October 2nd - 4th | Santa Cruz Island, 2-Night Stay at UC Field Station
Santa Cruz Island - Two-Night Stay at UC Field Station
Island Packers out of ventura harbor, Hiking, Swimming, Tidepooling, Nature Journaling
& On-Island Vehicles with 4Points Expeditions
Courtesy 4Points Expeditions
Join the California Nature Art Museum for a two-night trip to Santa Cruz Island on Friday, October 2nd 2026 - Sunday, October 4th 2026. Guests will be staying in the dorms at the UC Field Station, which cannot typically be accessed by the general public.
Santa Cruz Island is the largest island in Channel Islands National Park. At 62,000 acres acres, Santa Cruz has the greatest number of plant and animal species of all the Channel Islands, including over 60 endemic species, such as the island scrub jay.
Throughout this trip, guests may enjoy fully-included, structured activities such as hiking, species identification, nature journaling, swimming, and travel through the use of the on-island vehicles. For a more detailed itinerary, please see below:
Courtesy Stacey Otte-Demangate
Santa Cruz Island Trip 2024
Day 1:
Meet at Island Packers in the Ventura Harbor (1691 Spinnaker Dr #105B, Ventura, CA 93001) at 8AM.
Depart Ventura Harbor at 9AM. The ride will be approximately 90-minutes to Prisoners Harbor, where we will unload gear as a group.
All belongings (and guests!) will be packed into the waiting on-island vehicles, and enjoy a 30-minute drive to our accommodations at UC Field Station. Along the way, you may notice giant Eucalyptus, dense thickets, and rock outcroppings atop high peaks.
Upon arrival, we’ll explore the dorm-style field station (which includes bathrooms and a full kitchen), organize rooms and belongings, enjoy our picnic lunches (must be pre-packed and self-provided; all other meals will be provided for you), and have a brief orientation.
Next, we will be driven to Valley Anchorage for the first hike. On the final descent down to the beach, there is a rope and ladder which must be navigated down a 35-40 foot section. This hike should be considered moderate, with a 300’ incline on the way back. The Valley Anchorage hike will offer a beautiful view of a remote beach and a potential for tide-pooling.
Participants not interested in making the descent down the latter are still encouraged to join us. You may bring along art, journaling, a good book, photography, or other supplies to enjoy breathtaking the view from above!
Along the way, we will stop at the Main Ranch of the The Nature Conservancy which is full of historical jewels such as early photographs, original saddles from the ranch operation, personal treasures which have remained on the island and more.
At the end of the day, we will return to the field station to enjoy a home-cooked dinner, and campfire with s’mores under the stars.
Courtesy Stacey Otte-Demangate
Santa Cruz Island Trip 2024
Day 2:
Breakfast served: 8:00AM-9:00AM
With a (provided) picnic lunch packed for later, guests will travel the mountains of the island’s central valley by vehicle, all the way to the far Western end of the island at Christie Ranch. The route follows an elevated ridgeline which runs nearly the entire length of this side of the island. The stunning view will include high peaks, deep valleys and the beauty of the sun on the ocean.
After arriving at Christie Ranch, guests will have the option to swim, explore, nature journal and simply rest and enjoy before the drive back. Christie Ranch is an original structure from the island farming days with a colorful history, and situated just above Christie Beach. This is a remote, windswept beach with views to Santa Rosa Island and beyond, and is often known to offer fantastic bird and wildlife viewing.
We will enjoy a quiet lunch by the sea before our return journey and dinner. Since there are often so few visitors to this beach, it is not unusual to feel like you have the entire island almost to yourself.
Guests will enjoy a home-cooked dinner, hot chocolate and cookies, stargazing, and campfire back at the Field Station.
Courtesy Stacey Otte-Demangate
Santa Cruz Island Trip 2024
Day 3:
Breakfast served: 8AM-9AM
After breakfast, we will pack away our belongings and clean-up the field station as a group.
Mid-morning, we will drive into the interior of the island and take a short hike to explore the beautiful La Cascada Waterfall. This is a short hike but with views into the deep canyon that feeds this spectacular waterfall.
Guests will be driven back to Prisoner’s Harbor for a final (provided) picnic lunch on the beach, and spend the day exploring the cliffs and shores of this slice of the island. There is an abundance of marine life both above and below the water at Prisoners Harbor, with the chance to see eagles, dolphins, sea lions, leopard sharks, bat rays, and even whales.
At 3:00 pm, our group will make its way back to the pier to prep for loading our gear into the boat as a group, and begin our journey home.
Guests will arrive back at Ventura Harbor between approximately 6:30-7:00PM.
What’s Included:
Accommodations, which is dorm-style, communal sleeping. Sleeping areas have bunk beds, and room sharing or sleeping on a top bunk may be necessary for a handful of participants depending on total attendance.
Meals, which include communal eating & clean-up. Meals are hosted in a communal setting, and willing participants may be asked to help with food prep and clean up.
Round trip island boat fare, and transportation using the on-island vehicles.
Certified and highly experienced guides and facilitators.
The ticket price is $900 for (CalNAM) Members and $975 for (CalNAM) Non-Members, per participant, with all on-island meals (other than Day 1 - Lunch) included. Travel to and from the island (through Islands Packers, which will depart from and return to Ventura Harbor) and use of on-island vehicles is also already included in the ticket price. Advance registration is required, 15 attendees max. This trip is best suited for ages 10yrs+. Gratuity for the tour guides is not included in ticket price, and should be considered each participant’s own discretion.
Please note, the field station requires guests to leave the facility in the condition which it was first found, and in many ways, should be viewed as an adult “summer camp” facility. As such, participants will be asked to help with final clean-up chores such as cleaning the kitchen, the dining room, the bathrooms, emptying the trash, etc. before leaving. While final cleaning is a very small part of the experience, everyone should feel comfortable and ready to participate!
CANCELLATION POLICY:
May 1st-June 15th, 2026: Full Refund
June 16th-July 15th, 2026: 50% Refund
July 16th-August 15th, 2026: 25% Refund
August 16th: Non-Refundable
Did you know that a portion of your ticket price can be written off as a tax donation? Please contact Membership & Development Assistant Karen Hanson at karen@calnatureartmuseum.org for more information.