I should have believed her; but, so often, its impossible to adopt the faith that others have in us for ourselves. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. A little long, and some unsteady rocks. I hiked from prisoners harbor to scorpion Anchorage in one day from noon to about 7:30 pm carrying a pack of 30#. The down hill after the highest point definitely does a number on your toes. After hiking to Scorpion Anchorage there will be a campground and the Scorpion Anchorage Harbor where boats can take you back to the mainland. I dont think we can do this!. There are no options for food or water to purchase once on the island. On the boat to Santa Cruz Island, the nine of us discussed our past outdoors trips, and Lisa reminisced about the Mount Whitney summit trip she completed with me, Rich, and Wendy. The wind over the course of the day will frequently vary between nadaand 20 knots. The Park is undertaking two large construction projectsthe replacement of the pier at Scorpion Anchorage on Santa Cruz Island and the crane on Anacapa Island. We stop to watch a large group of sea lions playing in the water, one of whom comes a couple feet from our boat to investigate. Answer 1 of 5: I have one day in February to visit the Channel Islands National Park. Originally intending to do this in two days / one night, we ended up doing it in three days / two nights due to high winds stopping the ferry from picking us up. Scorpion Anchorage to Prisoner's Harbor on Santa Cruz Island - Backpacking Made possible by Photos About Review Comments Location Starting at Scorpion Anchorage, and then heading up and over a mountain pass, this two-day point-to-point trip shows you an entirely new side of California backcountry. Channel Islands National Park is open year round. We kayak through a towering rock archway and into dark sea caves stretching into the island. 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. Are you spending time in San Diego? Trail was so much fun! The other is Prisoner's Harbor near the Conservancy border. Even though we had plenty of scope in December 2022, a wind shift to the northeast made it impossible to retrieve our secondary anchor by slacking the primary. Everything was in bloom. However, to backpack the island, we would suggest getting dropped . You'll wish you hadn't left your canteen on the boat. The rode simply bowed and we couldnt get over the stern hook. You will continue this part of the hike at the campground, where you should first fill up your water at the spigot (watch out for yellow jackets!). The nightmare that Ive been worrying about for days is materializing before my eyes. Dry and a lot of switch backs. We didnt do the whole thing this is definitely longer than 3.6 miles. Its possible to hike to Chinese Harbor Beach and continue west all the way to Prisoners Harbor, but that is a very long shade-less trek. Theres no way were all going to make it to Prisoners Harbor.. We started at Prisoners and camped at Del Norte backcountry campsite. About 6.5 miles in you start a scramble of sorts up a steep trail leading you up to the ridge overlooking Scorpion. Dont follow this trail, its not to the river at all. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. The ferry takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes to cross the channel. Reviews (4,028) Photos (4,701) 5: 4: 3: 2: 1: 4.5. Friendly rangers. Scorpion Anchorage is just an 18-mile ride off the coast of Ventura County on the 96-square-mile island of Santa Cruz. The flowers are popping off like crazy. Relax, Renske yells as I get hit in the face with another wave. There is no water you must bring your own and take care of it. Landed at Scorpion, hiked to Del Norte Campground to stay the night. Long way down on either side of the trail at the mountain. Look, there is nothing tragic happening here as far as I can tell, Wendy texted me. A fun family day enjoying nature. Beautiful regardless of the gales. One of the best things to do in Santa Cruz Island is to hike to Potato Harbor Overlook where you can see a beautiful view of the clear blue water below. It is treacherous. 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. The point where you turn around is Potato Harbor Overlook (pictured in the last photo above), where you will see this amazing view of the clear blue water and can also see sea lions. it gets super busy so i recommend going during the week day if you get a chance ! Mostly shady under beautiful holly oaks and occasional views of the surrounding scrub hills, greener than usual. Scorpion Anchorage and Prisoners Harbor are the two most popular destinations that the Island Packers stops at. 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. Great for kayaking and snorkeling! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Hank Leukart, All Rights Reserved. Thank God for his help. No need to cross the road to start on the other side. The southeast end, from Prisoners Harbor east to San Pedro Point, is part of the park. The captain will point out animals that they spot and slow down the boat so everyone can see. AUGUST 10, 2015 My Dutch friend Renske and I are sitting in a kayak, paddling as hard as we can, against a strong current around a rocky outcrop of Santa Cruz Island in the Channel Islands off the coast of California. The trip is about 12 miles each way and kayakers must contend with strong tides and currents as well as wind and waves. But otherwise beautiful, I completed this trail with my Dad this weekend, 6/19/22 - it was absolutely beautiful. There are two locations that Island Packers goes to on Santa Cruz Island: Prisoners Harbor and Scorpion Anchorage. Dan . Potable water available at Scorpian Anchorage but none at Del Norte so plan accordingly! Spend time exploring the island, snorkeling, relaxing on the beach, and more. Your email address will not be published. Love the horses that hike along the trails too! The hike from Prisoners to Scorpion is about 16 miles. The only water on the island is at scorpion so you would be stuck carrying a lot of water if you went out and back. Bringing a Kayak with you to Santa Cruz Island would be the cheaper option but definitely more effort to coordinate. It is also a good idea to have a support boat or someone on shore who can keep an eye on you. Try this 20.1-km point-to-point trail near Santa Barbara, California. Theres not really an end point - this trail kind of ends abruptly and there are other trails that continue. Soon, were all drinking fantastic lemon craft cocktails and eating bacon-topped pasta primavera as a deep red-orange sunset dazzles us on the horizon. This was a fun run. Overall, the trail is beautiful, especially when youre on the ridge and can see the ocean down both slopes. View full map. On the way down the trail, near the campground, we saw a few island foxes. The trail is fairly marked well however there are some spots where the trail narrows considerably and can be difficult footing for some. This species of island fox evolved from the mainland gray fox. In summer and fall, it's hot and dusty. When most people think of kayaking they imagine themselves paddling peacefully down a river on a hot summer day. Follow this path up and you will see incredible views of Scorpion Anchorage, the nearby Anacapa Island, and the large cliffs. Hearing this, less experienced kayakers Sam and Whitney seemed like they were ready to, literally, jump ship. Prisoners Harbor: An Overview Scorpion Cove Basics A view of Scorpion Cove while descending Cavern Point Loop Scorpion Cove aka Scorpion Ranch (or Scorpion Anchorage to the local boaters), is the most popular location to visit in Channel Islands National Park. Hiking Santa Cruz Island was incredible, but we felt like the first loop was enough for us to get a good taste of the island by land. There were a lot of ups and downs but really nothing unbearable for a someone fit. Strava clocked me at 13.5 miles and 2,800 feet of elevation gain. By the time we reach the campground on a plateau, Sam looks like shes ready to vomit, and Natalie and Norberto look wiped. The bottom is sand and holding is excellent and kelp is not an issue these days. I did this going the other direction, from Scorpion to Prisoners. All others must anchor out and it is best to stay well clear of the mooring field, which like the pier, is for official use only. Views don't get much better than from this windy spot. There was a sign that said trails closed ahead so we did not end up hiking here today. Many of the plants had dried up during the summer so the island wasnt very green in September. Hiking, camping, sea kayaking, and snorkeling are the top reasons to visit the island. You can use the other trail called the Santa Margarita River Loop and takes you cross a little stream and reach the river, you dont have to cross the river (no need do the loop) because the river depth could be deep, just out and back will do. Island Packers Cruises is the exclusive concessionaire to the national park. There is no cell service in this area. You should book your trip ahead of time on the Island Packers websitebecause boats do fill up. Well marked and didnt run into a ton of people! We did this trail the other way, from Scorpion to Prisoners, with a night spent at Del Norte campground. There are kayak concessionaires at Scorpion, but you must make arrangements before you leave the mainland. Got to Scorpion at 310p for the 4p ferry. From Santa Barbara to Ventura Harbor, its about a 30 mile drive. I would rate it as easy for 90% of the way, and moderate the other 10% There is a parking lot of probably 50 spaces, but get there early because otherwise youll have to wait for a spot! It was our first time visiting this Channel Island, and the thought of powering through the. It is a very happy thing to walk while listening to the sound of water. The trail was super straightforward and spot on with AllTrails. Our advice is to ensure youve got 7:1 scope at both ends if youre using rope rode and make sure both are set hard. Once you enter you go right to the farthest parking section to find the trail head. Be aware of weather conditions and bring extra food. There are also snorkeling and hiking option, plus a great visitor center. Calm campsite. 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. Look, there is no water you must bring your own and take of... 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