Catalina Island Conservancy Trailhead

Lindsey was absolutely amazing! She shared so much fascinating history about Catalina Island, making the experience even more special. If you’re visiting Catalina, this tour is the way to see the entire island—no joke! Most tourists only get access to Avalon, which is just about 15% of the island, but this tour takes you beyond that. I highly recommend it, and if you can, ask for Lindsey—she’s the best!

We had an amazing trip with Christian who was a blast. He was extremely knowledgeable, very attentive, and hilarious. The 3 hour tour was very informative. We saw bison, eagles, and a fox.

My husband and I took the 3 hour eco tour and absolutely loved it! Our guide was Christian and he was so informative and fun too! There was a 13 year old young man on the tour and it was so great to watch Christian keep him engaged, answered all his questions and seemed to genuinely enjoy talking with him! In my experience, not all guides are as authentically happy to interact with teenagers 🙃 We would highly recommend this tour where you have the opportunity to experience the natural side of Catalina!

Did the 3-hour Eco Tour with Tom (he was the guide). Incredible! I highly recommend taking this tour. You will see and learn more things about this island, than 99 percent of the other visitors. And there are truly bison on the island. Oh, and don't forget Dusty the cat. She hangs out at the airport.

Tour guide Teresa was awesome! Very knowledgeable about the island's history, wild life, and natural resources. Our 2hr. tour was great! we were lucky enough to get an up close view of the many bison and other wild life. Towards the end with some time left, she circled around allowing us to gain a little more knowledge regarding some good spots to eat which were spot on. Thanks! I would definitely recommend the tour!

My son and I had a wonderful experience taking the 3hr Eco Tour of Catalina Island. Shawn, our driver and guide, was so interesting and filled with fascinating insight and information related to the island. What we saw and learned dramatically expanded our appreciation for Catalina not only as a place to visit and relax, but to respect and protect.

Had an all exclusive eco tour with Linsey. She was very knowledgeable and informative, on the island tour. Also very passionate for the animals, birds and plant life and sea life. Would love to tour the whole island with her. The drive was fun and smooth. Thank you again for making our day one to remember. 9/8 our Anniversary. John and Adele

Our 3 hour tour of Catalina Island was led by Shawn. He was very knowledgable and provided continuous narration. We had visited Catalina in the past but learned so much more. The vehicle utilized was comfortable and well suited for the dirt roads. We think Catalina Island Conservancy provides an outstanding tour.

I'm grateful for this new, bigger location. This had just opened the last time we visited and is a massive step up from the previous, smaller location a few blocks inland. ( ...which is still nice and worth a visit, especially if you intend to hike. ) For tourists like me, I prefer this larger venue with it's multi-vehicle pickup areas, etc. If you're lucky, you'll see a wild deer run through downtown right in front of the conservancy. Also, if you're UNlucky you'll see a wild deer run through downtown and right in front of the conservancy. Those things are all over the town now. Good luck not getting kicked in the head because you turned a corner too quick and startled one. ( Not kidding, it happened to me behind the Pavilion. ) Anyhow, this conservancy has a large gift shop, lots of info, restrooms upstairs and a pretty nice view of Avalon.

We had a group of eight people enjoyed a four hour tour of the back island with a lunch stop at the airport. Tom, our tour guide, was amazing source of historical, biological, and local lore as we took in amazing vistas, wild life, and the efforts to return the island to its native state. We highly recommend it for anyone who wants to learn more about Catalina.

It isn't what it used to be like in 2014. It's a pain trying to book the Catalina express from Dana Pt. Small shuttles and not so many. So you're stuck with having to go to Long Beach. Plan for three hours if you're coming from San Diego due to the absolutely horrible traffic. If you take the toll rd, expect to not pay the ticket on time and having it turn into a $100 fine rather quickly. They take a pick of your car license on the toll rd, so if you're driving a rental, it will be a while before you get it and I had a friend that had to pay a $1000. ticket!That said, I was so taken aback, from how lovely it used to be in 2014. The ocean in front of the beach right off the dock where you come in was kept clear and boats had to tie up over by the casino. Now, they just just fill up the bay. There's about 30feet of beach and then about fifty feet of water before it is blocked off by buoys and they just rental boats from a private company there off the dock and just packed thick with boats, not many sail boats, they probably are going into Two Harbors. That little ocean space is filled by kids, so forget a restful beach visit where you can swim, it isn't like that anymore. I imagine the pcb's in that area are immense. The epa should be taking tests, maybe it isn't even safe for kids. Maybe right there is just filled with kid urine and there's bacteria because there isn't a free flow of ocean. The most flow they get is from the boat shuttles. I do plan to call the epa and ask them to test the water. All these private homes have been turned into hotels and airbnb's. The Catalina Hotel was a dump. None of the windows locked, and they were at ground level and large. Our screen on one of the windows was half off. The three windows...anyone could have come in and our belongings were not safe. It also smelled like human urine. The Chinese restaurant we were going to in 2014? It was great and closed two years ago. Gone. People were on the harbor, catching a fish and just cutting the line on the hooks. Some conservation. The cabs to lug your luggage up a hill - better plan for an hour after you reserve it. There's one company that has the monopoly, I think it's illegal to do this. It's $18 to go much less than a quarter of a mile. Handicap access is zero. Cabs won't even pick you up just to bring you down. I have sent a note to the ADA folks. I have sent an email to the state attorney general about such a monopoly. And this company has huge white vans everywhere - and forget it if you need to catch the shuttle, they will mill around and try and get more business after you called for the cab. We waited while our cab dropped someone off, carried up their luggage and waved across the street to us and said they'd be right back because they had to take them back to the shuttle. So another cab came for us after that, the guy took off when my daughter's door was still open- He tried twice to get more people to ride and we had to catch the express. So we called. They said five minutes. And it took 30 minutes to nearly miss our shuttle. I wonder if the Wrigley's only gave this one company permits to bring the vehicles over. As there didn't used to be vehicles in eye shot - lots of golf carts but not nearly as many as there are now. Line upon line for food, and I don't know if it is just that there are no health regulations, or what, but it was crazy - the things you'd see the waiters do - clean the floor, the chair and the table with the same towel. I plan to see what health dept regulates them, if any. Maybe it's up to the Wrigley's and they just don't care. It was a sorry excuse for the Wrigley's preservation of the island (they now have a university teaching preservation on the main land). Golf carts now spew gas fumes-there are so many now-and they rent out only 4 seaters. So all these vehicles are clogging the roads and they have a Von's. There is no elegance any longer. It has come a long way from the no car policy to pollution in the streets and nowhere to swim. This conservancy was supposed to protect the island in the name of the Wrigley's family and the nature on the island and the ocean around it. Where is the sewage water going? What has gone wrong? There is no beauty on this side of the island. Just commerce. It should be renamed to Commerce Island. Such a sad tragedy :(

My family and I, a group of 6, went on the Eco Tour yesterday. I am extremely scared of heights, but our driver Lindsay was absolutely AMAZING and made me feel extremely comfortable and constantly checked on me to make sure that I was ok which I really appreciated. If you ever have a chance to go on this tour, I recommend that you ask for Lindsay. She's awesome. Thanks Lindsay.

AMAZING ! Truly the best life experience. We did the 2 hours tour and we saw allot of buffalo up close and fox as well. We learned all about them and the island. We went up to the very top of the mountain all the way to the airport. We learned all about the conservancy and the island. We learned about Wrigley and how the island was founded and all about others who lived there and visited. We saw where Zane Grey painted and lived. Many details of the island living..I would highly recommend even if you can't stay to take the boat ride over do the tour right as you get off the boat eat at Antonio's pizza and get and ice cream at Scoops and head back. You will have the BEST DAY EVER!!!!

I came on 9/4/24 at 11: am with my family of 4 , for a tour adventure for two hours drive I purchased 4 tickets for four person total was $471 We asked the girl before we purchase the tickets , in Spanish and English so there's no confusion, on the counter if there was enough room for all of us & we ask her if we can pick our seating. She said it will be fine & also will be enough room . So we waiting until the driver came , I we had the worst experience with Sean made me and my family very uncomfortable , Sean the driver is (( races ) tours Hispanics he made me feel very uncomfortable with his bad attitude. I was there with my family waiting for an hour , when no one was there as soon. As it was 12 noon other people was coming , he pick his race before us, he said he don't pick the seating , which we knew he was lying !! 1# I was very upset 2# he made me and my family fill very comfortable because he choose his race before us #3 he lied about he doesn't choose the seating when i went inside to complain to the customer service that I purchased the tickets too , she said she was going to talk to him , he told her he does pick the seating , when he told me he don't so you see he is racist.and a liar as well !! So i requested my refund !!! I will never come back to this company that hires people with a worse attitude even the manager was not compromising, but Sean thank you I will never go back. I will let my family and friends know not to come to your company. Worst experience.ever I'll give you no stars but in order for me to do this review I have to put one. May I add my advice, to Denise Morris please train your coworkers to respect customers it doesn't matter what their ethnicity , if we purchased our tickets we all should get the same. Respect ‼

We (a group of adults and teens who came to Catalina to go birding) took a 3 hour tour on a Saturday. We had 18 people, divided in two trucks. Our guides were Laura and Shane and they were wonderful. Because we wanted to look for birds, we asked for frequent stops to get out of the truck. Being a birder herself, she was endlessly patient with us and jumped right out of the truck with us to find those birds! Shane and Laura both shared lots of information about the island in a way that was fun and interesting. We all really enjoyed the tour. This was my second time on the Catalina Island Conservancy tour (the first time I went with Tom for a two hour tour and he was also fantastic). Everyone at Catalina Island Conservancy was just so nice and helpful. We'd definitely take a tour with them.

Usually nature preservation organizations are helpful.  Not this one.  It felt like a for profit organization.  The space felt more like a store than a conservancy.   I went in for some bike route information, and all the woman would do was try to get me to buy a $35 trail access pass.  I kept telling her I was there only for a day, but she continued to press the sales pitch.  The least she could have done was to highlight the local area and where there are "public" roads. My general feeling for the island is the same.  It is a tourist trap.

This is the second time our family of five took the island tour with the Conversancy, but this time we did the three hour tour so we could see more of the back country and beaches. Luis was once again our guide and, as before, he made sure we had a fantastic time from beginning to end. We enjoyed view after view of pristine valleys, virtually untouched beaches, and incredible wildlife, including lumbering bison, deer, and even a group of foxes just off he road. Catalina is absolutely beautiful and there is so much to see - and so much history to hear about. The Conversancy really does an excellent of preserving and maintaining the island, and their tours are a perfect extension of their mission. I really don't know of a better way to get to know Catalina - and have a great tie doing it! Thanks again Luis!

Lindsey was our tour driver and she did an amazing job . She's very informative and nice .

Our tour guide Shaun was amazing. He has lived his whole life in the island so he knows everything there is to know about the island. Very kind recommended great food places after as well.

A group of 7 women took a 2 hr Eco Tour with Beth in a safari style Toyota which actually is a Toyota vehicle. Beth was very knowledgeable about the plants and trees we saw on the trip and the history of the island. A three hour trip would have included a trip to the area where bison can be seen. The island was quite year from heavy rains and wildflowers were blooming. The road to the airport was paved the entire way. The views were stunning across the Catalina Channel to mountains with snow.

The Conservancy is planning on killing off all the Mule deer on the island and have given 0 thought to the needs and wants of the local residents. They have mismanaged the herd and made hunting unsustainable to keep the herd at a reasonable number. They have refused to connect to residents to engage in any alternate options.

Went to Catalina for my wife's birthday for a day trip. Our "submarine" excursion was canceled at the last minute so we scrambled to replace it. Ended up going with the two hour Jeep tour from CIC. The trip was fun and informative, giving us a lot of background on the island that we didn't know before. Shaun, being a third-generation native, was super knowledgeable and made the trip fun. Would definitely recommend!

Had another terrific experience with the 3 hour Jeep tour of the Conservancy parts of the island. Our guide, Beth, seemed to know everything about the island's history, flora and fauna. She was also an expert driver. And she found us wonderful views of the animals (Bison, of course). And we were treated to fabulous sunset views as we came down the mountain into town at the end of the tour. And she topped it off with a great restaurant suggestion (Steve's Steakhouse).

The Conservancy is once again advocating for aerial shooting of wildlife. This barbaric practice is being suggested because there are too many wildlife for the invasive humans that occupy the Island. They say the mule deer now, much like the goats, pigs and bison that were brought to the Island via humans must now be killed or significantly reduced becuase they are in the way. We know there are claims that they are starving but no evidence has beend provided to the public to support that claim. However we did find the whining about the wildlife eating landscaping and golf courses. Humans must stop killing wildlife because they are inconveniently in the way. And stop calling an animal invasive to try and justify your narrative. These mule deer have been on the Island for over 100 years. Perhaps if there were predator species they would keep them in check. And...why not simply relocate to a state in the US that is complaining about mule deer population declines? Seems that would be much more humane.

Very good service in store. Just not as top-notch as a 5-star rating.

We wanted to see the island of Catalina a little bit better on this trip so we made reservations thru the Catalina Conservancy for a two hour tour. Beth was our tour guide and she was amazing. She was so knowledgeable and took the time to teach us about the native plants and animals, Native Americans, bison, etc. she knew where to find the bison which was the highlight of the tour. We have been to Catalina many times and are thankful we decided to take this tour. Request Beth...you won't regret it. Also they have a great store with a great selection of souvenirs at reasonable prices.

Wow. I men's thought Catalina would be this beautiful! Stayed here for 3 days and got to bike around the first day. The second day we went on a 14 mile hike. Shout out to Daniel from the pavilion front desk who told us how to get there. We ended up walking up the road that all the zip lining tour trucks were taking. I posted a screen shot of the map where we entered the actual trail. You get a bird's eye view of avalon. We ended up taking an out and back trail, again to Daniel's suggestion, named lone tree trail. It was definitely worth it. The water was unbelievably blue and there were clouds of butterflies flying around. So very magical. I will never forget it. We didn't see bison or fox unfortunately but we did see a bald eagle being chased by crows!

My partner and I went on this tour on Valentine's Day, our tour guide was Laura -she was amazing, she even added an phenomenal sound track to the already incredible journey with breathtaking views which made the tour epic. Laura had a wide breadth of knowledge about the Catalina interior which made the tour exceptionally informative and fun. We went through Middle Ranch, the Little Harbor overlook, past Rancho Escondido, to the Airport, and then back to Avalon through the eastern road. We saw plenty of wildlife up close from bison to the native fox. This is a "must do" activity and only the Conservancy has access to the most remote and beautiful lands. If you go, ask for Laura.

Took the eco tour and we had a nice time. We saw a few bisons. Our tour guide Shaun is a local so he is very knowledgeable about the island. Dont miss this activity if you are in Santa Catalina.

Our tour was amazing. Luis was our guide, he was very knowledgeable, with a good sense of humor. We were able to see bison, fox, and beautiful views of the island.

We were very lucky to get the last seats for the Tour- because this was the highlight of our trip. Joy was our driver and she was the best tour guide you could ask for. Her knowledge and passion for everything on the island was what made this tour. It was a 3 hour drive around the island. She knew so much information and would even pick different plants for us to smell. She was funny and even took into consideration that we needed to get to the boat by 4 to board. She went out of her way to show us Bison and we were lucky to see a large group. Joy could spot them out all over the mountains. She provided a ton of information on the different hiking trails and camp sites that we can't wait to come back. It was just honestly an amazing experience to see the island with someone that you could tell truly loves it so much and has really taken the time to learn about it. I would 100% recommend taking this tour to learn about the wildlife, site see, and understand the history. Her humor was much appreciated. As far as steps for Covid she sanitized the entire Jeep before we boarded and wore her mask the entire ride. I felt very safe and her driving is impeccable on those narrow roads. Thank you so much Joy for making our trip and showing us Catalina.

If you are visiting the island, the eco tours are where it's at. We signed up for the 2 hour Jeep tour that seated 6 and took up around the harder to get to places on the island. We saw some bison, foxes, and giant squirrels but what I loved the most was the view of the island. Our guide Tom was just terrific with sharing fun facts and made it a delight.

On a recent visit to Catalina Island, we took a nice leisurely walk up to the Wrigley Memorial Garden. On the way back down to the city center, we stopped in at the Catalina Island Conservancy. This small building is packed with useful and informative information about the island. Very educational with some exhibits. Someone is also there to answer your questions. Nice spot to check out, and it is free. They accept donations!

I was recently on the island of Catalina, and did the 2 hour eco jeep tour, our driver Shaun was very professional, educated and described the complete history of the island, I sincerely recommend this tour, because you get to know the island, its history and territory. one more time thanks Shaun.

We had a great 2 hour tour with Luis on Valentine's day! We saw terrific views of Avalon and the Santa Catalina coast, all kinds of wildlife including the famed bison! Luis is a born and raised islander and was extremely knowledgeable. He answered all our questions and gave us terrific advice for our time on the island!

We wanted to take the Conservancy's three-hour Ecotour, but weren't sure if they could accommodate my wife, who is in a wheelchair. Their staff really worked with us to try to make it happen. Ultimately, with some help from another passenger, we succeeded. The tour itself was great, providing a rare view of the interior of the island, including places open only to groups hosted by the Conservancy. As we drove from one side of the island to the other, we saw bison, eagles, hawks, and other wildlife. Our driver provided a running commentary on island history, culture, and wildlife. It provided a great break from the busy, more urbanized environmental of Avalon. Overall, an experience we recommend to any visitors.

Luis took us on our tour and was amazing!! We had such a blast with our large family of 8! He was incredibly knowledgeable and thinks he's funny. would highly recommend!

I really really wanted to love this tour. I chose a tour with the conservancy over the other island tours because I didn't want one filled with ridiculous jokes and nonstop silly entertainment. I wanted to go with a knowledgeable guide, which he was, but minus the 'let me keep you all entertained' aspect. I avoid those tours at all cost. I would expect to get an educated, frills free one from a Conservancy. When I watched the video on line about your Eco Tours, this one https://vimeo.com/421186329, it sealed the deal for me and I booked. I was even more pleased with my decision when at my hotel I was being shown pictures of another guests tour with a different company and she proceeded to tell me how funny the guide was and and the little word games they played. Maybe going forward you can offer 2 types of Eco Tours, a rolling laugh factory one with Island history thrown in and a 'no frills' one where the focus is the history of this incredible Island and it's flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life.

I am a disabled veteran. I require the use of a service dog. He has completed his training and has paper work to prove he is a REAL service dog. While visiting Catalina Island I took an eco tour from Catalina Island Company(a competitor of the Conservancy and CHEAPER).They have HUMV's with 3 rows of seats. I went on this 2 hour tour with my service dog, my sister and my mom, and had no problem. My service dog fit at my feet with no issues. The Catalina Island  Company was extremely helpful and respectful. However, I did not get to see any bison on that excursion. All the bison tours were sold out at the time. So I went to the conservancy, they offer eco tours as well, and I would rather give my money to the Conservancy than anyone else because I THOUGHT they were not money grubbers, but just trying to give back to the land and animals. It sure seems like that was the wrong assumption to make. So Monday evening I was with my sister so my mom went into "The Trail Head" to ask about availability, they said they did have openings. My mom told them I was taking my service dog. They asked what kind, She said German Shepherd. Then the man said (without seeing me or my service dog), I would need to buy another ticket for the dog and he would have to sit on the seat! Which would definitely not be safe at all! It's an off roading tour! My mom mentioned that she didn't think that was safe, but didn't argue. Instead she decided i should go down to "The Trailhead" and discuss this in person the following day. That night I looked on their website and they say that service dogs are welcome but they must sit at your feet or you have to buy another ticket. But I saw their vehicle, it's similar to the vehicle I took with the Catalina Island Company, and I know my service dog could fit at the feet of me and my mother. So I went there on Tuesday and talked with an 2nd employee who immediately told me I needed to buy another ticket for my service dog. I asked if she was sure, because he can fit at my feet which according to your own website is the standard. She looked confused and said again she thought I would need to by another ticket. Then she said she just worked there and didn't have the power to let me and my service dog ride. So I asked for the manager. While she called the manager, I looked up the ADA so I could show the manager, according to the American Disability Act(ADA) 365.5 section [A] [B] and [H, (b)] not only is it my right to bring my service animal with me, but I shouldn't be charged for him either. That's the law. She talked her manager on the radio and the manager(without looking at me or my dog, or talking to me) told her to charge me for an extra seat. I AGAIN asked her to work with me, I said I can show you he will fit at my feet, and I don't want to pay 120 bucks for my service dog to take a nap at my feet for 2 hours. She just said no. I'm not a lawyer, but I do have one that is well versed on the ADA and disability rights, and I'm pretty sure this is illegal. But DON'T GET HUNG UP ON THE LEGALITY, THATS NOT THE POINT. I was never going to report them anyway, I love the animals they protect too much. The MAJOR problem here is I am a veteran and I am disabled because of many combat injuries including stepping on a landmine in Afghanistan to protect the rights of everyone else and also to protect the freedoms of the land and animals. I never play the disabled veteran card, but I have literally never felt so insulted, disrespected, and ashamed to call myself a fellow wildlife enthusiast. This is so heart breaking for so many reasons. It feels like They only care about their own cause and not anyone else. Which seems crazy for an establishment that needs support from other people. It also feels like they are just trying to get every penny out of visitors, and they don't care if there is a problem or what you think. I love animals, I am going back to college to get a degree in zoology and I probably would have volunteered here, but I don't think I see that happening anymore. I even bought a ton of stuff at The Trailhead because I wanted to support their cause. Again, I was even willing to prove that my service dog COULD FIT! But it didn't matter, I didn't matter, and I wasn't important enough for a manger to speak with me or even call me later. They just said NO. All for what? It's not a safety concern because they were willing to let it happen if I paid them! Taking up to much room isn't the problem either, because he would fit at my feet. This could have worked out so easily, and that's what hurts the most. They had to go out of their way to make my life harder then it already is. Also, I never had a Yelp or TripAdvisor account either, but I felt so hurt by this I now must have them so I can warn others about how this establishment treats veterans, service dogs, and disabled people.

We had an awesome trip with our amazing tour guide Beth! Not only we she super knowledgeable about the island and it's history and preservation she was also just a joy to be around and made the trip even more special for us!

The EcoTour to the middle of the island was a great experience for our group. We learned a lot about the history of the island from Shaun, our local, 4-generations on the island, guide. We were fortunate to have great weather, and see the herd of Bison active at the watering hole. The only disappointment is that we were in a truck, not a jeep, and our party of 2 couples were split up so that 1 in our group had to ride shotgun (in the truck) with the guide. His visibility was poor and the experience was impacted. Our group was first to arrive on time, so it wasn't clear to us why we had to split up rather than the other 2 couples who arrived after us. However, the conservancy is a wonderful organization that has done immense good for the island. We also bought shirts to further support the organization.

Love this place! I hadn't been since I was a kid and now I get to enjoy it with my little family.

We took the eco 2 hour bison tour. Our driver was Louis. Everything was on time and we saw lots of beautiful coastline and lots of bison. Louis was a wonderful driver and narrator for the tour. We really enjoyed the tour and would highly recommend it!

So we buy our tickets to go up to the airport, we sit where they told us the vehicle will pull up in the circle. Apparently they told us wrong but we found our driver and got go the road. The drive up was a little scary you're just very high. The driver was very nice and very engaging. She answered all our questions and got us to our destination. The drive back was VERY different. We were sitting outside waiting for our 5:30 return ride back to Avalon. No one to be found. We ask and apparently someone dropped the ball and wasn't there to take us. The guy that we spoke to didn't realize there was a returning van. But I don't think that was his fault. Once he was on it, he got it all straightened out and we were on the road at 5:50pm. We were a large party with dinner reservations, stressing to say the least. Still needing to get to the hotel and clean up! So this guy is loading us and we are in the far back, we are pulling out of the airport and I ask him if he could possibly turn up the a/c it was VERY warm with no airflow and I am pregnant and already uncomfortable. He said "oh the a/c is broken it only blows hot air back there". I'm like well why didn't you tell us that we would've rearranged seating. Once you are riding there isn't really anywhere convenient to pull over. So instead of keeping all the windows up and blasting the AC from the front so it could reach the back he left his window down, mind you we are on a dirt road all the dirt is coming in the window and hitting all people behind him. He is driving not like someone who is responsible for 8 other paying customers should be driving. The ONLY reason they get 2 stars is because the lady that drove us up there was so nice and professional. I will NEVER use them again.

This place is awesome. I come from an environmental sciences background and volunteered with the conservancy for a week through a college volunteering program. It was definitely a highlight of my college career. The conservancy controls a majority (88%) of Catalina Island and all of their area is maintained by staff and volunteers. This work includes invasive species removal, beach and trail clean-up, wildlife population (eg bison) control, and native planting programs. The result is one of the most successful examples of ecosystem management in the United States and one that is definitely worthy of appreciation. They have kept healthy populations of the Catalina Island Fox, bison, and bald eagles which you may be able to spot on a hike around the island. Groups can volunteer with the conservancy and (potentially) stay in their volunteer camp which is located on a picturesque mountainside overlooking Long Beach. If you have a church group, Boy Scout pack, or any sort of group that is interested in volunteering and is not afraid to get their hands dirty, then I highly suggest contacting the conservancy and trying to make an arrangement. The views are amazing. From the two beaches at Shark Harbor, to the Catalina Airport, the rolling hills and steep cliffs, the gnarled hardwood trees, soft grey sand beaches, I could go on and on. This place is well worth the visit. I've added some pictures of things that you might see on a visit. But definitely, absolutely, positively go into conservancy territory. Avalon is cute, but the rest of the island is breathtaking.

Catalina HQ This is the headquarters of Catalina. If you want to hike, you will need a permit, free at the conservancy. Definitely buy a map ($0.50) and get advice on which trail suits you the best. The folks who run the conservancy are knowledgeable and can tell you how much time your route would take, but I would allot more time per mile because some of the trails are strenuous and can get pretty steep. There's no flat land on the island! Tips: For the geeky, they host a museum documenting the history, wildlife, and plants of the island.

Took the Jeep tour and it was great! I recommend for anyone interested in nature. Our guide was knowledgeable and very friendly. Pointed out a lot of interesting wildlife and plants. Great views from the top of the island!

A great resource for planning your trip to Catalina. Visit their website www.catalinaconservancy.org for information on wildlife tour and much more.

The Jeep Eco Tour was incredible! WOW! If you are in the area, take the time to do this tour. You will see parts of the island that not many people are able to see. It was so beautiful and our tour guide was so pleasant.

This is the email "survey" I just sent the conservancy. Good evening! Today (5-26-15) my wife and I rode your 3 hour afternoon Jeep Eco-tour on Catalina with your driver Ron. I'm sorry I didn't see the survey form until I got home. So I felt the quickest way to get my "survey" to you was to send you this email. First off I must say that my wife and I had a wonderful time! We would check all the "excellent" boxes and circle all the "yes's"!! We were absolutely impressed with our drivers knowledge of the island and he is very experienced. He told of how he grew up on the island so he must know every nook and cranny. We WILL be telling all of our friends and relatives to take one of your tours. We are already planning on getting my kids to come along next time and take Ron up on a charter tour to go on a longer drive. Thank you again for a wonderful experience! Jerry

A very informative visit to the Conservancy taught me how the buffalo ended up on the island. Visit the Conservancy on your way up to the Wrigley Memorial. It's free to visit, but a donation is recommended. The Conservancy is responsible for taking care of 80% of the conservation of the island.

We did the 3 hour Eco Jeep tour with our 2 grandkids (ages 15 and 9). Ron was our guide and the afternoon was amazing! The scenery was fantastic and we saw so much of the island. Ron was very knowledgable and was so much fun! We saw lots of Bison and even a quick glance at a fox. We would highly recommend this tour (and of course Ron as a guide )

I won 2 tickets for a circumvent cruise around Catalina from the Queen Mary in Long Beach to Avalon, Catalina, then around Catalina Island with a lunch and hike time at Emerald Bay. Excellent experience, informative experts onboard, great crowd, delicious onboard snacks, large windows with beautiful views as we sailed. Classic...

We loved the three-hour eco tour we took and highly recommend this to any visitors who want to see a side of Catalina they wouldn't be able to other wise.

Wow! Bison- check! Eagles- check! Fox- check! Deer- check! Beth was our tour guide and she was absolutely amazing! She had so much knowledge- useful and useless (I love trivia!) to entertain us. I was enthralled the whole 3 hour tour. I would suggest this tour to everyone who wants to see the real Catalina. Avalon isn't all of Catalina, but so many of us think it is. I did until this trip. Thanks for a fantastic experience!

They're very anti bike. They require helmets citing their roads are some kind of special dangerous road...but they're all paved and bikes aren't allowed off the roads. They claim they have rangers patrolling looking for people without helmets...because I guess anyone on a bike without a helmet is the biggest threat to their society. And bikes cost $35/person to bring into the island. It's free to hike on trails that require upkeep, but $35 to ride a bike on a road that could carry bikes for 100 years before needing maintenance. They just don't want people to ride here!

The Catalina Island Conservancy is absolutely a 5-star, world-class operation. I took my girlfriend here on October 18, 2013, and it just so happened to be the day I asked her to be my wife. The people at the Convservancy went above and beyond in every possible way. All I did was inform Rosie that I wanted to take a public Jeep Tour at 1pm on a Friday. When I arrived to the island, I realized that the tour would end by 4pm, and since the sun doesn't set on the Avalon side, I wouldn't be able to propose at sunset. I was starting to think of either doing it on the 1-4pm tour if we could get some privacy, or figure out a plan B to propose that night. I called them a couple hours before the tour, just to let them know of my wishes to propose at sunet. Without me even asking or inquiring about other tour options, Scott and Mary Jane orchestrated a surprise plan for me to go on a private tour with my soon to be fiance and Beth (our amazing driver). We walked in at 12:45 pm FULLY EXPECTING to go on a 1pm public tour, and this is where Scott "fake" canceled our tour, and was deftly able to explain to me without my girlfriend noticing that they had set us up to go on a sunset private tour with beth from 4-7pm. This way, as the sun sets on the desolate west side of the island, I would have my chance to propose in seclusion at sunset. It blew me away that they would do this, and completely change their company's schedule to accommodate my proposal plans. They never asked for a penny more than the cost of a public tour, and my fiance and I were rewarded with a 3 hour tour that we will remember the rest of our lives. And She said YES! Beth, our driver, also turned out to be an OUSTANDING photographer, and she snapped over 150 pictures of us during and after the proposal. If I could, I would give this company 10 stars out of 5. And the beauty of Catalina and the places you go on a tour are absolutely STUNNING. I will forever be grateful for my experience, and my fiance and I plan to take another tour as soon as we can return to Catalina.