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Channel Islands National Park

Photo: Ken Lund / CC BY-SA 2.0 · source

🌊 Lakes & rivers

Channel Islands National Park

Ventura, CA · Southern California Coast

About

Often called the American Galapagos, Channel Islands National Park spans five rugged, undeveloped islands off the Ventura coast, home to roughly 145 species found nowhere else on Earth, including the diminutive island fox. Boat out to Santa Cruz or Anacapa to kayak sea caves and kelp forests, or hike past Anacapa's iconic 40-foot Arch Rock. Reach it by ferry from Ventura Harbor, where the park's mainland visitor center sits on Spinnaker Drive.

Highlights

Five wild islands: Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, San Miguel, Santa BarbaraSea-cave and kelp-forest kayaking, repeatedly ranked among the country's bestAnacapa's 40-foot Arch Rock, the park's signature landmarkEndemic wildlife like the island fox; about 145 species found only hereBoat access by ferry from Ventura Harbor

Getting there

1901 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, CA 93001

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Curated guides that feature Channel Islands National Park.

The United States National Parks63 places

The United States National Parks

All 63 of America's national parks in one place: the geysers and canyons, glaciers and giant sequoias, coral reefs and live volcanoes the country set aside for everyone. From the Grand Canyon to the Everglades to the wilds of Alaska, this is the complete collection, each one worth building a whole trip around.