Transportation

Channel Islands National Park is one of the least visited national parks in the United States. This is understandable. Unlike mainland-based national parks, visitors cannot just hop in a car and drive to Channel Islands.

However, it is not difficult to arrange a boat trip to any of the Channel Islands. Trips can be arranged through vendors such as Island Packers, which operates catamarans which travel to the islands across the channel.

Island Packers, which operates transportation services to the island, is an official national park concessionaire. The office, located in the Spanish-style meeting seen below, is located along the docks at Ventura Harbor a short distance from the visitor center.

Island Packer boats are docked right in front of the office. The picture below is taken from one of the boats.

With the modern boats the trip to the islands is not long. It takes approximately 1 hour to travel to Anacapa Island, and not much longer to Santa Cruz. An Island Packer boat is seen leaving Ventura Harbor from the lookout tower at the Visitor Center, about to enter Santa Barbara Channel.

The trip to Anacapa Island ends in the small harbor on the east end of the island. The picture below shows an old Island Packer boat from 10 years or so ago.

The boat ties up at the landing on Anacapa Island. A series of steps allow the visitor to ascend to the surface of the island which is well above sea level. A group of visitors is seen ready to disembark at the landing below.

Although the trip to and from the Channel Islands is comfortable, the boat may encounter sizeable swells in the Channel. Below, one of the Island Packer boats is seen heading out in the Channel from the surface of East Anacapa Island.

When visiting Santa Cruz Island, many visitors will disembark at Scorpion Anchorage. Below, the Island Packer craft is seen loading kayaks while tied up at the anchorage.

Another view of the Island Packers boat at Scorpion Anchorage is seen below from the beach area.