Name: Santa Cruz ~ The Island
Start: 2024-12-14T08:00:00-08:00
End: 2024-12-14T17:15:00-08:00

Length: Options for 2 - 11 miles

Rating: 2-8/10, beginners and up (a long day though)

Trail: Loop or out and back

VHC hikers will travel across the Santa Barbara Channel on Saturday morning, December 14, 2024, to spend the day at Scorpion on Santa Cruz Island.

The boat leaves Ventura Harbor at 9:00 am, arriving at Scorpion about 10:15 am. You must check in at Island Packers (IPCO) office no later than 8:15 am (45 minutes before our 9 am departure) to receive your boarding passes.

On the ride to Santa Cruz Island, we’ll likely see dolphins, sea lions, interesting birds, maybe whales, and other SB Channel resident and migratory animals. The boat also has a Galley (aka snack bar) with tasty foods and beverages for purchase. Do not depend on the Galley for your lunch!

When we arrive at Scorpion, a variety of hikes await you. Options 1 - 3 all provide good opportunities to see the super-adorable Santa Cruz Island Fox, the Island Scrub Jay, and other wildlife.

Option 1 - Join Linda or another Channel Islands Naturalist for a 1 mile interpretive hike with about 300 ft gain, to Cavern Point, plus 1 mile to finish the loop back to the Visitors Center. This hike can be extended up to 5 miles (lolly-pop or loop).

Option 2 - Join Nikki for an 8 mile lolly-pop loop hike with 1,300 ft gain up Scorpion Canyon to Smuggler's Rd, then over to Cavern Pt and Potato Harbor. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/smugglers-road-scorpion-canyon-potato-harbor

Option 3 - Join JB for a bigger 11 mile loop hike with 3,000 ft gain that includes the summit of El Montañon. At 1,808 ft, it’s the highest point on the National Park end of the Island, with commanding views of much of the rest of the island. This hike will include a stop at Smuggler's Cove beach (restroom here), followed by a relatively steep off-trail climb up the southeast Montañon Ridge to the peak. We will descend via the Montañon and Scorpion Canyon trails down through the Upper Campground, then along Scorpion Canyon Road, back to the pier. It is estimated to take approximately 5.5 hrs, with enough time to return to the pier at least 15 minutes prior to departure. BRING PLENTY OF WATER FOR THIS HIKE, NO WATER IS AVAILABLE ALONG OUR ROUTE! We'll stop for lunch on the false summit just before El Montañon. This is the same route that we took way back in [October 2016](https://4142298.xyz/hikeitup/events/234108893)

Option 4 - Create your own hike from options available above or see the National Parks map “Hiking Eastern Santa Cruz Island” @ NPS.gov/CHIS web site. OR just enjoy the beach and explore the historic Scorpion Ranch area. The Scorpion Visitor Center is in the ranch area, as well as other nearby sights (often more foxes!)

We’ll all return to the Scorpion pier no later than 3:45 pm; at least 15 minutes before our boat departure time. Arrive at the pier earlier if you want to sit in a specific area of the boat. The expected arrival time back to Ventura is 5:15 pm (depending on wildlife sightings along the way).

How to sign up:
**FIRST**:
Make your Island Packers boat reservation for this trip right away. (These reservations fill quickly, so don’t procrastinate.). More about the reservation process below.

You will have to book your own passage on the boat. The price (RT) is $65 for ages 55+ and $70 for the younger crowd. PLEASE BOOK YOUR TRIP BEFORE YOU SIGN-UP WITH VHC. **You will be put on a waiting list until you have confirmed that you have a paid reservation for the boat trip.** Only then will you be added to the event. Feel free to bring a guest.

Island Packers’ reservation process is all online now:
1\. Go to this [Island Packers Page](https://islandpackers.com/). The easiest way to book this trip is to click the yellow-orange button (“Book By Date”) in the upper right corner of the landing page.
2\. Choose the 9 am outbound trip on Dec\. 14 \(**to** Scorpion Cove, Santa Cruz Island), add it to your cart, and then choose the 4 pm return trip **from** Scorpion to Ventura (Dec. 14).
3\. You’ll then pay for both legs of the trip\, completing the reservation process\.
4\. Shortly after you book the trip\, IPCO will send you a confirmation email with essential information about going to Santa Cruz Island\. Read and follow this information carefully to make sure you have a good visit\.

You must bring your own refillable WATER BOTTLE and FOOD. There are no food sales on the island. (Fresh water is available on the island.)

Close to the California mainland, yet worlds apart, Channel Islands National Park encompasses five remarkable islands (Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, San Miguel, and Santa Barbara) and their ocean environment, preserving and protecting a wealth of natural and cultural resources. Isolation over thousands of years has created unique animals, plants, and archaeological resources found nowhere else on Earth and helped preserve a place where visitors can experience coastal southern California as it once was.

V   H   C

Travel & Outdoor

Hiking

Have you purchased your boat tickets? Please confirm in the comments to be moved from the wait list to going.

Santa Cruz ~ The Island

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Santa Cruz ~ The Island

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