Wildflowers bloom on hiking trails in Southern California
Apart from their sensible aesthetic, the coreopsis additionally present important habitat for the world’s largest protected breeding colony of Western gulls, who descend onto Anacapa from April to June to battle over territory and construct their nests underneath the cover of flowers. (Not like their mainland pals, these nesting seagulls are inclined to not be overly aggressive towards folks. Simply don’t depart your sandwich unattended.)
The hike: With solely two miles of trails, it’s simple to traverse the entire island in a day. When you climb the 157 stairs from the ferry touchdown, the paths are simple and principally flat. From the touchdown cove, head towards the small cluster of historic buildings and discover the island’s historical past. Then, flip left and stroll as much as the lighthouse — the one one on the Channel Islands, full with a working foghorn — earlier than mountaineering again towards the customer middle to start out the loop path. As you hike, you’ll be able to watch the harbor seals and sea lions enjoying within the surf and basking on the rocks at Pinniped Level and Cathedral Cove. At Inspiration Level, on the western tip of the island, the views are among the finest within the Channel Islands, searching throughout Anacapa’s two smaller islands and the bigger Santa Cruz Island.
To get to Anacapa, you’ll have to take a ferry, operated by Island Packers, from both Ventura or Oxnard to the island. The round-trip fee for a day journey on the ferry is $63; there are not any extra park entry or parking charges. Ferries run a number of instances every week. Carry loads of water, as there isn’t any ingesting water obtainable on Anacapa.
