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Steep, rugged ocean cliffs extending in an island chain.
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39 Activities

Channel Islands National Park

CA

Yellow flowers in foreground extending out along a rocky coastline to a natural arch.
Pine tree high on a ridge overlooking a bay with blue water and white sand beach.
Brown seals and sea lions on white sand beach with blue water and partly cloudy sky.
Rust and grey colored fox in green grass.

Park Alerts (2)

Temporary Closure on Santa Rosa Island: The beaches and dunes of China Camp and Cluster Point, and area in-between, are temporarily closed to all visitor access for the protection of sensitive resources. Travel is allowed on marked paths.
Santa Barbara Island Dock Closed; Landings Restricted to Adjacent Rocky Ledge: Santa Barbara Island is open to public access, but landings are restricted to the rocky ledge adjacent to the dock. The dock is closed and is not expected to be repaired in the near future due to the ...

About Channel Islands National Park

Channel Islands National Park encompasses five remarkable islands 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 archeological resources found nowhere else on Earth and helped preserve a place where visitors can experience coastal southern California as it once was.

Available Activities

Astronomy
Stargazing
Boating
Motorized Boating
Sailing
Boat Tour
Camping
Backcountry Camping
Canoe or Kayak Camping
Group Camping
Compass and GPS
Orienteering
Fishing
Saltwater Fishing
Food
Picnicking
Guided Tours
Self-Guided Tours - Walking
Boat Tour
Hiking
Backcountry Hiking
Front-Country Hiking
Off-Trail Permitted Hiking
Paddling
Canoe or Kayak Camping
Kayaking
Stand Up Paddleboarding
Junior Ranger Program
SCUBA Diving
Snorkeling
Surfing
Swimming
Saltwater Swimming
Wildlife Watching
Birdwatching
Park Film
Museum Exhibits
Shopping
Bookstore and Park Store

Weather

In general, the islands have a Mediterranean climate year-round. Temperatures are relatively stable, with highs averaging in the mid-60s (°F) and lows in the low-50s. However, there are seasonal differences that visitors should take into consideration when visiting the park.

In addition, visitors also should be aware that ocean and weather conditions vary considerably from day-to-day and island-to-island. For more information visit: http://www.nps.

gov/chis/planyourvisit/weather.

Getting There

While the mainland visitor center in Ventura is readily accessible by car or public transportation, the islands are only accessible by park concessionaire boats and planes or private boat. Advanced planning is highly recommended.

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Hours

Channel Islands National Park

The park is open 24 hours a day. Services and facilities have separate hours. Please see descriptions of those facilities elsewhere.

Location

CA

33.9868, -119.9113

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