Santa Cruz Island
Santa Cruz Island is the largest and most ecologically diverse of California’s Channel Islands, serving as a vital sanctuary for numerous species found nowhere else on Earth. The island’s rugged terrain, ranging from steep volcanic cliffs to deep pastoral valleys, supports a unique “Galapagos-style” evolution of flora and fauna. The island is partly volcanic, specifically on its northern side, while the southern side consists of older, non-volcanic metamorphic and sedimentary rock. One can find interesting plants like the giant coreopsis often called the “sunflower tree,” dominates the coastal bluffs, erupting into towering bright yellow blooms during the late winter and spring. The island fox is the island’s most iconic resident, a descendant of the mainland gray fox that evolved into a smaller, house-cat-sized subspecies. The island scrub-jay, distinguished by its brilliant blue plumage and larger size compared to its mainland relatives, is the only bird species endemic to an island in the continental United States. Santa Cruz Island was home to the Chumash for over 10,000 years, serving as a vital trade hub for shell-bead money. In the 1800s, it transformed into a vast private ranching estate with a massive winery and thousands of free-roaming sheep. Today, the island is a protected wilderness managed by the National Park Service and The Nature Conservancy, following a successful era of ecological restoration that removed non-native species and saved the endemic island fox.
- Head to to Ventura Harbor (45 minute drive) for the hour or so ride out to Santa Cruz Island to Scorpion Anchorage or longer trip to Prisoners Harbor.
- Two docking areas for trips to Scorpion Anchorage (best for day trips, kayaking, and hiking) and Prisoners Harbor (ideal for backpacking to the Del Norte area)
- There are no shops, restaurants, or lodging available. Visitors must bring their own food, water, and gear for the trip.
- See whales and sealife on the boat ride out.
Words from the Photographer: From island foxes to giant corepsis, baby owls to ravens, all with stunning views. Even the boatride over will be plenty of whales, dolphins and everything in between. The
