They are usually more than willing to work with you to help you plan your camping trip. Hikers should not expect to reach Pelican Bay on this hike. Santa Cruz Island offers two primary landing sites which the vast majority of guests to the island visit. The visitor center has exhibits about the islands, books, maps, handouts, and all the practical information you'll . As a result, visitors often find themselves feeding the fish, which is perfectly acceptable on a boat. Scorpion campground fills up quickly on weekends and during the warmer months, and has been getting more and more popular. For kayak guide and outfitting services in other areas of Santa Cruz Island (excluding Scorpion area), visit the Visitor Services List. Hazards includesteep and erodedsections of trail over unstable or rocky terrain and potential for contact withpoision oak. The main challenge of this hike is the lack of water along the way. The hike from Prisoners to Scorpion is about 16 miles. If there doesnt seem to be a shuttle fare listed, call Island Packers directly for your best option. I have done almost every hike, kayaked through numerous sea caves, and snorkeled in countless coves and kelp forests. A 31-site campground area begins one mile from the pier and is an easy flat walk. Trips are either to Scorpion Anchorage or Prisoners Harbor. Here, you are most likely to catch halibut, calico bass, and barracuda, as well as collect mussels, urchins, and scallops. Shuttle tickets also provide an option to squeeze in a day trip for those who find one of the campgrounds sold out for the night. Generally, the north shore is best during the northwest swells of winter/spring and the south shore is best during the south swells of summer/fall. The Prisoners Harbor to Pelican Bay trail has some of the best wildflower displays on the island. Helping the average outdoors-person find remarkable adventures in new areas around the world. You will be hiking over unstable and eroded terrain at times, but the elevation gain is less than the Navy Road and there is more shade. The transportation to Scorpion Cove takes approximately 1-1.5 hours from Ventura Harbor depending on sea conditions and wildlife sightings. This is the most family friendly campground on the islands. It is steeper with ups and downs but if you are in reasonable shape it is not a problem. You could have the most time to explore on island here as it is usually the first ferry stop. Here are some tips for getting through it with your ego intact: Youre now ready to go explore Santa Cruz Island! Unfortunately, the only way to visit Santa Cruz Island is by crossing the wild and unpredictable Santa Barbara Channel by boat. We will just be going for the day and I'm trying to figure out which part of the island is the best to go to. This hike will wind you through the most ecosystem diversity in the shortest distance on Santa Cruz Island. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. It is critical to note that there is no potable water here, and very little chance you will come across any water between the pier and campground. The channel crossing for a Prisoners Harbor day trip is approximately 1 .5 to 2 hours depending on vessel route and possible stops at Scorpion Anchorage. Report inappropriate content 2. If you want to see Painted Cave, the world's largest sea cave, you will need to go to Prisoners Harbor. There are 25 standard sites and 6 group sites. is a short 3.5 miles from Prisoner's Harbor, but it feels more deliciously remote . Santa Cruz includes three mountain ranges; the highest peak of all the Channel Islands (Mount Diablo rising above 2000 feet,) a large central valley/fault system, deep canyons with year round springs and streams, and 77 miles of craggy coastline cliffs, giant sea caves, pristine tide pools and expansive beaches. Channel Islands Adventure Company will rent you wetsuits and gear on island! This view shows the submarine's line handling crew aft of her. You can collect invertebrates like spiny lobster, urchins, and scallops, and try to catch fish like calico bass and rockfish. To the extent that they make marmots look like ferocious beasts. There are a variety ofsea cave kayak toursoffered based on time and experience level. We debated exploring but decided to just enjoy the morning and get in some quality fox watching. The trail is along the sea on the way to Pelican Bay. From this point, the remainder of the hike is downhill. While visitors may explore the national park property on Santa Cruz Island, no hiking is allowed beyond the national park boundary onto The Nature Conservancy property. Water Oxnard, Ca 93035 Remember that it is illegal to directly or indirectly feed animals in the park. It extends from Scorpion Rock (to the east of Scorpion Cove) to Potato Harbor (to the west of Scorpion Cove). If unique wildlife is what youre after, look no further! Amid schools of calico bass swimming through towering kelp forests, curious spotted harbor seals hiding behind urchin-covered rocks, and bright orange garibaldi popping out of little nooks, you wont run out of interesting things to see. Hiking options at Prisoners Harbor are much more limited both in number and in time on island, but one of the best hikes on the island is located here as well as a secret hike. I am a member of the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council. There is water available at Scorpion Anchorage. Maybe youll seek out endemic species, maybe youll explore the giant kelp forests, or maybe youll even walk where humans have thrived for over 10,000 years. The Island Fox is only about the size of a house cat and due to the fact they haven't traditionally had any predators they are active during the day. Ive worked in and around Channel Islands National Park for over four years, so I can help you decide quickly which stop is best for you and the activities youre interested in. Public phones are not available. Travel time is one hour. Australia Forums; United States Forums; Europe Forums; Canada Forums; Asia Forums; . At Scorpion, hiking to Montaon via Potato Road will give you the second most diversity in ecosystems, but it is a very long and strenuous hike, so Id recommend hiking Cavern Point Loop for the average visitor. At one point there were less than 100 left on the island. Unlike an airplane, there is often enough motion to make walking challenging, even on nice days. A side trip to the beach at Chinese Harbor adds 3 miles extra hiking distance (round trip). Its about protecting what sustains us. This is the easiest island to get to, has the best weather, and offers the most recreational activities. . With more sea cave kayaking opportunities than any other part of the park, Scorpion Anchorage is the ultimate destination for nature lovers, adventurers, and kayaking enthusiasts. Group size and hiker fitness will determine how far along the trail we can go before we must head back to meet the boat. It's best to check with Island Packers. Beach access is also available at Prisoners Harbor and by hiking over to Smugglers Cove, but the snorkeling is not as good at these locations. They are also quite intelligent and have learned that humans are not so intelligent, so they tend to hang out near picnic tables and campsites. The best time to visit depends on your objectives for your trip. Prisoners Harbor is located midway along the North shore of Santa Cruz Island. We recommend hiking shoes. He seemed to realize we were people about a foot away and nonchalauntly changed his course. Sounds like taking a boat to Prisoners Harbor on Santa Cruz is a must. Both options are incredible, but make sure you leave enough time (~90 minutes) to hike back to the boat. For snorkeling and diving, the easiest kelp beds to access are the ones near the pier and those to the eastern end of of the bay. Luckily, the boat ride is usually only two hours max depending on your destination, and visitors rarely feel sick on the ride home due to the favorable swell direction. Island Packers Cruises offers boat trips to both Prisoners Harbor and Scorpion Anchorage for transportation to and from the mainland for a hiking shuttle. Re: Scorpion cove vs Prisoner? Fishing and collecting is allowed from land and from the pier with a license, and can be a relaxing and rewarding activity, as long as you follow all local fishing regulations. Scorpion Rock to the east is really cool, as are the giant caverns of Cavern Point to the west. Prisoners Harbor so that they can get the most out of their day. Channel Islands Adventure Company, the authorized kayak guide and outfitting concession in the Scorpion Anchorage area, operates guided sea kayak tours (there are NO kayak rentals on the island), limited convenience item sales (no food items), snorkel equipment rentals, and guided snorkel tours at Scorpion Anchorage on Santa Cruz Island only. Altogether youll walk a little over half of a mile. Once youve made a decision, you can clickhereto book your tickets! You wont have much time here for a day hike, so Id usually recommend this for a camping trip. If they are not available to lead hikes, self-guided interpretive trail booklets are available. 1 year ago Save Hello, we are trying to decide between the Scorpion cove and the Prisoner cove. In contrast to Scorpion Cove, your only option for kayaking at Prisoners Harbor is to rent a boat in Ventura or bring your own across on the ferry. Vault style restrooms are located near the beach and two in the campground area. If youd like to spend most of your Channel Islands National Park time exploring the underwater half of the park, a tour withChannel Islands Adventure Companywill never disappoint! I 100% recommend this for devoted hikers. It has no trail marker, but can be found on the Channel Islands National Park app. Unless you feel like hiking 15 miles with all of your water for the trip,Id recommend starting at Prisoners Harbor, spending the first night at Del Norte Campground, then hiking the roughly 12 miles across to Scorpion and refilling water at Scorpion Campground the second night. Be sure to pay close attention to when your boat departs, but the campground is a mere half mile away from the dock. The Channel Island National Park visitor center is located on Ventura Harbor at 1901 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, CA 93001. The largest of the Channel Islands, Santa Cruz Island has a diverse terrain with mountains, cliffs, and canyons, as well as many endemic plant and animal species. The app is free and available online at App Store and on Google Play. However, only 24 percent of the island is open to the public. 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