Visiting Channel Islands National Park: The Complete Guide for 2024

Nestled off the coast of Southern California, Channel Islands National Park is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered. This unique archipelago, often referred to as the “Galápagos of North America,” boasts breathtaking landscapes, diverse wildlife, and a rich cultural history. Whether you’re an adventure seeker, a nature enthusiast, or simply looking for a serene getaway, our complete guide to visiting Channel Islands National Park will help you plan the perfect trip. From exploring rugged trails and pristine beaches to learning about the park’s ecological wonders, we’ve got you covered for an unforgettable experience.

If you are planning a trip to Channel Islands National Park and need some help planning your trip, this is our starter guide for visiting Channel Islands National Park. We often have detailed, in-depth guides to Channel Islands National Park trip planning and will link to these where appropriate to make your trip planning as easy as possible.

The article will discuss all aspects of visiting Channel Islands National Park, including:

• Maps of Channel Islands National Park
• General Information about Channel Islands
• How to Make the Most of Your Visit
• Best Things to do in Channel Islands
• Nearby National Parks

Planning to explore the National Parks? Download your free 63 National Parks Checklist HERE.

Looking for an easy-to-follow National Park itinerary? Check out our National Park Itineraries. Let National Park Obsessed’s founder design the perfect itineary just for you. Get a Custom National Park Itinerary Here. Or do you just want to chat 1-on-1 with a Natioanl Park planning expert? Book a National Park Travel Consultation.

Articles about Channel Islands National Park

Channel Islands National Park Lodging

• Channel Islands Camping Guide

Itineraries for Channel Islands National Park

Downloadable Itineraries for Channel Islands National Park

• All Access Pass, including all Current and Future Digital Downloads

Looking for an itinerary specially designed for you? Let National Park Obsessed’s founder design the perfect itineary just for you. Get a Custom National Park Itinerary Here. Or do you just want to chat 1-on-1 with a Natioanl Park planning expert? Book a National Park Travel Consultation.

Channel Islands National Park Activity Guides

• Things Not to Miss on Your First Visit to Channel Islands

Cities Near Channel Islands National Park

• Los Angeles National Parks

Other Articles featuring Channel Islands National Park

• Best National Parks for Spring

Map of Channel Islands National Park

Click on the Channel Islands Map above to download the official brochure map. If you’d like a PDF copy of this Channel Islands Map click here.

Channel Islands National Park Basics

• Region: Pacific-West / West Coast / Pacific
• State: California
• Park Size: 249,561 acres (379.94 sq miles) (1009.94 sq km)
• Location: Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties
• Closest Cities: Oxnard and Ventura, California
• Busy Season: March to September
• Visitation: 328,746 (in 2023)
• Funniest 1-Star Review: Ferry turned to be best part of the trip! We saw seals and dolphins from very close. Once we arrived on the Island, fun factor dropped drastically. Island is filled of bird poop and smelled horrible with too many birds around. There is a 2 mile hike with beautiful views but the overall ambience with stinky smell kills the fun. No shed or pit stops to enjoy the hike. Before long, we were waiting for the ferry back!
• Official Website: NPS.gov

How much does Channel Islands National Park Cost?

Channel Islands National Park does not have an entry fee. Ferries and flights to the islands are an separate fee.

Get Free Entrance to the National Parks

Get free admission to all 116 fee-charging National Park Units with the America the Beautiful Pass.

Order Your Park Pass Here

When is Channel Islands National Park Open?

Channel Islands National Park is open year-round but there are seasonal closures of some sections to protect critical breeding habitat for various wildlife species. The island of San Miguel is a former Navy bombing range and is only open to the public when NPS personal are on the island.

Are dogs allowed in Channel Islands National Park?

Due to the unique ecosystem in the park, pets are not allowed in this national park. Please see the Channel Islands Pet Policy for more details.

Those with service animals wishing to visit the park are asked to contact the Chief Ranger for more information about planning your visit.

Where are Channel Islands National Park’s visitor centers?

• Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center – Open Year Around

Land Acknowledgment

The park now known as Channel Islands National Park is on Chumash, ‘Anyapax, Michumash, Limuw, Wi’ma, Tuqan, Tongva, Payómkawichum (Luiseño), and Kizh land.

Thank you to the Native Land Digital for making the Indigenous territories accessible to all. They have mapped the known territories to the best of the current knowledge and is a work in progress. If you have additional information on the Indigenous nations boundaries, please let them know.

Native Land Digital is a registered Canadian not-for-profit organization with the goal to creates spaces where non-Indigenous people can be invited and challenged to learn more about the lands they inhabit, the history of those lands, and how to actively be part of a better future going forward together.

When was Channel Islands National Park Created?

Channel Islands National Park was created on April 26, 1938 as Channel Islands National Monument. The Monument only protected the islands of Anacapa and Santa Barbra Islands. At the time Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz were privately owned and San Miguel was owned by the US. Navy. The monument was expanded in 1949 to include one nautical mile of the shoreline of Anacapa and Santa Barbara Islands. In the 1960s, the movement to expand the monument and include the islands of Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, and San Miguel.

It wasn’t until March 5, 1980, that Channel Islands National Park was created and expanded to its current size. At the time of creation, Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz remained privately owned. San Miguel remained US Navy property but is managed by NPS, which is true to this day. In 1986, Santa Rosa was purchased by NPS from Vail and Vickers. In the 1990s, NPS acquired 10% of Santa Cruz. In 2000, the Nature Conservancy donated 8,500 acres of their Santa Cruz holding to NPS. Today, NPS owns about 24% of the island of Santa Cruz and the Nature Conservancy owns the other 76% of the island.

Fun Facts about Channel Islands National Park

• The highest point in Channel Islands National Park is the summit of El Montañon on Santa Cruz Island which is 1,812 feet (552 m) above sea level.
• The lowest point in Channel Islands National Park is the Pacific Ocean which is at sea level.
• Channel Islands National Park is home to more than 150 unique species found nowhere else in the world.
• Channel Islands National Park is home to the largest breeding colonies of seabirds in southern California.
• The park has more than 1750 miles of pristine undeveloped coastline.
• The oldest human remains in North America, dating to 13,000 B.C., were discovered on Santa Rosa Island in 1959.
• San Miguel Island is home to one of the largest seasonal gatherings of pinnipeds of wildlife in the world. You can see northern elephant seals, California sea lions, harbor seals, and northern fur seals on this island.
• The Channel Islands by size
  • Santa Barbara – 639 acres
  • Anacapa – 699 acres
  • San Miguel – 9,325 acres
  • Santa Rosa – 52,794 acres
  • Santa Cruz – 60,645 acres.
• Channel Islands by the numbers
  • 0 miles of paved roads
  • 0 miles of unpaved roads
  • 115 miles of hiking trails

How Much Time Should I Spend Visiting Channel Islands National Park?

If you have one day in Channel Islands National Park, take a day trip to East Anacapa Island or Scorpion Ranch.

If you have two days in Channel Islands National Park, camp at Scorpion Ranch and go kayaking and hike to Potato Harbor or Smugglers Cove.

If you have three or more days in Channel Islands National Park, camp at Santa Rosa Island and go hiking.

Looking for an easy-to-follow National Park itinerary? Check out our National Park Itineraries. Let National Park Obsessed’s founder design the perfect itineary just for you. Get a Custom National Park Itinerary Here. Or do you just want to chat 1-on-1 with a Natioanl Park planning expert? Book a National Park Travel Consultation.

Things to do in Channel Islands National Park

Hiking in Channel Islands National Park

• East Anacapa Island Trail – Anacapa – 2.5 miles (round trip) – 400 ft elevation gain – Walk along the cliff edges of Anacapa Island and enjoy scenic views of Santa Cruz. See the gulls on this island.
• Potato Harbor Trail – Santa Cruz – 4.9 miles (round trip) – 600 ft elevation gain – Hike out of Scorpion Anchorage to an overlook above Potato Harbor.
• Carrington Point Trail – Santa Rosa – 8.8 miles (round trip) – 1,000 ft elevation gain – Enjoy coastal views as you hike along the rocky shoreline.
• Point Bennett Trail – San Miguel – 6.2 mile (round trip)-1,790 ft elevation gain – This hike is only accessible with a ranger. The trail ends at a point to observe a huge colony of seals and sea lions.

Best Things to Do in Channel Islands National Park

• Camp on one of the islands
• Sea Cave Kayaking
• Junior Ranger Badge
• Scorpion Anchorage
• Snorkeling
• Wildlife Watching

Best Things to See in Channel Islands National Park

• Arch Rock
• Inspiration Point
• Cabrillo Monument
• Frenchy Cove
• Potato Harbor
• Bechers Bay

Best Guided Tours of Channel Islands National Park

Channel Islands National Park Wildlife

• Island Fox
• Island Spotted Skunk
• Island Deer Mouse
• Northern Elephant Seal
• Garibaldi
• Island Scrub-Jay

Where to stamp your National Parks Passport Book in Channel Islands National Park?

The National Park Passport Book is the BEST and cheapest National Park souvenir. Every National Park Obsessed person should have one of these books.

IMPORTANT: Do NOT stamp your government-issued passport.

There are eight official Stamps for Channel Islands National Park. Here is the list of National Park Passport Stamps you can get in Channel Islands National Park:

• Anacapa Island
• San Miguel Island
• Santa Barbara Island
• Santa Cruz Island
• Santa Rosa Island
• Santa Rosa Island (Upside Down)
• Ventura, CA

Bonus Stamps

• National Park Service Square
• Outdoor Santa Barbara Visitor Center
• Outdoors Santa Barbara Image

Channel Islands National Park Passport Stamp Locations

Here are all the locations for the Channel Islands National Park Passport Stamps. Not every stamp is available at every location.

• Anacapa Island Visitor Center (Ranger Station)
• Island Packers Oxnard Office
• Island Packers Ventura Office
• Outdoors Santa Barbara Visitor Center
• Robert J Lagomarsino Visitor Center
• San Miguel Island Ranger Station
• Santa Barbara Island Visitor Center
• Santa Cruz Island Scorpion Ranch Visitor Center

National Parks Near Channel Islands National Park

National Park Service units within a 4 hours drive

• César E. Chávez National Monument
• Joshua Tree National Park
• Manzanar National Historic Site
• Mojave National Preserve
• Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
• Sequoia National Park
• Tule Lake National Monument

National Park Service units within an 8 hours drive

• Cabrillo National Monument
• Castle Mountains National Monument
• Devils Postpile National Monument
• Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site
• Fort Point National Historic Site
• Golden Gate National Recreation Area
• John Muir National Historic Site
• Kings Canyon National Park
• Muir Woods National Monument
• Pinnacles National Park

Final Thoughts on Channel Islands National Park

Do you have any questions about Channel Islands National Park, let us know in the comments below or need help planning your National Park trips. Let me know in the comments or join me in my National Park Trip Planning Community!

Pin for Later: The Complete Guide to Visiting Channel Islands National Park in 2024