The evening Autumn fog though was beautiful. I started imagining elaborate suicide strategies to avoid having to tell nine of my friends that our six-months-in-the-making July 4th plans were now destroyed and I decided that somehow drowning myself in a kayak would be the most poetic way to go. 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. (As of November 2019 this location is closed for construction of a new pier and will reopen summer 2020). Overall, the trail is beautiful, especially when youre on the ridge and can see the ocean down both slopes. If it werent for the white noise of the relentless wind, wed be able to hear the barking of the California sea lions that we see nearby and the call of falcons flying overhead. Make sure to decide on your Channel Islands itinerary for the day before you leave as there will be no service on the island to do any research. The best way to explore this part of the United, Point Lobos State Natural Reserve is a beautiful reserve with nice hiking trails, beautiful coves, relaxing beaches, and diverse plant and animal species. This trail is great for backpacking, birding, and camping, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. Beautiful, serene hike! Camping is located at both Scorpion Anchorage and Prisoners Harbor. Big coyote sighting 12/24/22. We generally anchor bow and stern to prevent swinging. Rentals include paddles, flotation jackets, and helmets, but dont expect the equipment to be well-organized when arriving on Santa Cruz, because no representatives from the rental company work on the boat or the island. the weather was helpful because it was foggy and not to hot. There is rarely any breaking surf, which makes this one of the few easy places to come ashore on Santa Cruz. When we went, kayaking was at Scorpion and at Prisoner's, you had to go on a guided tour of the Nature Conservancy lands which required hiking about 5 miles r/t. I should have believed her; but, so often, its impossible to adopt the faith that others have in us for ourselves. Such as French, German, Germany, Portugal, Portuguese, Sweden, Swedish, Spain, Spanish, UK etc 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. But, when I called the Channel Islands Kayak Center three days before our departure to reconfirm the kayak rental reservation I had made months before, an employee blindsided me by telling me (for the first time) that the company discourages renters from taking kayaks more than a half-mile away from Scorpion Anchorage and that their kayaks dont have hull storage space for camping gear. Yes there are other kayakers that you can kayak with from Prisoners Harbor to Scorpion Anchorage. Some of the tracks looked like mountain lion tracks. On the other hand, this is where you can bring your dinghy or kayak ashore with ease. I dont think we can do this!. Lots of people have needed to be rescued trying to kayak from Scorpion to Prisoners because the winds against you, the employee said. Friendly rangers. Boat to Catalina Island for a day trip! Stay tuned to our Facebook and Instagram for updates on available dates. Scorpion Anchorage is just an 18-mile ride off the coast of Ventura County on the 96-square-mile island of Santa Cruz. Tomorrow well be easier. I suggest that we play a game before dinner, and Sam suggests that we play the celebrity-guessing game Times Up. Saw a coyote on the trail (2/13/23). Passed by 2 crossings, wasnt able to go through the river since the water was too high for the outfit I had. Shes right, of course, and I realize her oft-repeated confidence in my trip planning was never just platitudinous she genuinely believed it. The mixed sand and cobblestone Scorpion Beach is a world-class destination because of easy beach access, clear ocean waters, a spectacular shoreline with sea caves to explore, nearby camping, numerous trails, and year-round Island Packers boat transportation. Due to their more unpredictable weather and waters,. The maximum number of people that can camp at Scorpion Anchorage is 30. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. Gain and loss of elevation throughout the trail. Our boat was not heading to Prisoners Harbor but the Scorpio to Anchorage. . No need to cross the road to start on the other side. The other option is you could bring your own kayak or rent a kayak from Channel Islands Kayak Center for the day and pay a fee to Island Packers to transport it for you. You can guys can do it, I say. A fun family day enjoying nature. Ventura, CA is only 1.5 hours from Los Angeles, CA and 30 minutes from Santa Barbara, CA. Highly recommend. The Crossing The channel crossing for a Prisoner's Harbor day trip is approximately 1 .5 to 2 hours depending on vessel route and possible stops at Scorpion Anchorage. And the rock is again a giant white beacon beckoning sailors to spend some time. A day trip to Channel Islands National Park, Santa Cruz Island, is a perfect way to spend a vacation day. There is no water you must bring your own and take care of it. boat ride to prisoners stopped at scorpion first so took longer than the boat ride back which was about an hour I believe. Nice trail but steep around the peak, kinda sketchy with big backpacks on but totally doable. Awesome hike! more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. There are two campgrounds, one at Scorpion Anchorage and another near Prisoners Harbor. This was a fun run. I took extra care to make sure the adventures logistics were carefully planned and our itinerary allowed the four less experienced kayakers to shirk some paddling miles and still complete the trip. The boat ride with island Packers was very nice comfortable with bathrooms and bar with smacks. Many of the plants had dried up during the summer so the island wasnt very green in September. Along the way kayakers will pass by sea caves rocky reefs and kelp forests. Definitely recommend trekking poles because there comes a point where it gets really rocky and steep. Trail was near deserted. Didnt do the loop, wasnt prepared for height of water. Theres not really an end point - this trail kind of ends abruptly and there are other trails that continue. Thats good for the ecosystem, but makes navigating a little tougher. 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. The other 76 percent is owned by The Nature Conservancy. The hike from Prisoners to Scorpion is about 16 miles. Your adventure begins on the Island Packers ferry where hopefully youll spot a pod of dolphins during your journey or even whales. Scorpion Anchorage is a better option for a day trip because it is closer and has more short hiking trails that you can do in one day as well as kayak and snorkeling tours. From Santa Barbara to Ventura Harbor, its about a 30 mile drive. We also hiked the Navy Road portion of this trail to Del Norte, which many will tell you is "easier" to take on the way back in terms of steepness. Then, when I called five different kayak-rental outfits in Southern California to find different kayaks with hull storage space, none had enough on hand. [], Island Packers Cruises is your ticket to Channel Island National Park. Beautiful green fields, glorious views and no one else out since a big storm is coming this afternoon. This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. After just over a mile of hiking, a trail to Del Norte campground breaks off from this road, which is only 3.5 miles from Prisoner's. Weather conditions can change rapidly, it is best to bring layers and a jacket regardless of the time of year. Round trip fare is $63 for adults, $58 for seniors, $45 for children and free for infants younger than 3 years old. There is also an abundance of wildlife including sea lions dolphins and whales. This hike is a significantly steeper climb and is only recommended if you are planning to spend the entire day in Santa Cruz Island hiking. Im worried about the wind. From Los Angeles to Ventura Harbor, its about a 60-70 mile drive depending on where in LA you are coming from. You will need to bring sunscreen hats sunglasses water snacks and a first aid kit when you kayak from Prisoners Harbor to Scorpion Anchorage. At this point we were in danger of being blown into the rocks to the east. Scorpion and the interpretive center are west, Little Scorpion for overnighting is just east. I did not have trekking poles so definitely had to use my hands at times lol. Prisoners Harbor is one of the main anchorages in Channel Islands National Park and the closest to Santa Cruz Island making it a popular destination for kayakers. This is probably the best All Trails map for the hike to Del Norte campground on Santa Cruz from Prisoners Harbor -- on the map, it includes the green to the yellow circle. Heading off on a close reach almost always gets us to the vicinity of Cavern Point. We took the Island Packers ferry to Scorpion Harbor which left Ventura at 8am. 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. Wind is an issue. Prisoner's Harbor to Scorpion Anchorage, Santa Cruz Island. The island is volcanic, but did not emerge from the sea for Millenia. Scorpion Anchorage features the friendliest waters, followed by Anacapa, where you'll find incredible tide pools at isolated Frenchy's Cove. This species of island fox evolved from the mainland gray fox. Today - Dec 31 Reservations required (limited quota) Select a start date The extreme conditions of the park made for, Colorado is a beautiful state with tall peaks, incredible lakes, and four unique national parks. They have regular trips to all of the islands and whale watching excursions too. But before going ahead with my plan of self-destruction, I decided to get Wendys opinion. On our first day, we kayaked only 3 miles west along the coast from Scorpion Anchorage due to strong winds, but an 8-mile day trip to Smugglers Cove might be nice with less wind. Alternatively, you may use, Channel Islands National Park Travel Forum, Channel Islands National Park Vacation Rentals, Channel Islands National Park Attractions, http://www.tripadvisor.com/help/how_to_edit_your_posts. A little bit of tidal rush, a biggish wave, maybe just the wake off a tourist boat can ram you into the ceiling. Landed at Scorpion, hiked to Del Norte Campground to stay the night. 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