CHANNEL ISLANDS
After carefully plotting our trip to California in the spring of 2018, we ended up deciding that going to Death Valley, as originally intended, was going to swing us too far out of the way for the rest of our plans. After doing some additional research we found that another equally enchanting national park existed right off the coast of Ventura, which we thought would be a great way to end our California adventure. Enter Channel Islands.
After reaching Ventura and taking a beautifully windswept ferry ride to the island, we embarked to live our best Mamma Mia/ Sound of Music lives while hiking through the hills and valleys of Santa Cruz Island. Embarking from Scorpion Anchorage, we made our way past Scorpion Ranch and into Scorpion Canyon before finding the rest of our early morning adventures on Smugglers Road, chock full of rollin grass land and abandoned machinery of a bygone era.
Finding our way back to the beach at Scorpion Anchorage, we set off again, this time up through Scorpion Canyon before making a descent on Potato Harbor Road. Here we were able to see some impressive views of the high ocean cliffs before making our way back to Scorpion Ranch. At the ranch we were able to learn more about the islands history and people before ultimately taking the ferry back to the mainland.
Channel Islands National Park is on the traditional and stolen land of the Chumash, Limuw, Michumash, ‘Anyapax, Wi’ma, and Tuqan people.
Listen while you look! These buttons will link you to the podcast episode(s) for this park and gallery.
