Within a quarter mile, youll rise above the trees and catch a glimpse of Prisoners Harbor from above. These varied land forms support a wide variety of plant and animal species. There are 25 standard sites and 6 group sites. is a short 3.5 miles from Prisoner's Harbor, but it feels more deliciously remote . .3 miles one way Take a longer walk to the campground trail head, where the picnic area faces Chinese Harbor and the mainland beyond. A view of lush vegetation, Prisoners Harbor, and pier from the Pelican trail. All year long there is ample opportunity for hiking and water sports at both locations as well as a good chance of wildlife encounters. The views along the spine were quite nice. Your day is generally much quieter at Prisoners due to significantly less visitation, but for the same reason, there are usually only one or two park staff around on a busy day. However, the sharp barnacle-covered rocks make water access challenging for all but the most dexterous. In addition, the campground requires a hike in and there are onlytwo day hike options both moderate to strenuous. Despite the unfortunate reality that I need to work to afford to live, and I cannot focus all my energy on hobbies, I do what I can when I can, and still find a way to have memorable adventures in new places on a budget. Scorpion Cove aka Scorpion Ranch (or Scorpion Anchorage to the local boaters), is the most popular location to visit in Channel Islands National Park. 3 beds. In contrast to Scorpion Cove, your only option for kayaking at Prisoners Harbor is to rent a boat in Ventura or bring your own across on the ferry. Hi, I am visiting Santa Cruz island on a half day trip soon. Kayaking from Prisoners Harbor is also very scenic. This post has been removed at the author's request. Scorpion Cove vs. The topography of the two locations is actually quite different which lends each to some different species. Harbor View Inn vs Hilton Santa Barbara w/ adult children 18 October 2022; Hearst Castle 17 October 2022; Who has the best clam chowder? Hike the Pelican Trail. Anacapa Island is the shortest trip and lowest risk for a rough ride. Prisoners Harbor is located midway along the North shore of Santa Cruz Island. Once on the island, the easiest option is a shortwalk to the wetland arealocated just past the restrooms to the left. Island Packers recommends visitors utilize the National Park Service App for a more complete island experience.420 + Parks all in one App. Scorpion Ranch, 2009 William Barron was a San Francisco businessman and co-owner of the company Barron, Forbes & Co. Dr. James Barron Shaw was hired to manage things, and charged by Barron to start a sheep operation. While visitors may explore the national park property on Santa Cruz Island, no hiking is allowed beyond the national park boundary onto The Nature Conservancy property. Under The Oaks w/jacuzzi. Ventura to Prisoners Hbr SCI 9:00 AM. We didn't get moving until 10:30 figuring we had a relaxing day with only 12 or so miles to cover. The island is exceptionally rich in cultural history with evidence of over 13,000 years of Chumash Indian habitation and over 150 years of European exploration. Campsite List Seasons & Fees Rules & Cancellations Facility Information Ratings & Reviews Site Types Equipment More Filters Availability Grid Campsite List Refresh Table Expand Table Sort: Availability 5 Days There are no other visitor centers on the island. There aren't many, and with the exception of Scorpion Cove and its nearby campground, few are convenient. 16 October 2022; Distance 16.0 miles Destination Distance From Downtown 26.8 miles Difficulty To make this a two day trip, backpackers must hike 16 miles to reach Prisoner's Harbor, all without access to water. 805-642-1393, Santa Cruz Island Hiking and Interpretive Guides, All Rights Reserved | Travel Master Proby, East End Landing Cove Anacapa Island Day Trip, Del Norte Campground | Prisoners Harbor SCI, Camping on Santa Cruz Island-Del Norte -Prisoners Harbor, Driving Directions | Channel Islands Harbor, Oxnard, Anacapa Island Hiking Guide & Interpretive Trail Guide, Santa Cruz Island Hiking Guide & Interpretive Guide, Santa Rosa Hiking Guide & Interpretive Guides, San Miguel Island Hiking & Interpretive Trail Guides, Santa Barbara Island Hiking and Interpretive Trail Guides, History -Stories -Facts of California Islands, East End Landing Cove AI | K-12 Education, Wildlife & Whale Watching | K-12 Education, Anacapa Island (AI) Channel Islands National Park, Santa Cruz Island (SCI) Channel Islands National Park, Santa Rosa Island (SRI) Channel Islands National Park, San Miguel Island (SMI) Channel Islands National Park. Travel time to Scorpion Anchorage is 1-1.5 hours while travel time to Prisoner's Harbor is 2 hours and the boat often also visits the famous Painted Cave area. Id recommend hiking this way if you arent prepared for slippery and eroded trails, because the Navy Road provides aneasier walking surfacedespite it being uphill in nature. Copyright 2023 The Unremarkable Climber | Powered by The Unremarkable Climber. For available shuttle tickets, clickhere. Prisoners is further away and it is meant for only serious well equipped hikers. If you have limited mobility, Id honestly reconsider traveling here at all due to the ladder you will be required to climb to set foot on the island. 3 bedrooms. TNC property is closed to the public with the exception of the Pelican Bay Trail, so you have to be a bit more cautious when exploring, but the private property is usually well marked. For the most diversity in plant species, Id recommend hiking the Pelican Trail at Prisoners Harbor, especially between March and June when flowers are in full bloom. W swell 6 ft at 13 seconds. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Report inappropriate content 2. If they are not available to lead hikes, self-guided interpretive trail booklets are available. You might find a few caves here, in contrast to the many striking caverns at Scorpion, but the draw here is the secluded beaches and protected inlets, where you most likely wont see anyone for hours. We roll out 350 feet of rode before dropping the shoreside anchor then adjust our position to get about 200 ft. of rode on the seaside and 150 ft. on the land side. Potable water is available in the campground area. Browse forums; All. Once we hiked over High Mount and rejoined the trail it was basically all downhill. He seemed to realize we were people about a foot away and nonchalauntly changed his course. From the top of Montaon you will be able to see both the eastern and western ends of the island, Anacapa Island, and the mainland on a clear day. You can do day hikes at either location. 2021Outdoor Project. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Report inappropriate content 1. NOAA Weather Marine Forecast for Prisoners Harbor, Santa Cruz Island, CA Today High : 55F W wind 10 to 15 kt. Watch this Topic. Scorpion Bay is a calm placid little cove in the center of the north side of Santa Cruz Island, crescent shaped and large enough for a man-of-war to swing around in. If you arent up for a strenuous hike, thats okay. Here are some tips for getting through it with your ego intact: Youre now ready to go explore Santa Cruz Island! I highly recommend the Pelican Bay Trail in the springtime because of the rich diversity of flowering plant species many of which are endemic to the island. , You wont have much time here for a day hike, so Id usually recommend this for a camping trip. Tidepooling at Scorpion Anchorage and Prisoners Harbor is limited. Here you will be able to refill your water, and if your boat is not coming until the following day, you can take your time on the eastern side of the island doing one of the many day hikes nearby. Fishing and collecting is allowed from land and from the pier with a license, and can be a relaxing and rewarding activity, as long as you follow all local fishing regulations. A third moderate hiking option is thePelican Bay Trail. Both Scorpion and Prisoners are on the north side of Santa Cruz Island, so the rock is primarily volcanic and the beaches are either all rocky or rocky with sections of course black sand, depending on recent weather events. Either start the hike next to the visitor center and end at the back of the lower campground or vise versa. I much prefer the half of the loop that connects Montaon to Potato Harbor Trail due to the nice trail conditions and beautiful views west over Santa Cruz Island towards Prisoners Harbor. The National Park Service (NPS) has closed Prisoner Harbor until further notice.On going rain run off/creek flow and predictions of more rain has closed this area for visitors safety.NPS will re-assess this area on Monday, February 27, 2023 an we will update this message at that time. Scorpion cove vs Prisoner? Of the eight Channel Islands, five are in Channel Islands National Park. Scorpion is the one most people go to on account of the fact it's the biggest. I guarantee youll see a fox within 15 minutes of sitting at a bench in Scorpion Campground. If youd like to spend most of your Channel Islands National Park time exploring the underwater half of the park, a tour withChannel Islands Adventure Companywill never disappoint! Ventura to Scorpion Cove SCI 9:00 AM. The water temperature is about the same as the air temperature. The boat got us back to the mainland a little before 5 pm and by 7 we were back in Orange County ready to do laundry and get ready for the next adventure! Obviously, the first option is going out on two separate day trips, but for the most devoted adventurers Id recommend camping overnight. Public phones are not available. Just please make sure to prepare yourself so you dont end up leaving a trail behind you inside. It's walk in only and there are only 4 sites. If they are not available to lead hikes, self-guided interpretive trail booklets are available. Vault style restrooms are located near the beach and two in the campground area. For the authorized kayak guide and outfitting concession in the Scorpion Anchorage area on Santa Cruz Island visit: Channel Islands Adventure Company. more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. I say first night because, if you remember, there isno water source at Del Norte Campground. If it seems like there are more limitations at Prisoners Harbor, youd be correct. The other campground is called Del Norte. These trails and roads range from the maintained, relatively flat, signed trails of Scorpion Valley to the unmaintained, rugged, mountainous paths of the Montaon area. Generally, the north shore is best during the northwest swells of winter/spring and the south shore is best during the south swells of summer/fall. If youre running short on time, there is an option to cut the hike short and descend down Potato Road to the upper campground as a more straight shot to the beach. It is on the border of the Channel Islands National Park and The Nature Conservancy property. There is more information on the Pelican Bay Trail under the strenuous hiking section. Hiking options at Prisoners Harbor are much more limited both in number and in time on island, but one of the best hikes on the island is located here as well as a secret hike. Prisoners SCI to Scorpion SCI 3:15 PM. Often, there will be no ranger here, so common sense is critical. Tours depart to this area of the island daily, weather permitting. 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. For this reason,Id recommend renting a kayakif you plan to fish during your day at Scorpion. Oxnard, Ca 93035 Island Packers recommends visitors utilize the National Park Service App for a more complete island experience.420 + Parks all in one App. Santa Cruz Island is the perfect place for a one-day trip and short or long overnight camping trips. Scorpion Campground does have potable water. Let me . While the island previously had an active ranch, under the current ownership of the National Park Service and the Nature Conservancy it is being returned to its prior, natural state. You can view the endemic Santa Cruz Island Scrub Jay year-round: an easy stroll up the dirt road to the old stream bed at Prisoners Harbor or a rugged hike up Scorpion Canyon should provide a viewing opportunity year-round. Better tidepools can be found at Smugglers Cove.More 1901 Spinnaker Drive During a normal year of rainfall, wildflowers are best viewed in late winter and spring. Prepare yourself so you can have an amazing day out there! Outdoor Project may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers. No fishing is allowed at Scorpion Anchorage since it is within a marine reserve. Daily, Weather permitting ; s the biggest until 10:30 figuring we had a relaxing day with 12! 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