The Channel Islands occupy such a unique niche in the ecology of the United States that they're sometimes referred to as America's Galapagos. As you'd expect with such a label, the park's diversity of animal and plant life is amazing. More than 2,000 terrestrial plants and animals crowd this small park, 145 of which can be found nowhere else on earth. Read More »
Channel Islands National Park Highlights
- The Channel Islands occupy such a unique niche in the ecology of the United States that they're sometimes referred to as America's Galapagos. As you'd expect with such a label, the park's diversity of animal and plant life is amazing. More than 2,000 species crowd this small park, and of those 145 can be found nowhere else on earth.
- The islands are Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, San Miguel, and Santa Barbara. Each island has its own character. Anacapa is the entry point, tiny, popular, and closest to shore. Santa Cruz is the largest and most biologically diverse; it is largely owned by the nonprofit The Nature Conservancy. Santa Rosa is the most historically interesting, and the most wide open of the larger islands for those who want to do some independent exploring. San Miguel has (arguably) the best hiking as well as terrific wildlife. Tiny Santa Barbara is the most isolated, a place to go to be alone in a wild, windy ocean.
- The waters surrounding the Channel Islands are home to the largest aggregation of blue whales in the world. From July to September, approximately 10 percent of the world's blue whales gather in the Santa Barbara Channel. The whales arrive during periods of upwelling, when plankton, the whales' preferred food, is available. Humpback whales are attracted by these same ocean conditions.
- The island loggerhead shrike, a predatory songbird, is an endemic subspecies found only on Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, and Catalina Islands. The bird is on the brink of extinction, with less than 50 breeding pairs still in existence. It is most often seen in grassland and coastal sage scrub habitat or near coastal ravines.
-
Channel Islands National Park Travel Q&A
-
What's your favorite hike? Where's the best campsite? Join the conversation! Ask Your Question
Photo Galleries
What You Can Do in Channel Islands National Park
Articles & Advice on Channel Islands National Park
-
- An Ocean at Your Doorstep
- Anacapa IslandWalk-In Camp
- Top Ten National Park Campgrounds
- Channel Islands National Park, California
- Top Ten National Parks for Wildlife Viewing
- Channel Islands National Park, California
- Top Ten Camps in North America
- Camp Marooned: East Anacapa Islet, Channel Island NP, California
- 15 Great Wildlife Viewing Trips
- Adapted from Watching Wildlife
- Channel Islands National Park
- The Channel Islands Experience
Package Trips:
-
from $ 2195 USDfor 7 daysEnquire and Book
Operated by Jones Adventures
advertisement
Parks Near Channel Islands National Park
- Serrano Valley, CA (28 mi.)
- Paradise Falls, CA (32 mi.)
- Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, CA (38 mi.)
GEARZILLA: The Gorp Gear Blog
advertisement




