Island & destination guide
Channel Islands National Park
Ventura, Ventura County, CA
Overview
Channel Islands National Park protects five islands off the Southern California coast: Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, San Miguel and Santa Barbara. Congress established the park on March 5, 1980, and it covers roughly 250,000 acres of land and water. Park headquarters and the main mainland visitor center are at Ventura Harbor in Ventura County. The islands can be reached year-round only by park concessionaire boats and planes or by private boat, so for a boat owner the park is one of the most rewarding and demanding destinations on the coast.
The crossing
Major shipping lanes lie between the islands and the mainland, and ships in them travel at 25 to 35 knots. The park says currents, swells, fog and wind can change quickly, and that the trip should not be attempted by novices. Forty-knot winds are common around Santa Rosa and San Miguel. Conditions are usually calmest from August through October, and other months carry a higher risk of sudden adverse wind and seas. Water temperature runs from the low 50s F in winter to the upper 60s F in fall. NOAA weather is on VHF 162.475 MHz, and the park advises monitoring VHF 22 for shipping notices and filing a float plan with your harbormaster before you leave.
Anchoring and services
There are no public moorings or all-weather anchorages at any of the islands. NPS recommends that one person stay aboard the boat at all times. Mooring to buoys, piers, docks, shoreline or offshore rocks is prohibited, and piers must stay clear for park and ferry vessels. There is no fuel, no store and no water on the islands, so you carry everything you need. Emergency services are very limited: call the U.S. Coast Guard on VHF 16.
Permits, protected areas and sanctuary rules
No landing permit is needed on NPS-managed land, including East Anacapa, Santa Barbara Island and the eastern end of Santa Cruz. The Nature Conservancy owns 76 percent of Santa Cruz Island and requires a landing permit for its land. San Miguel Island, a former Navy range, requires a permit and a liability waiver. About 21 percent of park and sanctuary waters sit inside 13 marine protected areas, and the whole park lies within Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, which reaches about six nautical miles offshore. Boating, diving and kayaking are allowed in the reserves, but taking marine life is not.
Getting there & access
The Santa Barbara Channel crossing
Plan the trip around the shipping lanes between the mainland and the islands, where large ships move at 25 to 35 knots. Keep a constant watch, cross the lanes promptly and at a right angle, and expect conditions to change fast. The park recommends the crossing only for experienced boaters with capable vessels. Check the marine forecast and NOAA weather (VHF 162.475 MHz) before you go, and file a float plan with your harbormaster that lists the boat, the people aboard, emergency contacts and the departure and return times.
Where to leave from
Ferry service to the park runs from both Ventura Harbor and Channel Islands Harbor. Private boaters most often leave from Ventura Harbor or Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard. Anacapa is roughly 11 miles southwest of Point Hueneme, which makes it the shortest crossing from the Oxnard and Ventura coast.
Anchoring and mooring
Plan to anchor everywhere. There are reserved moorings at Anacapa and Bechers Bay on Santa Rosa, but they are for NPS, Coast Guard and concessionaire vessels only, so private boats must anchor at a reasonable distance from them. Anchorages are exposed and the wind can shift suddenly, so carry ground tackle suited to the conditions. Keep one person aboard.
Radio and contacts
Contact park rangers on VHF 16 for orientation and safety information. VHF 16 is for hailing, distress and safety only. The park suggests monitoring VHF 22 for shipping notices. On the islands, rangers can be reached in person, and the park's emergency dispatch number is listed on the NPS safety page.
By land: the visitor center
The Robert J. Lagomarsino Visitor Center is at 1901 Spinnaker Drive in Ventura Harbor. Island Packers, the park's concessionaire, is at 1691 Spinnaker Drive in the same harbor. Stop in before you go for current closures, island conditions and brochures.
Amenities
- Visitor center — Mainland visitor center at 1901 Spinnaker Dr, Ventura Harbor; also park headquarters
- Island Packers ferries — Concessionaire service from Ventura Harbor and Channel Islands Harbor, year-round; trips take about an hour to Anacapa and Santa Cruz
- Campgrounds — Primitive camping on all five islands, with permits through recreation.gov; Anacapa and Santa Cruz sites have picnic tables, food storage and pit toilets
- Water — Not available on Anacapa or at Prisoners Harbor; bring all your water
- Scorpion Anchorage facilities — Santa Cruz Island: visitor center in the historic ranch house, campground, water and picnic tables
- Ranger stations — Rangers are on the islands, but emergency services are very limited
- Fuel and food — None on the islands; carry everything you need
Rules & official resources
- No public moorings. Mooring to buoys, piers, docks, shoreline or offshore rocks is prohibited
- All rocks and islets within the park boundary, such as Castle Rock, Hare Rock and Arch Rock, are closed
- Pets are prohibited on all park islands
- Drones are prohibited unless the Park Superintendent approves them in writing
- Sea caves may be explored by boat, but you may not set foot ashore inside them
- A Nature Conservancy landing permit is required to go ashore on its land on Santa Cruz Island; San Miguel needs a permit and liability waiver
- Sanctuary marine reserves prohibit taking marine life, and motorized aircraft may not fly below 1,000 feet within one nautical mile of the islands
- California Boater Card required for all operators of motorized vessels, regardless of age, since January 1, 2025
Common boat service needs here
Engine and cooling-system service
A channel crossing puts hours of continuous load on engines in often rough water. Owners typically book service before the season: fuel filters, impellers, belts and cooling systems, since there is no fuel or help on the islands.
Find Marine Mechanics & Engine Service providers →Electronics and VHF
Fog and shipping traffic make radar, AIS, chartplotters and a working VHF the core of crossing safety. Installing and testing these before a trip is a common call.
Find Marine Electrical & Electronics providers →Ground tackle and rigging checks
With no moorings and sudden wind shifts, anchoring gear is the main safety item. Windlasses, rodes and anchors get inspected before island trips.
Find Marine Mechanics & Engine Service providers →Hull cleaning for speed and range
A clean bottom matters on a crossing where you carry all your own fuel. Many owners in Ventura and Oxnard keep a diver on schedule.
Find Bottom Cleaning, Hull Cleaning & Dive Services providers →Pre-trip inspections
First-time island boaters often hire a marine surveyor or mechanic for a readiness inspection of safety gear, bilge pumps, steering and fuel range.
Find Marine Surveyors & Inspections providers →Guides & FAQs
Nearby providers
No providers listed near this location yet — check back soon.
Sources
Last verified October 1, 2026