gear you bring that far. The upper is mainly for groups, so lower is probably what you will choose. The walk from the dock to the campsite is about 10 minutes to the lower campground and 15-20 minutes to the upper campground. You will then get an orientation from the ranger before going to your campsite. On our trip, we saw both whales and dolphins, and it was a blast stopping to see those on the way to the island.Īfter the ride, you dock at the island, and they will help you unload all the gear. The trip is about an hour but can take an hour and a half if they see marine animals and stop. The email the boating company sends tells you about equipment requirements and check in times. Here are links to the boat and campground.Īfter booking your campsite and boat ride, you just need to arrive on time to check in your gear and get ready to board the ship. Prisoner’s Harbor has backcountry camping, so if that is what you are looking for, then that is an option as well, but for most people, Scorpion is where they will be going. Scorpion is the most popular place to visit on the island, as it is the most developed water, toilets, and a large campground. Above is a video I made to help you understand the process. I recommend checking to see if a campsite and boat ride are available then booking the campsite first since that is the cheapest, then the boat trip. You can just go as a day trip (more on that below), but since you are spending the time and money to get over there, you might as well take your time. When planning a trip to Santa Cruz Island, the first thing you need to do is reserve the campsite and the boat trip.
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