Anacapa Island in Channel Islands National Park… You won’t believe it until you see it with your own eyes.
Last updated: August 20, 2026
Anacapa Island vs. Santa Cruz Island
I don’t know exactly what I expected. Not a lot for sure. Yet Anacapa Island left me in awe from the very first step I took to climb a vertical dock ladder at Landing Cove.
Several years ago, with poor planning and Roshan mistaking Santa Cruz Island for Anacapa Island (a matter that still puzzles me enormously), we had spent an entire day on the neighboring isle convinced that it was Anacapa. The confusion dissipated later not without some embarrassing moments.
Location: The two islands indeed have some similarities. They are located next to each other in the northern section of Channel Islands National Park. In fact, on a clear day, you can see the rugged silhouette of Santa Cruz Island from the resplendent Inspiration Point nestled on the western tip of East Anacapa Island.
How to Get: Both Santa Cruz and Anacapa are closest to the mainland. You can reach either of them from Ventura or Oxnard harbors in 1-1.5 hours.
Yet considering the landscape, wildlife, unique features, and occasionally the weather, these two islands couldn’t be more different.
Sailing to Anacapa Island
Fast forward a few years, and I knew exactly what Anacapa Island looked like before we could even see it from our ferry. Thick fog that persisted throughout the morning kept concealing the isle until our boat was no more than 500 feet away.
Now I could gauge the size of the island and recognized its iconic 40-foot-high Arch Rock. But nothing could prepare me for the sight I witnessed on top of the rugged promontory that Anacapa Island is.
How to Get to Anacapa Island
Almost every trip with a landing on one of the isles in Channel Islands National Park starts at an Island Packers’ office in Ventura or Oxnard. Island Packers is the primary authorized concessionary boat operator for Channel Islands National Park.
Our previous trip to the national park and a marine wildlife watching excursion off the California coast earlier this year had started from Venture. It’s about a 1 hour 20 minute-drive from Los Angeles.
For our half-day trip to Anacapa Island, we joined the Oxnard team of the Island Packers. The harbor where you board your boat and sail off to the bird-infested island is also located about 1 hour 20 minutes (69 miles) northwest of Los Angeles. Yet I find this location more enjoyable and quieter. On top of that, a free parking lot is situated right in front of the Island Packers’ office.
Marine Wildlife on the Way to Anacapa Island
Although a trip to Anacapa Island is not a marine wildlife watching tour, you will spot dolphins breaching frequently and following the boat out of both curiosity and playfulness. They are common in these waters, but never taken for granted. The crew may or may not stop the boat to let the passengers linger longer in the company of these adorable marine creatures.
Yet the boat will definitely come to a stop when a whale appears on the horizon. I’ve never seen a whale in the open ocean as close as during our ride to Anacapa Island.
Humpback whales are not the shyest marine creatures, but they may stay farther away from the boats as our previous experiences had shown.
This time, the inquisitive marine giant would appear on one side of the boat, then swim under the vessel and pop up on the other side of it. After a few minutes of this game and loud whispers of astonishment from the onlookers, the whale lifted its tail as if bidding us farewell and kept out of sight.
But it was just a teaser…
As soon as the whale swam away, a pod of dolphins surrounded the boat and led it farther into the ocean for a while.
When the exiting activity below the boat deck died up, one of the crew members announced that a shark was spotted to the right. The captain stopped the boat once again and a pin-drop silence settled. Holding our breaths, we all patiently waited for the top predator to show its distinctive fin one more time. It never did.
The rest of the journey to Anacapa Island went without any major marine life sightseeing.
The Isle in the Pacific Ocean
Anacapa Island is one of five islands that comprise Channel Islands National Park. The isle is the second smallest, after Santa Barbara Island, and probably the most deceptive of them all.
Obscured by dense fog, Anacapa Island appears long, deserted, and rather mysterious from the sea. You may see the iconic Arch Rock separated from the main isle by a narrow passage, but can’t grasp the full view of the tall, rocky promontory or see where it ends.
In reality, Anacapa Island is small, very small. It stretches for approximately 5 miles in length and reaches a quarter of a mile in width. Long and skinny. You can walk from one end of the isle to the other (only the portion of the island that is accessible on foot!) in one hour or a little bit more than that. So, half a day is a good amount of time to devote to your first trip to Anacapa Island.
Anacapa Island consists of three islets: East, Middle, and West. Visitors are welcome on East Anacapa while Middle and West Anacapa are set aside for the island wildlife. The only exception is a small beach on the West Island called Frenchy’s Cove. You can reach it only by boat.
Unlike Santa Cruz Island where you disembark on a beach, Anacapa Island greets you with an almost vertical incline. For the most part, this is what the island is, a cliff-bound isle in the Pacific Ocean.
A 157-step stairway at Landing Cove takes you to the top of the island-promontory where the terrain is mostly flat and easy to wander through.
HALF-DAY TRIP TO ANACAPA ISLAND
Anacapa Island has an 8-shaped network of trails. Relatively flat and easy, all trails are interconnected and take you to some of the most picturesque spots of the island. As you reach the top of the stairs at Landing Cove, the only choice you have to make here is which direction to go first. Regardless of your decision, you will end up at this very spot at the end of your Anacapa Island hiking excursion.
Cathedral Cove
We took the right trail that snakes past the Visitor Center and one of the two restroom facilities on the island and springs to Cathedral Cove. The easy, 0.6-mile trail terminates at a scenic overlook from where you can admire the charming cove with crystal-clear waters, majestic sea spires, and even catch a glimpse of sea caves.
Seagull Sanctuary
Now turn your back on the Cathedral Cove overlook, face the trail once again, and continue walking to your right. The narrow, unpaved path twists and turns along the shadeless land where a large colony of seagulls dwells. Void of any predators, the island offers a safe home for the birds to nest and breed.
If you plan your half-day trip to Anacapa Island between May and August, you are more likely to see hundreds if not thousands of small chicks lingering close to a pair of mature seagulls.
Interestingly enough, baby seagulls don’t look anything like their graceful parents, decked in their white coats with black “gloves” on their long wings. The chicks are fluffy with tons of black dots on the grayish down. They look like living polka-pot toys rather than beautiful birds they will eventually become.
Inspiration Point
From the Cathedral Cove overlook, continue walking in the right direction. The hard-packed trail climbs a few wide and short steps before leveling out and taking you to one of the most anticipated spots on Anacapa Island, the picturesque Inspiration Point.
Hike: This postcard place is located roughly 0.7 mile away from Cathedral Cove. The round-trip Inspiration Point hike from Landing Cove is 1.5 miles. It’s the farthest spot from the place where you start your half-day exploration of Anacapa Island. But it might also be the most rewarding.
The iconic views open up off the farthest point of East Anacapa Island. On a clear day, you can see the towering cliffs of Middle and West Anacapa and all the way to Santa Cruz Island.
The morning of our half-day trip to Anacapa Island was foggy. The visibility was poor. We could hardly see West Anacapa Island. And certainly, there was no way to peer through the haze and detect the iconic silhouette of the neighboring Santa Cruz Island.
But, boy, that was what made the entire scene look so dreamy, almost mysterious. Overcast weather, with no harsh sun rays, but comfortably warm to wear just a shirt with long sleeves – those are my favorite conditions for exploring and photographing a new place.
Pinniped Point
At this point, you have two options: go back to Landing Cove taking the same route you used earlier or continue along the loop trail that runs around the island. In the latter case, your next destination is Pinniped Point.
The name of this overlook doesn’t deceive. As you stand at the edge of the cliff and enjoy the beautiful views all around you, make sure to look to your left. At the bottom of a steep and sheer cliff, on a small beach, a colony of California sea lions laze.
TIP: Don’t get too close to the edge of the cliff. It ends abruptly, sending everything that ignores any minimal precaution, straight onto the rugged rocks below.
Hike: The walk to Pinniped Point is an easy, 0.4-mile, out and back, excursion.
READ MORE: Where to See Seals in San Diego: La Jolla Seal Rookery
Lighthouse
Last but not least, as you finish your round-trip walk across Anacapa Island, steer to the left one more time. An easy, 0.5-mile (round trip) trail takes you to the historic lighthouse. The structure was built in 1932 and was the last permanent lighthouse constructed in California and on the entire West Coast.
Note: The site is closed for visitors, but you can get within 50 feet of it.
Things to Know before Visiting Anacapa Island
- Arrive 45 minutes prior to your scheduled departure. Make sure to check in at the Island Packers’ office where you receive your boarding tickets for the trip to the island and back.
- Anacapa Island is an uninhabited island. There is no shade, offices, or drinking water. Make sure to bring your own food and water.
- Stay warm. A trip across the ocean off the California coast is full of surprises when it comes to weather. It may be quite chilly. Bringing along a jacket can be a good idea. The weather is more merciful on the land, but can change quickly. So, pack some layers, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunscreen. On Anacapa Island, you can get burned even if the sun is obscured by heavy clouds.
