Exposed. Scorpion Anchorage is the most visited destination in the park, with over 55,000 people coming ashore each year to enjoy recreational activities such as hiking, picnicking, camping, kayaking, and swimming. Night 1 at del Norte (make reservations) then night 2 at scorpion canyon. Rich sets up a makeshift cocktail bar on top of a Fox Box the metal safes used on Santa Cruz to keep foxes from stealing camp food pulls out a metal citrus squeezer, and begins filling a bottle with fresh lemon juice. There are a lot of trees along the trail. For visitors planning a multi-day or overnight trip, camping reservations must be made in advance. Be sure to pack food and water for your time on the island. High 70 afternoon hike. It takes about 2 hours to kayak from Prisoners Harbor to Scorpion Anchorage. Scorpion Anchorage is the best area of the Channel Islands National Park to kayak. We really enjoyed walking by the river. Scorpion Anchorage is one of two landing locations on Santa Cruz Island. 1. If you decide to do the entire two loops, connecting the blue and the green marked trails above will total about 7 miles, so it will take up most of your day. Swell, wind and, on one occasion, the smell from Bird S**t Rock (78) have encouraged me to find another spot for the night. I recorded 12.3 miles however, that was started after I was already hiking so it is more. Beautiful, serene hike! I planned this trip to be much easier than either of those, I said, trying to keep everyone relaxed. Yes you can kayak from Prisoners Harbor to Scorpion Anchorage. A fun family day enjoying nature. A little long, and some unsteady rocks. Its a race. It was our first time visiting this Channel Island, and the thought of powering through the. The climb to montaon ridge was a bit of a scramble and pretty difficult with a heavy pack. Worth the trip. And dont miss the loop trail to Potato Harbor. Address 1691 Spinaker Dr Ventura, CA 93001 Phone (805) 658-5730 Park Name Channel Islands National Park Owner National Park Activities Hiking, Birdwatching, Camping, Kayaking, Swimming, Snorkeling, Scuba Diving, Backpacking Amenities Trails, Restrooms, Pier Pet Policy Pets are not allowed on the island Fees Fee for boat trip, camping Hotels I couldnt have done this trip without my hiking sticks! There are also snorkeling and hiking option, plus a great visitor center. But, now, sitting with Renske in the ocean on our first kayaking day, surrounded by strong winds and whitecaps, its not even clear that at least we have each other. Though newly-Crossfit-trained Rich and Wendy are battling the waves furiously nearby, the rest of the group has already turned back to the beach. If youre planning on kayaking from Prisoners Harbor to Scorpion Anchorage be sure to check the weather and tides beforehand. The bottom in this area is sandy in many parts, but there are areas of mud and weed where holding is less secure. However, to backpack the island, we would suggest getting dropped . Download the official NPS app before your next visit. The video explains our method and describes our trepidation. 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. Theres no way were all going to make it to Prisoners Harbor.. The River loop is great - just be ready to get your feet wet. Add Your Recommended Routes RECOMMENDED ROUTE Difficult Santa Cruz Traverse 13.4 mi 2,573' Up 2,568' Down Anacapa, CA RECOMMENDED ROUTE Intermediate Potato Harbor Loop 5.0 mi 511' Up 510' Down Santa C, CA Santa Cruz Island Hiking 67 Miles of Trail It's best to check with Island Packers. Weather was nice although a little warm in the sun. I formerly head the sports department at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. It's a 1-mile climb to captivating Cavern Point. The Island Packers boat to Santa Cruz Island leaves early from Ventura Harbor, so I recommend booking accommodation nearby for the night before. Hiking, camping, sea kayaking, and snorkeling are the top reasons to visit the island. We made it to Prisoners Harbor with about 40 minutes to spare before the ferry left at 3pm. It was scary going down especially with my super heavy backpack. We reluctantly tied a fender to our aft rode and jettisoned the ground tackle. Saw a coyote on the trail (2/13/23). If you miss it youre stuck overnight. Wind is an issue. No one seems hopeful. Once you enter you go right to the farthest parking section to find the trail head. 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. Re: Santa Cruz: Prisoner Harbor or Scorpion Anchorage 8 years ago This post has been removed at the author's request. Your email address will not be published. Also, as the reviewer below me noted, do not follow the google maps instructions from this page- it takes you somewhere on the Barona reservation. Recommended Routes in Santa Cruz Island - 2 Hiking Project is built by hikers like you. This trail is great for backpacking, birding, and camping, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. The wind over the course of the day will frequently vary between nadaand 20 knots. Your adventure begins on the Island Packers ferry where hopefully youll spot a pod of dolphins during your journey or even whales. We were heading across nearly 22 miles of the Pacific toward Scorpion Anchorage on Santa Cruz Island. Dont worry you can definitely do it. The southeast end, from Prisoners Harbor east to San Pedro Point, is part of the park. I prefer the spots in the SW corner of the anchorage but will accept the second tier spots that are farther out. Friendly rangers. Stunning day, dappled sunlight, running river, not too crowded once you get past the first mile or so. About 6.5 miles in you start a scramble of sorts up a steep trail leading you up to the ridge overlooking Scorpion. Headed out to Santa Cruz Island in the Channel Islands National Park? Its going to work out great, Renske reminds me, while were lying in our tent before falling asleep. Bring lots of water and wear comfortable shoes. We will just be going for the day and I'm trying to figure out which part of the island is the best to go to. beautiful trail . Apart from teaching my students in class, we also go outside the four walls of the classroom to physically experience what was discussed in class. Highly recommend. We loved it! Filtered water is available at Scorpion Anchorage, but no water is available at Prisoners Harbor or Del Norte, so be sure to bring your own. It must not have even occurred to her that we were kayaking the full nine miles to the other legal campground.. They have regular trips to all of the islands and whale watching excursions too. Beautiful hike and super green right now with the recent rains! During the game, I do my best impression of Dumbo; Sam does her best impression of eating lemons because, well, Meadowlark Lemon; and Rich does his best impression of Jack Woltz discovering a severed horses head in his bed, which, unexpectedly, seems to help everyone relax a bit. Stayed at Del Norte and hiked to scorpion lower loop for our next camp site. Island Packers is continuing its trips to Prisoners Harbor on Santa Cruz, Anacapa Island, weekend rides to . You can find accommodations in Ventura or nearby cities such as Camarillo, Thousand Oaks, and Malibu. If you are camping, get reservations well ahead of your trip. You can swim, snorkel, dive and kayak here, and there are plenty of hiking options too, starting from Scorpion Anchorage. The name of the island that Scorpion Anchorage is located on is Santa Cruz Island. 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. Also went across the Diamond Creek twice to explore other connecting trails, This is a fabulous trail. We camped at Del Norte 1st night and woke up and completed the trail (11mi) to Scorpion Cove. Want to know about other wildlife on the island? There are bathrooms located at this campground if needed. If the current is this bad tomorrow, I yell to Renske. Only negative is that people dont pick up after their dogs. If you dont mind spending more money, I recommend doing the Adventure Sea Cave Kayak Tour (2.5-3 hours) and then hiking the recommended path below along the coast to Cavern Point and continuing to Potato Harbor. I didnt know what to say, so I just told her that we decided to take all of our gear with us for a day trip because foxes and people were stealing it., Foxes and people?! It is very well maintained; truly a moderate level of exertion for this trail.. Nice trail but steep around the peak, kinda sketchy with big backpacks on but totally doable. On your Channel Islands day trip dont miss the museum where you can learn more about the Channel Islands. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. I brought about 5 liters of water in the springtime and was enough for me until I reached Scorpions where there was potable water. Stayed the night at Del Norte and hiked about 11 miles to scorpion camp grounds. The trail is along the sea on the way to Pelican Bay. A few short scrambles over rocks and two small streams to jump. Only 24 percent of Santa Cruz Island is owned by the National Park Service (the rest is owned by The Nature Conservancy), so most of the island is inaccessible to campers except for the northeastern ends two campgrounds: Scorpion Anchorage and Del Norte (above Prisoners Harbor). Active birding zone and saw a trout jump. The flowers are popping off like crazy. Can You Kayak From PrisonerS Harbor To Scorpion Anchorage, Do You Need To Wear A Life Jacket When Kayaking, Can You Use A Kayak Paddle For A Paddle Board. Scorpion Anchorage is drier & similar to the mainland while Prisoner's Harbor is forested. From Los Angeles to Ventura Harbor, its about a 60-70 mile drive depending on where in LA you are coming from. 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