1901 Spinaker Dr, Ventura, CA 93001
Phone: 805-658-5700 or 805-658-5730
Fax: 805-658-5799
Open All Year
Overview. Pygmy mammoths once roamed these southern California islands. For thousands of years the Chumash plied their canoes between them, and Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo became the first European to set foot on them in 1542. He died on one of the islands and legend has it he's buried there, although his grave has never been found. Today, five of the eight Channel Islands have been designated as a national park, and the sea for six nautical miles surrounding them has been set aside as the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. The islands are breeding habitat for marine mammals such as seals and sea lions, as well as for aquatic birds such as brown pelicans and Xantus' murrelets. Wildflowers transform the islands in the spring; sometimes the native tree sunflower grows in such abundance that its golden blossoms can be seen from the mainland. Underwater, kelp forests surround the islands, making them a haven for scuba divers and snorkelers. Whale watchers are often rewarded with glimpses of migrating humpback, gray, and blue whales. What to see and do. The Mainland Visitor Center, located at Ventura Harbor, offers a wide range of activities and interpretive programs. Museum exhibits include three-dimensional models of all five islands, as well as an interactive touch-screen monitor and a living marine life exhibit. Climb the tower for a telescopic view of the islands and venture outdoors to experience the native plant garden. A 25-minute film, A Treasure of the Sea, plays throughout the day, and there is a regular schedule of ranger-led interpretive programs, from weekend "Tidepool Talks" to the live, on-camera, undersea ranger program from the Landing Cove on Anacapa Island. The visitor center is open year-round, from 8 AM to 5 PM during the summer and from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM in winter. Hours are slightly extended on weekends year-round, and the visitor center is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. The islands themselves can only be reached by sea or air. Island Packers, 805-642-1393, offers sightseeing cruises to each island. Channel Islands Aviation, 805-987-1301, flies to Santa Rosa Island. Both offer single- and multiple-day excursion packages. The islands are accessible by private craft; call the park's permit number, 805-658-5711, for details. Visitors to the islands can hike, picnic, camp, fish, swim, scuba dive, kayak, and snorkel. Some of the beaches are open to kayak campers. Bird-watchers and wildlife enthusiasts will be amazed at the number of species they can spot on the islands. Some are found nowhere else on earth. The terrain is both rugged and beautiful. Each island will afford you a slightly different experience, and each has its own resident ranger who can help you get the most out of your visit. Anacapa is the only island to retain a native name. Its spectacular cliff-lined coast sports a 40-foot-high natural bridge, Arch Rock, which has become a symbol of the park. West Anacapa hosts the world's largest breeding colony of the endangered California brown pelican. As they explore the surrounding kelp forest and sea caves of Anacapa, divers should check out the submerged shipwreck of the Winfield Scott, which went down in 1853, prompting the establishment of a lighthouse on the island. A visitor center has the original fresnel lens on display; the current lighthouse is completely automated. Santa Barbara is the smallest of the Channel Islands, and its 6.5 miles of trails prove a challenge to hikers. Its steep mesa boasts six canyons and a badlands area, and provides shelter for a number of sea birds. The Landing Cove is home to an abundance of colorful sea life, including California sea lions and harbor seals. Lying the farthest west, San Miguel Island is known the world over for its caliche forest and pinniped breeding grounds. Four different pinniped species (sea lions and seals) frequent the island, and as many as 25,000 of them come here to Point Bennett each winter to mate and pup. The bizarre Caliche Forest, where gnarled sand casts are all that remain of ancient tree stumps and roots, is a favorite spot for photographers. Santa Rosa Island has yielded a treasure trove of more than 500 archaeological sites, some dating back 10,000 years, while paleontologists have unearthed skeletons of the Pleistocene-era pygmy mammoths. A working cattle ranch, leased to the island's former owner until 2011, still employs horse-riding cowboys to manage the herd. The largest island, Santa Cruz, is owned partly by the Nature Conservancy, partly by the National Park Service, and partly by a private individual, so regulations and access differ according to jurisdiction. Its diverse landscape of mountains, canyons, and central valley provides habitat for a wide range of plant and animal life. The deepest, largest sea cave yet discovered, Painted Cave, is located on Santa Cruz. Primitive camping is allowed on Anacapa, Santa Rosa, San Miguel, and Santa Barbara Islands as long as you obtain a free permit from the park. You must bring in all your own gear and supplies, including a camp stove, fuel, and water, and you must take all gear and trash with you when you leave. Call the park permit number, 805-658-5711, to reserve a permit and to obtain additional information.
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