As the sky transitions from yellow to purple to navy, we can just barely make out the July 4 fireworks on the mainland. The most difficult and exposed portion of the trail is about 4 miles in from the scorpion side. Well marked and didnt run into a ton of people! The campground is great. Potato Harbor hike. Great trail with the sound of running water the whole way. Our other favorite activities at Prisoners Harbor on Santa Cruz Island are hiking the Pelican Trail with a trained naturalist from Island Packers or enjoying the wildlife both on the island and in the water (dont forget to bring a camera!). Filtered water is available at Scorpion Anchorage, but no water is available at Prisoners Harbor or Del Norte, so be sure to bring your own. They have a small store located about a 10 minute walk from the pier, past the restrooms and museum. 2023 Channel Island Adventure Co. Privacy | Terms, Spring in Channel Islands National Park - Channel Islands Adventure Company | Kayaking & Snorkel. At this point we were in danger of being blown into the rocks to the east. If you have new or amplifying information concerning this anchorage or the surrounding area, please contact Capt. Excellent trail be prepared to hike for 2 1/2 hours. The bottom is sand and holding is excellent and kelp is not an issue these days. Couldnt cross the creek, but still really nice out. There are also several steep cliffs and rocky shorelines to navigate. MHiked backwards scorpion to Del norte. Then, unable to remain totally calm, I sent another, more dramatic e-mail: Please remember that this will be an adventure, and things may not go exactly as planned, but at least we have each other.. This area of the park offers more sea caves than any others. Watch out for poison oak!! Passed by 2 crossings, wasnt able to go through the river since the water was too high for the outfit I had. We spent the day doing a long hike but we wish we would have spent the money and done the kayak tour. There was a sign at the beginning of the trail saying the trail was closed up ahead but we were able to hike the whole thing. Scorpion Anchorage to Prisoner's Harbor Backpacking2 days15 mi(one-way) Itinerary Trailhead directions Scorpion Anchorage 11.9 mi 2,600 ft gain Del Norte Campground 3.1 mi 400 ft gain Prisoner's Harbor Reservations This trip requires aSanta Cruz Del Norte Campground. On the other hand, this is where you can bring your dinghy or kayak ashore with ease. Prisoners Harbor is our newest location and will be open during the construction at Scorpion Anchorage. Island Packers operates trips to Santa Cruz Island 5-7 days a week, year round. It can be more revealing than any aquarium as you see in this picture of the bottom, which was not shot from underwater, but sitting in my plastic boat. The trail is pretty overgrown at points and covered with foxtails. It was the best hike Ive ever done, she said. I'm deciding between the two and have a few questions. I dont think we can do this!. It was our first time visiting this Channel Island, and the thought of powering through the. Only NPS, CG and Island Packers are authorized users. Weather was perfect. Definitely wear sunscreen no shade: I put it everywhere but my ears and my ears now are blistering from that bad of a sunburn. The water was choppy and the workers passed out barf bags which made me laugh, but I definitely felt nauseous and thought about grabbing one. Dont follow this trail, its not to the river at all. I realized that it might be possible that the trip report that I used to help plan this trip was written by a paddler much more experienced than us, one who had his own kayak. There is rarely any breaking surf, which makes this one of the few easy places to come ashore on Santa Cruz. The extreme conditions of the park made for, Colorado is a beautiful state with tall peaks, incredible lakes, and four unique national parks. When the wind blows, it sure does blow!!! Is this it? Bring lots of water and wear comfortable shoes. Del Norte Campground (starting location) is approximately 3.5 miles from Prisoners Harbor where the boat from the mainland drops visitors off. We visited in September and had hot weather in the 80s. We are looking for a full day of hiking and scenic views. Stay tuned to our Facebook and Instagram for updates on available dates. It took me 2 hours and 45 minutes to get over to Scorpion Harbor. The beach comprises fairly large rocks, so water shoes or sandals are essential. It is very well maintained; truly a moderate level of exertion for this trail.. Hiking, camping, sea kayaking, and snorkeling are the top reasons to visit the island. On the way down the trail, near the campground, we saw a few island foxes. There are two campgrounds, one at Scorpion Anchorage and another near Prisoners Harbor. Beautiful hike and super green right now with the recent rains! About 6.5 miles in you start a scramble of sorts up a steep trail leading you up to the ridge overlooking Scorpion. Be sure to pack food and water for your time on the island. A day trip to Channel Islands National Park, Santa Cruz Island, is a perfect way to spend a vacation day. Disembarked ferry at Prisoners at 1115a and started straightaway. If you dont want to spend the money on the kayak tour (yes, its pricey), you could spend your day at Channel Islands National Park doing one or both of the hikes below, and then snorkeling on your own with your extra time. Scorpion Anchorage is just an 18-mile ride off the coast of Ventura County on the 96-square-mile island of Santa Cruz. The ferry takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes to cross the channel. It's a 1-mile climb to captivating Cavern Point. 2023 Channel Island Adventure Co. Privacy | Terms. While this is a great spot for exploring in your plastic boat, many of the caves have dangerously low ceilings. We were heading across nearly 22 miles of the Pacific toward Scorpion Anchorage on Santa Cruz Island. backpacking is strenuous for a lot of elevation gains. Bring lots of sunscreen and a camera to capture the beautiful views :]. The Island Packers boat to Santa Cruz Island leaves early from Ventura Harbor, so I recommend booking accommodation nearby for the night before. Side note, whenever I head to this part of town from the coast, Google maps will take me up wildcat canyon road instead of El Monte road. If I did it again the only thing I would change is to bring gaiters. Only negative is that people dont pick up after their dogs. Good workout without being too long or too much of a scramble. Nice trail but steep around the peak, kinda sketchy with big backpacks on but totally doable. If you have more time you can combine multiple hikes and do both the blue and green loops. Will come back when it's warmer to go in the river and cross it. Once you enter you go right to the farthest parking section to find the trail head. Loved this hike! Started at Prisoners and hiked to Del Norte Camp, stayed the night. Parts of the trail were a bit overgrown so be mindful of ticks. This is a very pretty trail with easy to moderate gains in a few areas; however, a great deal of the trail is flat. Scorpion in foreground, Little Scorpion in the distance. Theres only about three miles left, I tell the group. At Scorpion Ranch, there is an upper loop and a lower loop of campsites. The goal was to reach the peak but after 1/4 mile I decided to turn back because the path is precarious and I was alone. On the other hand, if its late in the day and were the only ones looking for a spot, well sometimes use a single hook in the center of the anchorage. Only about one quarter of this mountainous island is part of the national park (eastern 24%), the rest is managed by The Nature Conservancy and other organizations. Apart from teaching my students in class, we also go outside the four walls of the classroom to physically experience what was discussed in class. The trail crosses from one geological plate to the other and it was fascinating to see the change in terrain and fauna. Trail was so much fun! For additional information about the joint conservation efforts of Nature Conservancy. You will need to bring sunscreen hats sunglasses water snacks and a first aid kit when you kayak from Prisoners Harbor to Scorpion Anchorage. Rich sets up a makeshift cocktail bar on top of a Fox Box the metal safes used on Santa Cruz to keep foxes from stealing camp food pulls out a metal citrus squeezer, and begins filling a bottle with fresh lemon juice. Even with a helmet,you could still be crushed if youve picked a cave with poor clearance. Also, as the reviewer below me noted, do not follow the google maps instructions from this page- it takes you somewhere on the Barona reservation. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 6 h 21 min to complete. The Island Packers boats leave from Ventura Harbor in California and take about 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes to get to Scorpion Anchorage on Santa Cruz. Everything will be fine., So, instead of paddling out from Malibus Point Dume into the ocean in the middle of the night with weights tied to my legs and jumping in, I sent an email, in the least alarming tone I could muster, that everyone needed to pack as little as possible due to the lack of kayak storage space. Note: Giant Kelp, which has been in decline for more than a decade is making a comeback. Just put El Monte park into your maps and it will take you to the trailhead. Reservations can be made online at recreation.gov, [] While kayaking is our favorite adventure on the island, there are plenty of other activities to do such as hiking to see wildflowers and island foxes or having a picnic at Prisoners Harbor. No water along trail. When climbing near the peak there is a lot of loose rocks and steep climbing. The swell frequently creeps around the corner in the Island Packers. We really enjoyed walking by the river. River crossings are closed by the rangers due to high water. If you planning on going go early to get parking or else come back another day cause you may not find parking. There is a huge, new pier in the SW corner and two mooring balls. If you decide to do the entire two loops, connecting the blue and the green marked trails above will total about 7 miles, so it will take up most of your day. The island is volcanic, but did not emerge from the sea for Millenia. However, only 24 percent of the island is open to the public. We saw only 2 other people the whole time we were on the trail and there were lots of animal tracks and scat. The shore near Gherini (Scorpion) Ranch has two distinct anchorages. Since it is located twelve miles offshore, the only access to Anacapa Lighthouse is by [], If you take a boat trip out to Santa Cruz Island or Santa Rosa Island in the Channel Islands you might be treated to a stop at the painted cave [], The Port Hueneme Lighthouse is open every third Saturday monthly from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m, but you must arrive before 2:30 p.m. to make it for the finally tour. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'californiabeaches_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_2',672,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-californiabeaches_com-medrectangle-4-0');Santa Cruz Island is the largest and tallest of the islands in Channel Islands National Park. The boat ride is part of the experience of the day trip to the Channel Islands, as you can see many different birds and animals on the way. However, to backpack the island, we would suggest getting dropped . Loved the sound of water all along the trail. ROUTE: Strong winds start blowing southeast at around 11 AM on the north side of the island, so leave for any long kayaking trip early in the morning. Since there is no water we carried 7 liters each (14 liters total) from Prisoner's Harbor to Del Norte Campground.