Treasures Abound in California's Channel Islands
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For the past few years, I've been on a mission to visit all 63 US national parks. Most are easily accessible. However, there are several that require a little extra effort, such as the Channel Islands.
Referred to as the “Galapagos of the North,” Channel Islands National Park is located in the Pacific Ocean, just off the coast of Ventura, California.
They are made up of five islands - Anacapa, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, San Miguel and Santa Rosa - and the waters within one nautical mile of each island. The Channel Islands are considered one of the wildest national parks and are only accessible by boat.
The islands were created by tectonic forces, which forced them out of the ocean around five million years ago. They have always been separated from the mainland and it is this isolation that is mainly responsible for their rich biodiversity.
Everything from tiny plankton to blue whales call this special place home, and the isolation has allowed evolution to progress on its own.
It has fostered the development of 145 endemic species of plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. Thus, the similarity of the Galapagos.
As for the humans on the islands, you'll have to go back thousands of years. The remains of a 13,000 year old human leg bone have been discovered in Santa Rosa.
These remains have the distinction of being the oldest known human presence recorded on the Channel Islands. Additionally, it is the oldest known human presence documented in all of North America.
The Chumash were the first settlers in the area. Many Chumash sites still exist on the islands. Spanish explorers began arriving in 1542, with Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo assuming bragging rights for his discovery of the islands. The explorers were followed by fur traders, who hunted sea otters, seals and sea lions to near extinction.
Then came the missionaries and herders, attracted by the temperate climate of the region and the many...
Go World Travel is supported by readers and may earn a commission on purchases made through the links in this article.
For the past few years, I've been on a mission to visit all 63 US national parks. Most are easily accessible. However, there are several that require a little extra effort, such as the Channel Islands.
Referred to as the “Galapagos of the North,” Channel Islands National Park is located in the Pacific Ocean, just off the coast of Ventura, California.
They are made up of five islands - Anacapa, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, San Miguel and Santa Rosa - and the waters within one nautical mile of each island. The Channel Islands are considered one of the wildest national parks and are only accessible by boat.
The islands were created by tectonic forces, which forced them out of the ocean around five million years ago. They have always been separated from the mainland and it is this isolation that is mainly responsible for their rich biodiversity.
Everything from tiny plankton to blue whales call this special place home, and the isolation has allowed evolution to progress on its own.
It has fostered the development of 145 endemic species of plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. Thus, the similarity of the Galapagos.
As for the humans on the islands, you'll have to go back thousands of years. The remains of a 13,000 year old human leg bone have been discovered in Santa Rosa.
These remains have the distinction of being the oldest known human presence recorded on the Channel Islands. Additionally, it is the oldest known human presence documented in all of North America.
The Chumash were the first settlers in the area. Many Chumash sites still exist on the islands. Spanish explorers began arriving in 1542, with Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo assuming bragging rights for his discovery of the islands. The explorers were followed by fur traders, who hunted sea otters, seals and sea lions to near extinction.
Then came the missionaries and herders, attracted by the temperate climate of the region and the many...
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