- State: CA
- NPCA Region: Pacific
- Est. Date: 1938
Air Quality Conditions
View the Polluted Parks ReportVisibility
Unsatisfactory
Health
Significant Concern
Nature
Unsatisfactory
Sometimes referred to as the “Galapagos of North America,” these five islands serve as critical habitat for a variety of vulnerable and recovering animals, including the island night lizard, the threatened Scripps's murrelet, the snowy plover and the park’s distinctive island fox, found nowhere else in the world. The nutrient-rich waters and kelp forests surrounding the park nurture a surprising diversity of marine life as well, including dolphins, whales and exotic-looking starfish. Only accessible by boat or plane, visitors can explore the islands' isolated trails, rocky beaches and pristine coves in relative solitude.
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Blog Post
Your Mileage May Vary: 9 Parks to Explore Without a Car
Spend time off the beaten path — literally. These 9 national park sites offer slower, quieter, human-paced alternatives to automobile-powered excursions.
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Blog Post
A National Park Made for Life Lists
No matter what experiences you like to “collect,” Channel Islands has it all — including glimpses of the rare island scrub-jay
My Park Story
Greetings from Channel Islands National Park
My wife and I visited this beautiful place in June of 2013, just after the budget cuts had gone into effect. There was a park ranger who informed us that she was the only one, and while trained in First Aid/CPR, she was not medically trained. Therefore, she warned us…
More about Channel Islands
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Read more about Wild California Escape: Channel Islands National Park Cruise
Small Ship Cruise Wild California Escape: Channel Islands National Park Cruise Embark on an unprecedented five-day expedition into wildness and wellness in the remote and remarkable Channel Islands as you learn about NPCA’s important role in the park’s history. Known as North America’s Galápagos, the Channel Islands and their surrounding waters provide habitat for more than 2,000 species of plants and animals, including 150 native species found nowhere else in the world. You’ll explore unmarred landscapes and revel in pure nature.
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Read more about Get Your Binoculars: The 25 Best National Parks for Birding
Blog Post Get Your Binoculars: The 25 Best National Parks for Birding Find out which national park sites have the most bird species, with a highlight of what you might see at each place.
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Read more about 9 Wildlife Success Stories
Blog Post 9 Wildlife Success Stories National parks provide critical habitat for a variety of animals—in some cases, they are the only places that threatened or endangered species have left to call home. If those species disappear from a part of the country, parks can play an important role in bringing them back. Here are nine animals that have been reintroduced to their native habitats in national parks.
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Read more about Beyond Yellowstone: 8 Unexpected Parks for Wildlife-Watching
Blog Post Beyond Yellowstone: 8 Unexpected Parks for Wildlife-Watching If you want to see wildlife, it’s hard to beat some of the largest, most popular parks in the country: Yellowstone, Glacier, Denali, Olympic, Great Smoky Mountains, and the Everglades are all winning choices. But what if you’ve already explored those parks and want to try something new—or just want to avoid the crowds? Here are eight less-visited parks that offer excellent and varied wildlife-watching opportunities.
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Read more about 9 Romantic Park Trips for You and Your Valentine
Blog Post 9 Romantic Park Trips for You and Your Valentine Whether you want to live it up near the city lights or get away from it all under the starlight, national parks provide a wealth of amorous adventures for you and your Valentine.
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Read more about Night and Day
Magazine Article Night and Day After 30 years of intense habitat restoration on the Channel Islands, the island night lizard might be ready to come off the endangered species list.
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Read more about Shifting Tides
Magazine Article Shifting Tides Once nearly extinct, sea otters have staged a remarkable comeback, but some coastal parks still struggle to retain these curious, sensitive mammals.
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Read more about Maiden Voyage
Magazine Article Maiden Voyage Do archaeological sites in the Channel Islands reveal a coastal migration into the Americas?
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Read more about Center for State of the Parks: Mediterranean Biome
Report Center for State of the Parks: Mediterranean Biome Recognizing the unique natural and cultural resources resident in the Mediterranean biome, the Center for State of the Parks has endeavored to determine the conditions of natural and cultural resources in Channel Islands National Park, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, and Cabrillo National Monument.
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