Yes you can kayak from Prisoners Harbor to Scorpion Anchorage. There are, Your email address will not be published. You will continue this part of the hike at the campground, where you should first fill up your water at the spigot (watch out for yellow jackets!). AUGUST 10, 2015 My Dutch friend Renske and I are sitting in a kayak, paddling as hard as we can, against a strong current around a rocky outcrop of Santa Cruz Island in the Channel Islands off the coast of California. No water at Del Norte. However kayaking can [], Perhaps youve seen ocean kayaks paddling along the coast and thought to yourself Those look like a lot of fun. Very beautiful trail that follows the coastline of Santa Cruz Island! The high winds almost drove us insane, and the water carry sucks, but overall very worth it. Death Valley National Park is the hottest place on earth and the lowest elevation in North America. Everything was in bloom. You will find many unique sea caves near Scorpion Anchorage, making Santa Cruz Island a unique place to kayak. Wind is an issue. The Ultimate Weekend in Death Valley National Park, Yellowstone National Park Weekend Itinerary, Joshua Tree National Park Weekend Getaway, Channel Islands Adventure Company website, 20 Gift Ideas for People Who Love to Travel, 10-Day Costa Rica Itinerary: From Hot Springs to Cloud Forests, 16 Top Destinations in the Southwest US You Must See, 10-Day American Southwest Road Trip Itinerary, Point Lobos State Natural Reserve Guide: Best Hikes and Views. Stayed at Del Norte and hiked to scorpion lower loop for our next camp site. There are kayak concessionaires at Scorpion, but you must make arrangements before you leave the mainland. The climb to montaon ridge was a bit of a scramble and pretty difficult with a heavy pack. If you have new or amplifying information concerning this anchorage or the surrounding area, please contact Capt. We did find some emergency water left by other hikers (thank you!) When the wind blows, it sure does blow!!! It definitely seems worth it to spend time exploring the nearby sea caves. 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. The main trail from Del Norte Camp to Scorpion Anchorage is in pretty good condition. By the time we reach the campground on a plateau, Sam looks like shes ready to vomit, and Natalie and Norberto look wiped. You should book your trip ahead of time on the Island Packers websitebecause boats do fill up. It's beautiful right now. 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?! MHiked backwards scorpion to Del norte. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 6 h 21 min to complete. Dont miss the Blue Grotto sometimes called Emerald Cave, which is accessed on the east side of Bird Sh**t rock. There is potable water on Santa Cruz Island in the Scorpion campground where you can refill your water bottle. Visitor Center A visitor center is located in the historic Scorpion ranch house. Good facilities as well. There is also room to moor east of the primary spots close to shore. The name of the island that Scorpion Anchorage is located on is Santa Cruz Island. The bottom is mostly sand, though we have encountered some eel grass. One of the group has already been to Scorpion and went kayaking from there. But, when nine friends married, Texan, long-time friends Rich and Wendy; less experienced, married paddlers Sam and Whitney; eternally cheerful, San Francisco-based couple Natalie and Norberto; Minnesotan Lisa whom Ive hiked with before, long-time college friend Suzanne, and Dutch Renske took me up on the offer (with four flying in from out of town), I immediately felt a big responsibility to ensure that our trip wasnt a disaster. Ran about a third, averaged 18:30 or so over the entire trail. There is no street parking. El Montanon Peak (1,808') . You will need to bring sunscreen hats sunglasses water snacks and a first aid kit when you kayak from Prisoners Harbor to Scorpion Anchorage. Only NPS, CG and Island Packers are authorized users. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. View the route below or download the Without Baggage Catalina Island Kayak GPS track in GPX or KML format. You can guys can do it, I say. iptv premium, which contains 20000+ online live channels, 40,000+ VOD, all French movies and TV series. Scorpion, the gateway to the islands activities, is open once again and the pier is available to Island Packers, NPS and other government boats. Scorpion Canyon Loop Trail is a nice hike through and up the canyon with different views of the island, the nearby Anacapa Island, and the ocean. 1. This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. my dogs loved it and were in and out of the river. It took me 2 hours and 45 minutes to get over to Scorpion Harbor. Everyone looks defeated and nervous, and Sam has a look on her face like she thought she was standing in line for a whale-watching tour on a cruise ship only to discover that she was actually in a line to be drafted to the Olympic rowing team. Bring lots of sunscreen and a camera to capture the beautiful views :]. I should have believed her; but, so often, its impossible to adopt the faith that others have in us for ourselves. Matt. Anacapa Island is closer than Santa Cruz Island, however it is very small and offers less options for hiking. Fortunately for us, our friend Rex was able to blast out there in his Whaler a few days later and pick it up. 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. Check out these activities on Get Your Guideincluding a Brunch Cruise, Whale and Dolphin Watching Cruise,and a sea kayaking tour at La Jolla. We stop to watch a large group of sea lions playing in the water, one of whom comes a couple feet from our boat to investigate. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Hank Leukart, All Rights Reserved. Weve strapped so much trash-bag protected stuff to the top of the boats that Rich and Wendys kayak looks like a makeshift garbage barge, and Natalie and Norbertos kayak looks like its been loaded up with every belonging theyve owned since childhood. It takes about 2 hours to kayak from Prisoners Harbor to Scorpion Anchorage. When we intend to spend only a few hours, we prefer to drop a single hook just shoreward of the charted 13 ft. rock (just left of the S in Scorpion on the chart) in 20-25 feet of water but will accept a spot almost anywhere along the beach and will anchor to within 100 yards west of Bird S***t, rock(78 rock) if we have to. Excellent trail be prepared to hike for 2 1/2 hours. Exposed. 2023 Channel Island Adventure Co. Privacy | Terms, Spring in Channel Islands National Park - Channel Islands Adventure Company | Kayaking & Snorkel. As the sky transitions from yellow to purple to navy, we can just barely make out the July 4 fireworks on the mainland. Scorpion Anchorage is our MOST POPULAR year round sea cave kayaking tour. The mixed sand and cobblestone Scorpion Beach is a world-class destination because of easy beach access, clear ocean waters, a spectacular shoreline with sea caves to explore, nearby camping, numerous trails, and year-round Island Packers boat transportation. Most day trippers will get dropped off at the Scorpion Anchorage, which is closest to a variety of trails, kayaking tours, and the largest campground on the island. Scorpion Anchorage is one of two landing locations on Santa Cruz Island. Strava clocked me at 13.5 miles and 2,800 feet of elevation gain. Please be sure to check back frequently as this journey continues. No water along trail. Were beginning sea kayakers who are reasonably fit, and we kayaked at about 3 miles per hour against current. The Park Service planted the rock a few years back and, though they didnt expect their efforts to cover the islet, they were probably ecstatic at the success theyd achieved. A little bit of tidal rush, a biggish wave, maybe just the wake off a tourist boat can ram you into the ceiling. Thought it was a German shepherd at first. We generally paddle west in the morning and, if were on a long trip, in good position to ride the westerly home. But, when I called the Channel Islands Kayak Center three days before our departure to reconfirm the kayak rental reservation I had made months before, an employee blindsided me by telling me (for the first time) that the company discourages renters from taking kayaks more than a half-mile away from Scorpion Anchorage and that their kayaks dont have hull storage space for camping gear. I saw one group of 4 people near the campground but didn't see anyone else until I was 1 1/2 miles from Scorpion Cove. For information about camping ashore, guided tours and facilities, go to National Park Service. Trail was near deserted. Its now a significant obstruction. Note: Giant Kelp, which has been in decline for more than a decade is making a comeback. Another fire broke out early Friday morning on the ridge west of thisa matter of perhaps 500 yardsand against the wind. Lots of people have needed to be rescued trying to kayak from Scorpion to Prisoners because the winds against you, the employee said. Also some cactus near the trail were I was scrambling at one point and I was unstable due to tired legs. Del Norte and Scorpion Campground via Del Norte and Montaon Trail, https://www.nps.gov/chis/planyourvisit/backcountry-beach-camping-on-santa-cruz-island.htm. However, to backpack the island, we would suggest getting dropped . 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. Once on the boat, there are two main drop off points on Santa Cruz Island: Scorpion Anchorage and Prisoners Harbor. Just follow the coast until you hit that dock on the other side of the bay. A day trip to Channel Islands National Park is not complete without visiting Potato Harbor Overlook. Approaching the ridge was probably the most difficult and treacherous part for someone backpacking (~0.2 miles) with steep cliffs, rocky, unstable trail. The National Park ranger tried to stop us when she saw our kayak loaded with all of our camping gear, Natalie says, She told us that we cant camp on any other beaches! It's a spectacular hike, and we didn't see a single person on the trail once we left the campground. Could be a little tricky for some. Bring plenty of water since theres no water source past Scorpions. Active birding zone and saw a trout jump. After getting dropped off at Prisoner's Harbor, you'll spend your first night at Del Norte Campground. Meanwhile, my backpack which Renske packed in the morning feels like its filled with bowling balls, so I decide to open it to make sure she didnt play a bad joke on me. Views don't get much better than from this windy spot. About 6.5 miles in you start a scramble of sorts up a steep trail leading you up to the ridge overlooking Scorpion. There is potable water, pit toilets, picnic tables, and food storage bins at this campground. The most difficult and exposed portion of the trail is about 4 miles in from the scorpion side. I prefer the spots in the SW corner of the anchorage but will accept the second tier spots that are farther out. This hike is a significantly steeper climb and is only recommended if you are planning to spend the entire day in Santa Cruz Island hiking. Once you enter you go right to the farthest parking section to find the trail head. Your email address will not be published. I also explained the risks on the phone to Renske, who didnt seem perturbed either. There is no shade on this trail, so dress accordingly and have sun protection. Absolutely gorgeous. It is also a good idea to have a support boat or someone on shore who can keep an eye on you. We chose to visit Santa Cruz Island because at only about an hour away from the mainland it offers a lot of things to do and see and is possible to visit on a day trip. We generally anchor bow and stern to prevent swinging. An area not as much fun to traverse with a fully loaded pack. For visitors planning a multi-day or overnight trip, camping reservations must be made in advance. We stay well clear of their dock, which is tucked in the west corner of the anchorage. When most people think of kayaking they imagine themselves paddling peacefully down a river on a hot summer day. Eel grass might be. Its got a cathedral-high ceiling, a grand light show and a passage through the rock itself. The water temperature in Prisoners Harbor is usually in the mid-60s. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. All others must anchor out and it is best to stay well clear of the mooring field, which like the pier, is for official use only. In summer and fall, it's hot and dusty. Theres only about three miles left, I tell the group. The Prisoner's Harbor area is part of The Nature Conservancy section of the island. End your day trip to Santa Cruz Island with a nice boat ride back to Ventura. If you dont want to spend the money on the kayak tour (yes, its pricey), you could spend your day at Channel Islands National Park doing one or both of the hikes below, and then snorkeling on your own with your extra time. 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