Photo by: Jacob Lips
The Channel Islands National Park is a group of five out of the eight islands that comprise the Channel Islands, in California. The entire park has an area close to 250,000 acres. It is just the perfect blend of dazzling blue waters and green landscape. More than 350,000 people visited the park last year.
History
Studies have indicated that humans have already settled on the island of Santa Rosa, some 37,000 years ago. In 1542 Iberian explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo found the islands, just as he discovered California. Three of the northern islands were already inhabited by the Chumash, a native Indian community.
It took centuries, though, before the islands were considered for federal protection. The Channel Islands is composed of eight islands: Anacapa, San Miguel, Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa in the north, and San Clemente, San Nicolas, Santa Barbara and Santa Catalina in the south. But the national park is only composed of five: Anacapa, San Miguel, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, and Santa Rosa.
More than three-fourths of Santa Cruz, which is the biggest of the park’s islands, is managed by the Nature Conservancy. In 1938, Anacapa and Santa Barbara islands were designated as a national monument. All eight islands have been designated as a biosphere reserve by UNESCO, in 1976. Finally, in 1980, the national monument was combined with San Miguel, Santa Cruz, and Santa Rosa to become the Channel Islands National Park.
Photo by: Jacob Lips
Places to go
There are so many places to visit in this national park. There are land activities as well as water activities that visitors should not miss out on. One of them is whale watching, which is not specific to any of the five islands.
Anacapa Island
The island has three islets named East, Middle and West Anacapa Islands. The islets were separated through erosion, because of the sea waves. Other sites on the island include the various rock formations that have become natural bridges, sea caves, and towering sea cliffs. There is also a 40-feet arch that has become a symbol for the Channel Islands.
People can enjoy boating from one islet to another, or they can hike the various trails available. Whatever the visitor chooses, amazing vistas surely await. Painting the island with colors are beautiful wildflowers: island morning glory, strange tree sunflower, pale buckwheat, and red paintbrush. Thousands of birds also nest on Anacapa, among them are the endangered California brown pelicans and western gulls. The rocky shores are also breeding areas for sea lions and seals.
For those who enjoy snorkeling, Anacapa Island is home to the most beautiful and colorful kelp forests, at the Landing Cove.
San Miguel
The island is a plateau with an elevation of about 500 feet. Two rounded hills complete the island’s landscape. Years of grazing, though, has caused the island to become barren. Scientists removed grazing animals in 1875 to revitalize plant life in the area. It is slowly recovering and visitors now enjoy colorful fauna composed of buckwheat, coastal sagebrush, coreopsis, Dudley, and poppies.
The island is also a favorite breeding area for seals and sea lions. At certain times of the year, over 30,000 pinnipeds can be seen lounging on the beach of San Miguel.
Santa Barbara
This is the smallest among the Channel Islands but, is home to a huge species of plants and animals. The small island (one square mile) looks like a beautiful painting, because of the varied colors of the wildflowers, which is endemic to the Santa Barbara Island; chicory; shrubby buckwheat and strange tree sunflower, among others.
There are also around 14 species of birds that nest annually on the island. Lucky visitors might be able to see them if they visit at the right time. Like the other neighboring islands, pinnipeds also frequent Santa Barbara.
Santa Cruz Island
Management of this large island(96 square miles) has been divided between the National Park Service and the National Conservancy. One of the most popular spots on the island is the Painted Cave, which is one of the deepest sea caves in the world. Other natural sites that visitors should check out are the two rugged mountain ranges, deep canyons, streams and springs, tidepools, among others.
The island is also home to over 600 plant species. There are also 140 species of birds, as well as 11 species of mammals that consider Santa Cruz as home. Not only that, Santa Cruz enjoys a rich cultural history, as the island became the home of American Indians over 10,000 years ago, coupled with the European exploration some 150 years ago.
Hikers might want to check out Cavern Point hike because not only will visitors get their fitness tested, but also enjoy scenic views.
Santa Rosa Island
This island was also rich in paleontological history, as the remains of the pygmy mammoths were found here—they were only four to six feet tall. A complete fossil specimen was also found in 1994.
As far as beautiful scenery goes, the beautiful blue waters of the island house a variety of marine life, including pelagic fish. The land is just as pretty with its diverse plant life that includes 500 species of plants.
Photo by: Jacob Lips