Santa Rosa Island

One IMPORTANT SUGGESTION to Park Officials: since your funding from National Parks Service is not high, you could make some money by using your trucks on the island to help passengers debarking Island Packers' Ferry, carry just one piece of luggage/cooler per party, from the pier to the campsite at Water Canyon. Many passengers arrive with too heavy a load, bec. they have no conception of how long 1.5 miles is with heavy packs and coolers. They would easily pay money to get some help, and you have the staff and the trucks right there, and it's not everyday that ferries arrive. You do not need to help with people moving from campsite to ferry, as by then, all the heavy food has been eaten.

Beautiful time. The stars on the first night surpassed unbelievable.

Expect a lot of wind, but temperatures are pleasant.

Be prepared for wind and stake your tent down well in the wind break! I suggest moving the picnic tables out and having your tents in the breaks. Beautiful island. Lobo Canyon Trail is a must as well as the Torrey Pines. Looking to get out to east point some day. Great place to be adventurous. Lots more foxes than last time I went 5 years ago.

Only downside is the wind. Everything else is awesome!

The entire experience was excellent. We were there in early June after the grasses had turned brown but there were still many wildflowers in the canyons and along the trails. The limited diversity of plants and animals made the experience more intense and special, especially for the island endemics. That's not to say there was not a broad range of each to see. The many environments- cloud forest, tide pools, riparian, Torrey Pine grove, sandy beaches, marshes, and grasslands- offered a wide spectrum of life zones. The minimal presence of modern human development gave the island a pristine sensibility. The campground and its amenities were more than expected but much appreciated. The NPS staff were great. The weather was wonderful- fog, breezy but not howling winds, and some sunny afternoons. We were very fortunate to have this opportunity. The CINP website, especially the GPS active trail map was very useful. The interpretive guide was quite good though a bit much on the brief ranch period. Consideration of the Chumash history and culture was appreciated and could be strengthened. Thank you NPS very much. Peter

Fantastic hiking and beautiful land and flowers! Windy as usual but beautiful!

Santa Rosa island is a hidden gem. It has beautiful, clean beaches, trails, etc. The Torrey pine forest was a pleasant surprise and a must see. Campsites: The flush toilets are a wonderful luxury, and cleaned and resupplied daily. The well water in the campground tastes very good.
The only cons I can think of, and it is more observation than con: this island is very windy, so come prepared with proper clothing, heavy duty tent stakes, etc. And, the boat ride is over deep ocean, so if you experience motion sickness, take precautions.
I definitely want to return.

The boat getting there was really rough due to weather and the first night was very windy, but as it calmed down we got perfect spring days for hiking and camping. The hiking trails are incredible and the beaches are divine. Ao much wildlife and plantlife!! The campsite has everything you need including partial shelter, lockbox for food, picnic table, bathroom, and drinking water. Amazing place and would love to go again.