Our trip to the Channel Islands was both memorable and well-timed, nestled between a work conference and the beginning of the busy holiday season. This trip marked my twelfth National Park visited and helped cross off one of the most logistically challenging ones. It was a sweet reward after five days in Anaheim hosting my company’s fall membership meeting and Sustainable Agriculture Summit.
The Drive to Ventura: From Conference Halls to Coastal Calm
After the conference wrapped up, Daniel flew out to meet me on Thursday, November 20, and by Friday morning I was ready to trade meeting rooms for open roads. We picked up our rental car and pointed ourselves west to the hills of Los Angeles.
Our first stop was Griffith Observatory, where we took in sweeping views of the city, including the Hollywood sign, framed by the surrounding mountains. As we drove along the outskirts of the city, it was striking how quickly dense neighborhoods gave way to rugged hillsides—an early reminder of how much natural beauty still borders this sprawling metropolis. From there, we continued to the Top of Topanga Overlook, where a historic sign showing photos of the valley from the past helped showcase how the land had shifted from agricultural to a patchwork of tightly packed suburbs. The contrast between past and present felt especially poignant as we continued on our way to one of California’s most protected and undeveloped places.
Our route took us next to Mulholland Corridor Overlook, followed by the winding descent through Malibu Canyon. The road opened up onto the Pacific Coast Highway, and suddenly the ocean stretched out beside us, expansive and impossibly blue. We attempted to stop at Point Dume, where Planet of the Apes’ opening scene was filmed, but since the tiny parking lot was full (even in the middle of a Friday afternoon) we pushed onward to our next planned stop – Point Mugu Rock. The PCH is dotted with numerous state parks with beach access, and it felt nice to break up our long car ride with a quick walk along the water. While walking, our tummies began to grumble, and we decided it was time to find lunch with a view. That search led us to Surfside Seafood in Port Hueneme, where we enjoyed a relaxed meal overlooking the pier.
With full stomachs and salt air still clinging to us, we drove just a few miles north to Ventura and checked into our hotel at Ventura Harbor. Our evening’s entertainment consisted of a quick grocery run to gather provisions for camping and hiking in Channel Islands National Park. Food packed, bags organized, and alarms set, we turned in early with eager anticipation of the next day’s adventure.
The next morning, we were up before sunrise, making our way to the marina to catch the Island Packers ferry to Santa Cruz Island—ready to trade pavement for trails.
Hiking and Camping on Santa Cruz Island
The day’s excitement truly began on the boat ride over, as the ocean provided us with a warm welcome to the islands. While in transit, we witnessed a full-on feeding frenzy—pods of dolphins surfacing again and again beside the boat, along with a few distant blowhole sightings and briefly glimpsed flukes as humpback whales began their dives into the ocean depths.
We arrived at Santa Cruz Island around 10:15 a.m. and were greeted by a National Park ranger who offered a friendly orientation peppered with fun island trivia. After gathering our packs, we set off toward our campsite in the upper loop at Scorpion Anchorage—Site 25, the farthest campsite from the harbor and roughly a mile inland.
Along the way, we spotted our first of many island foxes, and no matter how many of these cute little scamps you come across, it just never gets old. On our walk in, we also ran into my coworker Tessa, who just happened to be camping on the island with friends in the campsite next to ours.
Once we arrived at camp, we quickly pitched our tent and secured our food in our campsite’s critter-proof “fox box.” With camp set, we shouldered our daypacks and headed out to hike the Scorpion Canyon Loop, a 4.5-mile trail that showcases the island’s striking diversity. At the higher elevations, we were rewarded with panoramic views of neighboring Anacapa island visible on one side and the mainland on the other. Along the way, we encountered a few more playful foxes and crossed paths with friendly fellow hikers, all equally enthralled by the scenery.
The loop brought us back toward the harbor, where we wandered through the historic ranch buildings and stopped by the National Park visitor center. By around 4:00 p.m., we made our way back up to the campground to meet up with the rest of Tessa’s group and settle in for the evening.
The evening unfolded slowly and quietly. We turned in early, enjoying our audiobook, and in the wee hours of the morning took a walk around our campsite loop to appreciate the sky full of stars. Even though the Channel Islands are not a designated Dark Sky location, the view was far more stunning than any we had seen in a long time.
The next morning, we were up early for one last hike, heading out toward Potato Harbor, a roughly three-mile round-trip trail with sweeping coastal views. We finished the hike by about 8:30 a.m., and with hours to spare before our originally planned 4:00 p.m. ferry, we made a spontaneous but practical decision. We packed up camp in record time and joined Tessa’s group for the earlier 10:30 a.m. boat back to Ventura, which would make for a much smoother drive and an easier evening near the Santa Ana airport ahead of our pre-Thanksgiving flight home.
The return ferry was just as memorable as the ride out—more dolphins surfacing alongside the boat and plenty of easy conversation with Tessa and her friends. Back on the mainland, we said our goodbyes as they headed back into Ventura and we began our drive south along the Pacific Coast Highway, enjoying the views once more. Even though our time on the Channel Islands was brief, we absolutely loved the experience and would highly recommend to anyone looking to visit a national park a bit off the beaten trail.