Anacapa Island

Anacapa Island can be beautiful based on pictures I’ve seen online. Practically the whole island was taken over by seagulls. Was it just their mating season or is it always like that? Most of the entire island was COVERED IN GUANO. (Bird poop). It was really disgusting. Anywhere you can walk or sit on was guano everywhere. Since it was warm out, all the guano was dry and the wind and people walking around caused the guano dust to kick up into the air. There’s no running water and a couple of bathroom stalls with hand sanitizer. That’s it. It’s a small island and you can around the trails for a couple hours, take photos of the views (which are awesome) but not worth it due to this experience. We booked with Island Packers for a hiking trail trip and that was great riding to and back on the boat. However, it was a half day trip and it was too many hours on a gross island that we were able to walk in an hour and a half.

one of the coolest places i’ve never been. very small but stunning. i’ve never seen so many seagulls in my LIFE. one of the more underrated islands out of the channel islands but shouldn’t be. we hiked the entire island 1 1/2 times before getting picked up on the ferry. the ride was smooth, the staff was amazing. definitely worth the trip, i can’t wait to see all of the channel islands!

We went right after the hatching of sea gulls (end July/earily August). The island was covered in dead chick's, bird poop, feathers and loud squawking. Could hike the island less than 2 hours, unfortunately the ferry had us there for +/- 5 hours and everyone was sitting on the benches wanting to go home. The vaulted toilets were clean :/ lol. Bring your own water and snacks as there is nothing on the island -- not even trees. Would not camp there. Make sure you do your research before going to this particular NP island.

It’s the perfect escape for anyone looking to experience California’s rugged, natural beauty. The island may be small, but it’s packed with stunning views, unique wildlife, and serene landscapes. The journey to Anacapa itself is an adventure — the boat ride gives you a chance to spot dolphins, sea lions, and sometimes even whales. Anacapa feels untouched and peaceful, and because visitor numbers are limited, it’s never too crowded. I’d recommend bringing a picnic, plenty of water, and a camera to capture the incredible scenery. Also, be prepared for stairs and a bit of a climb as the island is elevated.

Cool experience. This Channel Island is essentially a wild life preserve for seagulls. They are everywhere - so its part wild life outing. The other part is just a stroll around the island taking in the ocean and the spectacular views from 200' up above the ocean. Then stop at visitors center after your stroll to read the history of the island. Also plenty of dolphins, pelicans and seals/sea lions to see on the boat ride. If you have an extra day in the area, definitely a worthwhile outing. Be sure to bring your binoculars, a nice lunch or some snacks and drinks, a towel or blanket and relax and enjoy the peace. Hope to explore one of the other islands some other trip.

We visited on August 31, 2025 wonderful day hike beautiful views weather was great lots of birds

Beautiful small island that's perfect for a day trip. A leisurely hike around the entire island probably takes about 2 hours. Bring plenty of water and food as there aren't any on the island, but there are some pretty nice outhouses though. You can always purchase snacks and drinks on the Island Packer cruise boats as well. Would highly recommend going during the gulls' nesting season, because it's definitely a unique experience!

Our experience on the island was very good. We landed around 10:30 and did the guided hike with the ranger till inspiration pt. His info is same as the trial booklet provided there so it can be done at your own pace. Next we snorkeled in the kelp forest in landing cove 2-3pm, this was a nice small activity. 30min to see the kelps and some fish, water wasn't that bad on, but I would recommend to do this while the sun is still on this part of the island, We heard it got a little choppy for people who did it later. Basically we had seen all till 3:30pm except for the lighthouse, which we did the next day. Campsites where pretty good, and clean restroom. A lot of birds come to the island in the evening after sunset. In the nights the birds will not stop making noise, you need to be prepared for it, we were, but still had trouble adjusting. In all its a really nice experience, this is the iconic island which you will see when you search Channel Island, just be prepared for the birds, as its you visiting their home.

Although there might not be much of anything to do on Anacapa Island, come in the Spring/Summer and I can guarantee you'll never forget the place. Anacapa is the nearest of the Channel Islands and reachable through Island Packers who'll take you to and from the island. At this time of year the island is 99.9% birds and you, as a visitor, are a mere intrusion. The way that Island Packers has it scheduled, the island's arrival and departure times give you just enough time to get on the island, eat your lunch, then enjoy a slow trail walk around the island (best with one of the volunteer guides who provide this service), a stop at Inspiration Point, and a brief bit of extra time before it's again time to board the boat. Unless you're camping on the island, this is all the time you would want there. Why you should go at this time of year is to see those birds. Brown Pelicans, once endangered, build their nests on Anacapa but by design their nests aren't near the trail. Brown Pelicans will abandon their eggs if humans are too near. But every other part of the island? That's where the gulls lay their eggs, right on the ground, and on Anacapa this means EVERYWHERE: Think thousands and thousands of gulls and their chicks. Gull's babies look nothing like mature gulls and when you first eye the youth you'll be amazed. The little spotted birds blend perfectly with their surroundings and would be easy to step upon were you the least bit off trail (so stay on the trail). As you trod the path around the flat island go slow. Some birds are serene, just sitting quietly atop their eggs. Others are Tiger Moms and scream or dive bomb at you as you try to pass. It's exciting, interesting, unique, and unforgettable. I'd not go back to Anacapa a second time because it's very small and I've now seen it in its entirety. There's no hiking to be done here on this flat island and the only camping site is in the treeless center of the island, which might be interesting - or boring - at times the birds are not nesting. But if you don't hike, haven't seen it, and this sounds compelling you should get out there and check it out. When the birds are nesting, it's an experience you won't soon forget. Disclaimer: To get off Island Packer's boat and onto the island will require you to hoist yourself up a ladder then walk up a flight of 150 stairs once on the island.

Thank you for taking a moment to read my review. I have plenty to say, but I hope it serves everyone out there well! Channel Islands National Park is located a few miles off the coast of Southern California harbor towns, Oxnard and Ventura. There are 5 islands that comprise the park. Doing my research, I concluded that 2 of the 5 islands were worth visiting. I chose this, Anacapa Island 1st, and Santa Cruz Island, (the SCORPION section, not the PRISONERS section) as my 2nd. (the Prisoners section I read was really desolate). The 3 other islands that make up Channel islands NP could be worth visiting, if you enjoy solitude hiking and a true sense of seclusion. For each of the 2 islands that I was exploring, Anacapa and Santa Cruz - Scorpion, they are navigated through simple 1 day trips. You must....buy a ticket on Island Packers Boat Tours. They're the only navigable way to get to the islands, unless you have private boat. Both of my day trips to Anacapa Island and Santa Cruz - Scorpion Island were $59 round trip with Island Packers. Be careful when buying your tickets online. Because...there are available cruises to the islands from both the boat harbors of Oxnard and Ventura. Although both these towns are roughly 7 - 8 miles apart from each other, it's up to you to decide what port is most convenient for you to sail from. I departed for Anacapa Island from Ventura. I then found a reasonably rated motel at the Vagabond Inn in Oxnard for the night and departed from Oxnard the following day for Santa Cruz - Scorpion. Both boat rides to the islands take about 1 hour and 30 mins each way. There are small snacks and goodies to buy on the Island Packers boat, but I just bought food ahead of time, packed it in my knapsack and traversed on my own. From here I'll exclusively talk about my experience on Anacapa Island.... When you arrive, you climb 150+ steps to the top of the island (no big deal). When I first gazed upon Anacapa, it was remarkable. It's nothing but a complete BREEDING GROUND and WASTELAND for seagulls! The ranger warns you, be careful walking along the trails. The seagulls are ultra guarded of their babies, and also, if you come into contact with the chicklings, the momma may abandon their young because you got too close. If so, the babies are unprotected and will sadly get attacked and eaten by the other birds and seagulls on the island. So please, let the babies go on their own and give them space. While you're there, also, the seagulls bark and quack and scream....and they won't shut up the entire time! It's sort of torturous to hear chirping going on and on and on. Undeterred, I was just appreciating nature and my surroundings. There are 4 points of interest on Anacapa. And the island is totally navigable within a self discovered, circular 3 mile radius. INSPIRATION POINT - the crown jewel of Anacapa! The views here are extraordinary! It overlooks the rest of the other islands that make up Channel Islands NP. When the sun is going with you, you can capture fantastic photos! This area here was the best. I was grateful to witness it! CATHEDRAL COVE - right next to Inspiration Point. Another spot w/ flawless scenery overlooking a cove and picturesque rock formations! My photos here were also pretty special. PINNIPED POINT - nothing too exciting. A spot for more views and the seemingly endless waters. Not nearly like Inspiration Point or Cathedral Cove. LIGHTHOUSE - although you'd think the lighthouse would be special to explore, you're not permitted past a certain point. The only thing you can do is observe it from afar and take a few pictures. I was a little disappointed. I was expecting more from a lighthouse situated on a tiny island, but that's all it is...a landmark. And it's active and will siren off the entire time you're there, along with the loud seagull chirpings, lol! Finally, I visited in the middle of June and it was chilly. 50ish degrees on the boat ride and on Anacapa. I wore long sleeves and pants for sure. There is a little Visitors Center house on the island to punch your parks pass and discover anymore info about the park. I much preferred the main Visitors Center in the town of Oxnard, with better stamps and souvenirs. There's also tables and benches to have lunches and picnics. In all....Island Packers permits 3 hours on the island which is plenty of time to stroll around. Overall, I appreciated my experience. It was difficult to witness the seagulls and their young being so vulnerable, but the scenery at Inspiration Point and Cathedral Cove made the whole trip worthwhile. My review for Santa Cruz Island - Scorpion section, will be posted under the actual Channel Islands National Park category. Thank you again for reading this post and I hope it assists folks with their traveling itinerary plans.

We loved our day trip here! We were afraid it would be boring, with 5 hours to kill on a small island, but it was fine! We were able to have an unhurried picnic lunch, and then take our time slowly walking all the trails, stopping to take photos. It's such a unique atmosphere with HUNDREDS of seagulls (and babies, if you come in the summer, starting around Memorial Day!). That in itself makes this place memorable. There is an option to swim or to bring your own kayak, but if you just take it easy hiking along, you don't need anything else to fill up the time.

If not for the dolphins seen during the boat ride and baby gulls because it was nesting season, this fortuitous mashup of "Flipper" and "The Birds" wouldn't have been much of a trip. East Anacapa Island is part of the Channel Islands National Park. Five of the eight Channel Islands are protected and half of the park is underwater. Island Packer Cruises is the only transportation to the park that is licensed by the National Park Service. The limited access meant limited activities where we easily covered the entire island in under two hours. For summer 2021, Island Packers had only two tours that allowed for a two-hour stay - all others were significantly longer. Island Packers boats depart from Ventura and Oxnard but the Oxnard dock offers more departure times. The Oxnard parking lot posts a 3-hour limit which everyone on our boat tour violated. Island Packers even told us to park there. Plenty of spaces on a Saturday that was also a day before Independence Day. Prepare for a rocky boat ride even though the water was considered mild. The boat ride was more physically tiring than the hike. Because the boat is not lashed to the dock on Anacapa Island, the captain attempts to hold the boat steady with the engines while passengers cross to the dock - perhaps the least stable sea-to-shore transition I've made. The posted boat ride time was 60 minutes. Our times were 85 minutes plus 5 minutes of instruction and then 80 minutes to return which included a side jaunt around Cabrillo's Arch. Our wandering around the entire island was 2.4 miles with a 200' elevation change which mainly came from the stairs at the landing cove. I safely did the walk in bald sneakers. I can tell you the best place to visit on Anacapa (Inspiration Point), but you'll have time to visit all destinations (lighthouse that you can't go inside, Pinniped Point, Cathedral Cove, and an overly simplistic visitor center) because there isn't much to do. The island has outhouses but entering the water is only for the experienced and no showers. People camp on the island overnight but the noisy fog horn prevents a peaceful stay. Sections of vegetation were human-planted and irritated by drip lines. The Park Service website warned of seabird rookery where "guano, strong odor, constant noise, bird carcasses, and birds protecting their territory" was occurring. Despite the foul (or is that fowl) description, the gulls were a highlight. And if "I ran, I ran so far away. I just ran, I ran all night and day" there is no avoiding this flock of seagulls because the birds were everywhere. From full grown birds to tiny hatchlings, walking through the largest colony of western gulls was surreal. None got feisty with me but my girlfriend had a semi-Tippi Hendren experience with a verbose mama gull. A rock plain also had a squadron of migrating pelicans. Another best part of the trip were the dolphins. Per our ship captain, dolphins are frequently seen because they like to play with the boat. The dolphins' splashy cameo did not disappoint.

My daughters and I went here for the day. The boat ride was about an hour. Island Packers will give you all the info you need. There isn't any water or food on the island, so make sure you bring your own. There are no trash cans, so be prepared to keep all your trash in your backpack. There are nice picnic tables, but no shade. I should have worn a hat, I got a sunburn were my hair parts. Kinda weird but I also got a sunburn on my ankles. My 14 yr old doesn't like to hike, but she enjoyed walking around the whole island. We went on all the trails on Anacapa Island and there were no complaints about the hiking. Hiking shoes aren't needed, but I wouldn't recommend sandals. On the boat ride back, they took us around the Arch Rock & to see the seals. They also slowed the boat down when there were dolphins swimming along the boat. Overall, it was a great experience! We are already planning our next trip to Santa Cruz Island.

Hesitant to write this review because of many mixed feelings. BOAT RIDE: It was great! There's two decks on the boat and you can choose to sit whereever. Went in early November and saw dolphins on the way to the island. Super windy and cold on the way back, since you get back typically around 3 pm, and by then you're pretty tired. BRING A THICK JACKET and be wary of seasickness. ISLAND: Honestly, a disappointment. Definitely expected more considering the pictures in advertisements and the price paid. Yes, the highlight view that they advertise is great, but everything else? Dirt. Dirt everywhere. You do see seals playing underneath the cliffs, but it's pretty far down. You can finish walking around in an hour. Can't go up the lighthouse either. Save the $60. It's a decent getaway island, but wouldn't pay to go back and hesitant to visit the other Channel Islands.

A 45 minute boat ride from Oxnard or Ventura will land you on the Channel Island of East Anacapa. Outhouses are the only services available on the island. We packed water and a lunch for our trip. The boat steadied itself as you step off. No mooring allowed. A 163 step climb is required to access the island from the boat. Once at the top, 3 miles of easy hikes await you on the 5.25 Sq mile island. There is a small visitors center, two rangers houses, a green house, a light house, a structure that houses the water tanks and 360 degree unobstructed ocean views. Trails are clearly marked and benches and picnic tables can be found along the trails. Camping is available. Our boat dropped us off at 10:15 am and returned approximately 3:30. Feb -April is the perfect time to see the blooms of the Giant Coreopsis or Sunflower tree. Stunning.

My family took a day trip to the east end of the Island via Island Packers out of Oxnard. We hit the super bloom happening all over Southern California right now, and the weather was mid to high 60s, sunny and partly cloudy, so basically perfect! For the day trip, you will need food and water as there is none available on the island, you will definitely need sunscreen and a hat as there is no shade. The boat lands around 11ish and the return doesn't happen until 3, you WILL need that hat! There are around 150 steps basically straight up from the boat landing to the island top. There is, surprisingly, cell service (at least for AT&T) if that matters to you. The trails around the island are about a mile and a half and loop. There are incredible views from some vantage points. We can't wait to check out some of the other Channel Islands soon!

A fun day trip! There were a ton of seagulls protecting their nests. We also saw some hatched chicks. Walking around the island doesn't take more than 3 hours or so, depending on how often you stop. Also had some beautiful views. We saw a huge pod of dolphins along the way + a bunch of sea lions (on the way and on the island).

I absolutely love this island! I've been fishing, scuba diving, and spearfishing this island my whole life. Great fishing, awesome marine life, never know what you're going to see out there. From great fishing, the occasional great white shark, and even saw the LA pod once. Which is a group of orcas that come down and visit Southern California occasionally.

This is such a wonderful day trip. You can see the entire park in one day trip. There are bathrooms but no water or food so bring lots. Can get cold and hot all in one so be prepared.

It was a beautiful day. We saw dolphins swimming alongside the boat as well as a blue whale. We visited the island while all of the seagulls were nesting, so the island was covered in birds and their hatchlings. It was a wonderful way to spend a beautiful day. Definitely recommend!!

Boat ride through Island Packers was really nice. We saw a bunch of seals and dolphins, but this review is not on Island Packers, it's on the island itself. The island itself was not great. A LOT of birds, EVERYWHERE. They were loud and super smelly and we saw a few (3-4) dead bird carcasses on the trail. It hadn't rained in a long time so all the plants looked dead. I think this would have been a much better experience if we were able to kayak. However, you have to reserve your kayak ahead of time because they bring them on the boat for you (you can't rent on the island). We didn't do our research early enough so didn't have this option. There's not a lot of hiking on the island and the views are of birds and dead plants. You can find some views of the the ocean on the edges of the island, which are nice (and less smelly). If you go here, just do your research first and rent a kayak ahead of time. We took the 8am boat over and planned to take the 5pm one back, but ended up jumping on the 12pm so we could get home sooner.

It is hard to rate a national park... This park is extremely beautiful but it isn't for everyone. A few FYI's. First, bring water, food, camera and hat. There is food on the boat and trash cans on the boat...but none on the island. There are no trees and nothing much for shade on the island either and no place to buy water. In the winter, everything is pretty much dead, so some of the non landing marine watching tours will be best since there is not much to see on land. The island is home to nesting gulls in the spring (think cute but extremely stinky). One reviewer on yelp mentioned dead birds. Although there were few birds when we came, we did see bones and carcasses. I mention it because it may disturb some people. It took us about 20 minutes walking slowly to hike around the entire island. The trail is very short, but there is a small visitors center. Be aware that visitors are not supposed to go off trail since there are endangered species and endemic species that need protecting. This may make it hard for kids since they could get bored easily. Anacapa does have some of the best views in the channel islands, and on a good day you can see San Nicholas. Santa Cruz is usually visable since it is so close. Anacapa is only accessible by boat. Private chartered boats are one option, but the other most common way to get there is through Island Packers tours. The landing dock is very small and required us to "jump" (small hop, not bad but not recommended for mobility impaired) to the platform. Anacapa's face is cliff all around the island and there are no beaches. Once on the platform, people need to climb up a staircase of several flights (about 200 steps) as an easy way up the cliff to the island itself. There are several "no climbing" signs. There is no medical care on the island so climbing probably isn't the best thing anyway since most people are 1 hr boat ride away from the mainland and then a 20 min ambulance ride to the hospital if an accident happeneded. For those interested in habitat restoration or ecology, volunteer peojects on the island are available. The park ranger on the island was extremely knowledgeable about the history. Guided walking tours are a good way to learn more about the history of the island. Anacapa only has Porta potties on the island and no proper washrooms. They also have a campsite (extremely primative), but it is exposed (no shade) and there are only 2 Porta potties on the entire island. The island also gets a lot of wind, which in my opinion makes me never recommend camping. Also, when I went there was only 1 landing boat per day, so it's hard to leave if you get bored camping and want to go home. If you really want to camp on the islands, I recommend Santa Cruz as a trial run because the sites are less primative (but still very primitive compared to some main land sites). Lastly, even on a calm day the boat ride can be super bumpy leaving the oxnard harbor. Many people get a bit sick, even if they don't normally get sick on planes or other boats. I would personally recommend bringing sea sick stuff (gum, pretzles, ginger cookies, sea bands, bonnine...ect). You may not get sick, but a friend, companion or fellow boat rider may. Also, if you are on a 2 story boat, the level closest to the water is usually best if you or a friend is sea sick.