San Miguel Island

So peaceful and uniquely beautiful.
Amazing campsite. Great long hikes.

We had campsite 3 and while the metal fox box didn't latch perfectly, it was latched enough that it didn't come off except when humans pulled it. We were pretty worried about it since it closed loosely and wouldn't recommend this particular campsite because of it (though the ranger mentioned some of the other campsites had problem too), but if you do end up getting this campsite it was fine. We did get a lot of ants in the wooden fox box, so would recommend putting items in plastic/some sort of second covering.

One of the best experiences I have been fortunate enough to have! This is the perfect place for a camping trip to get away from it all and take in some beautiful nature. When we went, there were 5 people in total on the island. For the longer hikes you do have to go with the ranger, but instead of this being limiting, it makes it so you have someone with great knowledge with you as you explore the island! Make sure you pack lightly to carry your stuff to camp and I recommend sunglasses because the wind can get pretty intense. We were lucky enough to have Kate as our ranger and seeing point Bennet was a once in a lifetime experience!

I very positively recommend a trip to San Miguel Island, and it is surprisingly different from Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz. However, it is very difficult to get a campground reservation there (particularly on the weekend), because people book all the camp sites and then do not cancel them when they decide that they will not go. So even though the campground was sold out, there were half the camp sites vacant. This really doesn't make any sense to me, since the only way you can get to the campground is on Island Packers, the concessionaire, and Island Packers knows exactly how many people have booked the boat trip out to the island-simple math, right? It seems that Recreation.gov, the NPS, and Island Packers could figure out a way to solve this problem.

GReat trip but be ready for some walking to all the sights. The hike at the start to camp all up hill. Then you get to do it atleast 1 more time to get some your water. Worth the trouble.

We were so lucky to have the perfect weather for our visit, warm and no winds. Sabina was an excellent guide to the island. She was very knowledgeable about the flora and fauna as well as the island history and the animals that live there. While it wasn't the "season" for the pinnipeds, we did see quite a few of them, even right on the beach were where loaded onto the skiffs. Since there are only 9 campsites we were able to get to know our fellow campers and had a wonderful time with them. Don't miss the beautiful sunrises and sunsets!

Superb place to spend a few days. Don’t forget to bring enough water, and be aware that the climb from the beach to the campsite is strenuous!

This island is difficult to get to (and shouldn't be anyone's first Channel Island), but it is absolutely worth the trouble. The island is beautiful and remote. Be sure to camp extra food and water since the probability of high swells delaying the boat is higher out on the Outer Channel (this happened to us for a day). The Cuyler's Bay, Point Bennett, and Harris Point are the highlights. Expect high winds during most of the stay. We had a great Park Ranger but since they need to accompany you on all trails, that is pretty crucial.

We absolutely LOVED San Miguel. We went during the week in early Oct and ended up being the only campers and the solitude was fantastic. We had rare nice weather with only a calm breeze. Ranger Sean Pickton was amazing and took us to Point Bennett to see all the pinnipeds (AMAZING! Must do if good weather + you can hike 15 mi on easy terrain) as well as Point Harris (BEAUTIFUL! Don't miss). The flattest sites are 7 and 8 and all have a fox box for your food. You have an incredibly steep 6/10 of a mile hike to the campsite from the beach and since you have to bring all your water I suggest taking your pack with everything except water to camp when you arrive (your water and fuel have to be separated for the boat anyway) - leaving your water at the top of the beach (this is okay - you just shouldn't leave food). Come back down later to enjoy the stunning beach (check out the sea caves on the east side) and bring your empty backpack to put water in for the tough trek up. 4 gallons was perfect for 2 ppl/2 nights. For the skiff boat ride to shore just take off your boots and hold onto them and roll your pants up. You can bring a small towel to dry your feet since you'll want your shoes back on to hike to camp. I suggest lining the inside of your main pack with a trash compactor bag to keep your gear dry. You will not be able to access your "checked" bag after dropping it off until you're on the island so bring a small day pack for the long boat ride. This you can take with you on the skiff so you could bring a garbage bag to put around it if the seas are rough. Don't forget to bring binoculars to see all the sea mammals. On the boat home we also saw thousands of dolphins, a humpback whale, 2 minke whales, and our boat literally went INTO the 2nd largest sea cave in the world - the painted cave). Simply INCREDIBLE.