Park Details
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Park Details
Location Information
Location:
The islands within the park extend along the southern California
coast from Point Conception near Santa Barbara to just north of
Los Angeles. Park headquarters and visitor center are located
in the city of Ventura.
Address:
Channel Islands National Park
1901 Spinnaker Drive
Ventura, California 93001
Telephone:
Visitor Center (805) 658-5730
Business Office (805) 658-5700
Fax (805) 658-5799
Permits (805) 658-5711
Directions:
Ventura is located 70 miles north of Los Angeles and 30 miles
south of Santa Barbara. From the 101 Freeway: northbound, take
the Victoria exit, left onto Victoria, then right onto Olivas
Park Drive through Harbor Boulevard, where Olivas Park Drive runs
straight into Spinnaker Drive; southbound, take the Seaward exit
left onto Harbor Boulevard, proceed on Harbor to Spinnaker Drive,
turn right. The visitor center is located at the very end of Spinnaker
Drive in the Ventura Harbor.
Transportation:
Ventura is serviced by Amtrak, Greyhound, and airport shuttle
services from the Santa Barbara and Los Angeles International
Airports. Oxnard Airport has scheduled commuter service.
Island Packers is the park's concessionaire for boat travel to all of the islands. A variety of trips, from half-day to multi-day, are offered. For prices, schedules, and reservations, call or write: (805) 642-1393; Island Packers, 1867 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, California 93001.
Channel Islands Aviation, located at the Camarillo airport, is the park's concessionaire for air travel to Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz Islands. Trips vary from one-day to multi-day camping excursions. For prices, schedules, and reservations, call or write: (805) 987-1301; Channel Islands Aviation, 305 Durley Avenue, Camarillo, California 93010.
Operating Hours/Seasons
The park is open all year. Mainland visitor center hours are: Labor Day through Memorial Day, 8:30 to 4:30 weekdays, 8:00 to 5:00 weekends; Memorial Day through Labor Day, 8:00 to 5:00 weekdays, 8:00 to 5:30 weekends. The visitor center is closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Reservations/Permits/Fees
There are no entrance fees to visit the park, and no permit fees for camping in National Park Service-operated campgrounds.
A free permit is required to camp at National Park Service campgrounds on San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Anacapa, and Santa Barbara Islands. Camping on the beaches on Santa Rosa Island is available for experienced kayakers and boaters on a seasonal basis; a permit is necessary. A free permit is required of private boaters to hike beyond the beach areas on San Miguel and Santa Rosa Islands. For all permits, call (805) 658-5711. For private boaters' permission to land on Santa Cruz Island, call The Nature Conservancy at (805) 964-7839.
Climate, Recommended Clothing
Climate is mild, with little variation in temperature year round. However, be prepared for high winds, fog, and sea spray at any time. Visitors to the islands should dress in layers, with short and long pants, windbreaker, hat, sunscreen, and waterproof outer clothing. Wear sturdy hiking shoes with non-slip soles.
Facilities and Opportunities
Provides the visitor with Interpretive programs, a movie about the park, tidepool display, native plant garden, bookstore and island exhibits. The facility is fully accessible and offers a picnic area overlooking the Ventura Harbor.
Anacapa Island:
(699 acres) Anacapa has hiking trails, a visitor center, lighthouse
exhibits, primitive campground, and picnic area and offers opportunities
for SCUBA diving, snorkeling, bird watching, fishing , and observing
marine mammals.
Santa Barbara Island:
(639 acres) Santa Barbara has hiking trails, a visitor center,
picnic area, and primitive campground and offers opportunities
for hiking, bird watching, SCUBA diving, snorkeling, fishing,
and marine-mammal observation.
San Miguel Island:
(9,325 acres) San Miguel has a primitive campground, miles
of hiking trails, and beaches and offers Ranger-led hikes, marine-mammal
observation, beach exploration, and bird watching.
Santa Rosa Island:
(52,794 acres) Santa Rosa has hiking trails and a primitive
campground and offers beach exploration, wildlife observation,
ranger-led hikes, vehicle tours, and kayak beach- camping.
Santa Cruz Island:
(60,645 acres) Ninety percent of Santa Cruz Island is owned
by the Nature Conservancy. The National Park Service owns
the eastern 10%, where visitors may observe wildlife, hike, camp and explore the newest addition to the park.
Marine Resources: (125,000 acres) Extending 1 mile from the islands' shoreline the park's waters offer a full range of activities including sailing, power boating, fishing, SCUBA diving/snorkeling, surfing, wildlife observation and bird watching.
Accessibility: The mainland visitor center is fully accessible. Due to their isolation and transportation requirements, the islands are not readily accessible for individuals in wheelchairs or those with limited mobility. Efforts are underway to provide some wheelchair accessible areas on Santa Rosa Island via air transportation. Please call the park for information.
Recommended Activities/Park Use
Visitors to the park may enjoy a variety of recreational opportunities, such as SCUBA diving, snorkeling, swimming, bird watching, kayaking, whale watching, and sailing. On the islands, one may camp, hike, picnic, and explore tidepools, isolated beaches, and rugged canyons. Park naturalists conduct interpretive hikes on the islands throughout the year.
Visitation
Annual visitation to the park's mainland visitor center is 120,000. Visitation to the islands and waters is low, with about 30,000 visitors traveling to the islands, and another 60,000 who go only into park waters. Although most visitation occurs in the summer, migrating gray whales and spectacular wildflower displays attract visitors in the winter and spring. Autumn is an excellent time to travel to the park, as well as for diving, as the days are usually sunny, with minimal winds and clear ocean water.
Basic Visit Recommendations:
Inform yourself about the park, its features, and safety concerns
before visiting, by contacting the park for brochures, and the
boat and air concessions for schedules.
Because of the time involved in traveling from the mainland to the islands, a full day is recommended to visit the park. Anacapa is a great island for your first visit; it is the closest island to the mainland (1 ½ hour boat ride) and consists of dramatic, steep cliffs, with hundreds of sea birds and marine mammals. Snorkeling, kayaking, and diving are all excellent in the rich kelp beds around Anacapa.
For a multi-day visit, Santa Rosa is a good destination. Rangers will take you to various parts of the island to explore canyons and beaches.
For a feel of a wilderness experience, San Miguel, the furthest out from the mainland, may be your choice. The island often is fog-covered or very windy. Access to many areas on the island is limited due to fragility of the terrestrial and marine resources.
The islands have no stores, restaurants, or overnight accommodations; you must bring all your own food, water, and camping equipment.
Visitor Impacts: The introduction of alien plant and animal species, which do not naturally occur in the park, is the biggest human impact on the islands. Alien species often negatively impact the native plants or animals, sometimes endangering their survival. Visitors should take care to not bring in seeds of plants on clothing or shoes.
Over-fishing of the marine resources is another harmful human impact. Studies are being conducted at the park to determine species that may be in jeopardy due to over-use, and the usefulness of restoration efforts. Human use of tide pools, beaches, and other areas may inadvertently disturb some endangered species, including the California brown pelican, or seals and sea lions. These animals are protected by federal law; please stay far enough away from these animals so to not disturb them.
Illegal collection of cultural artifacts is also another negative human impact. Any artifacts found should always be left where they were seen and reported to the Park Service, since disturbance can ruin the archeological record and the educational value of these finds.
Special Events Programs
Every Tuesday and Thursday from Memorial Day through Labor Day, rangers conduct a live underwater video program from Anacapa Island. This unique program features an interpretive dive through one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, the kelp forest. Visitors may view this program without ever getting their feet wet, from the landing dock at Anacapa Island or the mainland visitor center.
January through March, whale watching of the gray whales.
June through October, whale watching of the blue and humpback whales.
Additional Information
Write: Superintendent, Channel Islands National Park
1901 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, California 93001
Call: (805) 658-5730
Email: chis_interpretation@nps.gov
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