April 23, 2021

California – Santa Rosa Day Trip In Channel Islands National Park


Sometimes I forget that there is a National Park right off the coast of Santa Barbara and Ventura. Although not easy to get to, Channel Islands National Park is a remote paradise. Various hiking trails and limited boat seating make it a great getaway, even if only for a day. In April 2020, I decided to visit Santa Rosa Island for a day trip and completed the Torrey Pines Loop Trail as a solo adventure. Along the way, I saw incredible ocean wildlife – dolphins, whales, and sea lions – as well as lovely sights on land such as the Torrey Pines, pristine beaches, and the mini island fox.

Santa Rosa is a bit more challenging to get to than Anacapa or Santa Cruz Islands because it is further north and a longer boat ride. It makes for a long day, but half of the adventure is the boat ride itself, where you get to see the ocean wildlife. This trip reminded me that a significant part of this National Park is underwater!

Without further ado, I will jump straight into the experience, but if you’d like more information on securing your tickets in advance (which I highly recommend), head to the “Getting to the Channel Islands” section.

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Early Morning Boat Ride

Island Packers recommends that you arrive 45 minutes before your departure! And coming from Santa Barbara, this can feel quite early. At the Ventura Harbor, there is plenty of parking and clear signage to check-in before the line-up begins. Once you board, there will be a scramble for various seats – upstairs, on the back, or inside. I do not recommend being inside unless you know you will not get motion sickness. If you do get motion sick, the crew will send you to the downstairs rear of the boat, where it the least bumpy. Once we are on the move, I tend to also move around the boat – looking and photographing dolphins, whales, or sea lions.

Speaking of sea lions, we had two on board with us on the boat! Island Packers partners with a local ocean wildlife rehabilitation center to help release rehabilitated wildlife out by the islands rather than near the shore in Ventura or Santa Barbara. There was a curious male sea lion and a sleepy female. It was wonderful to see them close up while on the water. And man, did we see dolphins! We went through a mega pod of dolphins in both directions – to and from the islands. The dolphins did not seem bothered by the boat. They seemed excited to be able to jump through the wake. There were dolphins in every direction, which was incredible.

We dropped off more than half of the people on the boat at Santa Cruz Island before continuing to Santa Rosa Island. It was a cloudy morning and very chilly! I ended up going inside to stay warm while we went around the backside of Santa Cruz Island toward Santa Rosa. But I also loved seeing the back of Santa Cruz, which I’ve never seen before.

Santa Rosa Day Trip At a Glance:

  • Rating: 3 (out of 4) stars, would go again but more likely as an overnight trip
  • Intensity: Hiking Clothes, Hiking Shoes
  • Location: Channel Island National Park
  • Cost: $85/adult round trip fare on Island Packers
  • Restrooms: Some bathrooms are a 5-minute walk from the pier, on the boat, or near the campground
  • Timing: 8+ hours
  • Distance: Depends on which hike you do – the Torrey Pines Loop Trail was likely about 6 miles roundtrip.

Highlights:

  • Two sea lions were released on the day I went!
  • We got to see two mega pods of dolphins as well as humpback whales
  • The Torrey Pines loop trail was lovely but tight in the timeframe that I had.
  • Beautiful blue water, island fox, and a few wildflowers

Lowlights:

  • The boat ride is a minimum of 2 hours, but it is also part of the experience; we saw dolphins, whales, caves, and more!
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Initial Impressions of Santa Rosa

On our way to Santa Rosa, we saw a dead whale, which was very unfortunate. However, as we were getting to the pier, we also saw a few alive whales! I cannot remember which ones they were because we never got a good look at them. Unlike Humpback whales, who are very acrobatic and visual, these whales barely surfaced and would immediately dive back to the bottom to continue sifting through the shallows.

Coming into Santa Rosa, the first thing I noticed was the massive beaches – you don’t see that on Santa Cruz Island! Beyond the beaches, there are gently sloping mountains that did feel familiar to the other islands. Santa Rosa also has an impressively large pier, which made off-boarding easy. After a mandatory orientation, we were free to explore the Island.

By the time we got to Santa Rosa, we only had 3 hours before we had to be back on the boat!! I had hoped to hike the Torrey Pine Loop and the Cherry Canyon Trail, but either one would be a hustle to do. Instead, I opted for the Torrey Pine Loop Trail and bolted once the initial introduction was given. The Coastal Road section next to the airstrip is incredibly flat and wide. If you’re camping, you can even bring a wheeled foldable wagon to pull to the campground. In late April, there were gorgeous wildflowers and a hint of green grass. We did not get much rain this winter season, but I was still surprised to see that the grass was already almost brown. Next time I might try to go in February or March.

Speed Hiking: Torrey Pines Loop Trail

For most of the trail, you follow the wide and flat Coastal Road, which is ideal for speed hiking. Not far after the airstrip and campground, there is a stream crossing. I loved the steam crossing because it also got you close enough to see the beach without detouring to a beach access site. The beach I was looking at was Water Canyon Beach, which stretched for miles. It had light sand and was pristine, with not a soul in sight. As much as I wanted to enjoy the beach, I pressed on. Now and then, I would stop to soak in the seemingly untouched beauty of the land.

I opted for the Torrey Pines Loop because of the unique pine trees that only grow in two locations in the world – near San Diego and here. Since it is a loop, you can decide which route to take. I took the first trail entrance and made the loop counter-clockwise, which meant I encountered a very steep climb almost immediately. It also gave me great views almost immediately. About two-thirds up the climb, there is a bench with gorgeous views. I wished I had more time.

Keeping an eye on the clock, I decided I had enough time to make the entire loop. The trail meanders through dense sections of Torrey Pines, and I loved seeing the twisted branches with the brilliant blue ocean in the background. Stunning. There is also an area where you can see over the ridge to another part of the island, which seemed to have slightly different vegetation and vibe. My descent was gradual and enjoyable. Next time it might be good to make the trail clockwise.

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The Hustle Back

If you only have three hours to do a hike during Santa Rosa day trip, I’m not sure I would recommend Torrey Pines Loop unless you are prepared to hustle. Yes, I loved the trail, but I also didn’t stop until I was back on the boat. I ate my sandwich and snacks while walking on the relatively flat Coastal Road. There are lovely picnic tables, but I didn’t have a chance to enjoy them fully. On the Coastal Road, I noticed a cat-like figure walking ahead of me. Shocked, I realized it was the Island Fox. I gasped, and it looked back at me – it was SO CUTE and mini!!

As I got closer to the airstrip, I decided to make a detour to check out the campsites and fill up my water bottle. The camp is picturesque with gorgeous wooden half-structures. I definitely want to camp here in the future! However, it did get me wondering about wind if the national park service made an effort to make these half-shelters. And a quick google search confirmed that Santa Rosa receives a prevailing wind.

This detour meant that I had to walk double-time back to the boat. I must say, it got a little stressful. I knew I wouldn’t miss the boat, but I wasn’t going to be waiting around either. With about 5 minutes to spare, I made it back to the pier. I laughed with a couple that I saw on the Torrey Pines Loop about what a haul the hike was before boarding.

The Return Boat Ride

While we were on Santa Rosa Island, the sun came out, so the boat ride back was delightful. I was much warmer, and we were not going to stop to pick up any additional passengers, which meant that we could spread out and relax. On the way back, we went INSIDE of Painted Cave, which felt exactly like being on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride in Disneyland. It might have been my imagination, but it even smelled like the Disneyland ride. Once fully inside and you’ve got your photos, I recommend heading to the back of the boat. Off the back, I watched a couple of playful and curious sea lions.

We also spotted humpback whales in the distance, who were showing off their tails. However, once we got closer, their antics diminished, and we left them alone. We also went through another (or possibly the same) megapod of dolphins. It was incredible to see them in the afternoon light, and I tried to capture their jumping in slow motion. I was semi-successful.

What about the released sea lions??

And finally, I wanted to mention that the two sea lions that took a ride with Island Packers were successfully released. When I was already deep into the hike, I noticed that our boat moved beyond the pier. On the return trip, I confirmed with the friendly women who work at the rehabilitation center they take the sea lions away from the dock to lessen the chance of them becoming dependent on humans. The release went great, and they went together away from the boat. The male stopped to look back at the boat as a final “thank you” before swimming off into the distance. Sea lion groups are very welcoming to newcomers, and the ladies at the rehabilitation center were fully confident that they would adapt quickly into the wild – success!

Santa Rosa Day Trip Recommendations

My Santa Rosa day trip began before 8 am and ended at 5:15 pm. With this in mind, you will want to prepare for a FULL day of food and water. Here’s a short list of good things to bring:

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Getting to the Channel Islands

To get to Santa Rosa Island, you’ll need to take a boat! You can, of course, go privately or even charter a flight, both of which come with a hefty price point. The most typical way is to go with Island Packers, who have been working with the National Park Service for years to provide transportation to the islands. Island Packers is a well-organized company that has always been a pleasant experience. I’ll say it time and again – BOOK YOUR TICKETS EARLY!! Not only do they have a tendency to sell out on weekends, but Island Packers does not have boats going out to Santa Rosa every day, and it changes by the season.

Head directly to their website at: https://islandpackers.com/home/ Their reservations pages will have the most up-to-date information. And if you have any questions, give them a call – they have been super helpful on the phone in addition to the help they provide in person.

Overall Thoughts: Santa Rosa Day Trip

I love our National Parks in the United States, and I loved my day-trip experience to Santa Rosa Island. The boat ride was long for a Santa Rosa day trip, but I realized what a gift it was to be on the boat! It was like I got a whale/dolphin watching tour and hike in during the same day. It was great. If I head back to Santa Rosa, I would likely want to camp overnight to spend a little more time exploring the Torrey Pines, the beaches, and Cherry Canyon without breathlessly rushing through each item.

I’ve only been to Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa Islands, but I am leaning toward Santa Rosa as my favorite – just look at the beautiful blue water with pine trees! Which is your favorite Channel Island? Or which one would you like to visit first? Let me know in the comments!

Happy Travels,

Hanna

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Filed Under: California, Hikey Climby, Water Activities

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