Park Essentials

Park Fees and Permits

There is no fee to enter Channel Islands National Park, but unless you have your own boat, you will pay $40 or more per person for a ride with a boat operator. The cost of taking a boat to the park varies depending on which operator you choose. Also, there is a $15-per-day fee for staying in one of the islands' campgrounds.

If you take your own boat, landing permits are not required to visit islands administered by the National Park Service. However, boaters who want to land on the Nature Conservancy preserve on Santa Cruz Island must have a permit. Visit www.nature.org/cruzpermit for permit information; allow 10 business days to process and return your permit application. If you anchor in a nearby cove at any island, at least one person should remain aboard the boat at all times. San Miguel Island is property of the U.S. Navy. To visit it, you must obtain an access permit, which is available at the boat and air concession offices and at a self-registration station on the island. To hike beyond the ranger station on San Miguel, you need a reservation and permit; call 805/658–5700 to be matched up with a ranger, who must accompany you. Anglers must have a state fishing license; for details, call the California Department of Fish and Wildlife at 916/653–7664 or visit wildlifeca.gov. More than a dozen Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) with special regulations surround the islands, so read the guidelines carefully before you depart.

Park Hours

The islands are open every day of the year. The visitor center in Ventura is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Channel Islands National Park is in the Pacific time zone.

Cell Phone Reception

Reception is spotty and varies by location and service provider. Public telephones are available on the mainland near the visitor center but not on the islands.