Sign: Smugglers Cove Welcome

Sign: Smugglers Cove Welcome

Quick Facts

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Information

Welcome to Smugglers Cove on Santa Cruz Island, one of five islands in Channel Islands National Park. The park was established to protect, preserve, and enhance our understanding of the islands' unique past and remarkable resources.

Get Acquainted
Santa Cruz Island has rugged mountain ranges, deep canyons with year round springs and streams, and a rocky coastline with pristine tidepools and expansive beaches. The island supports more than 600 plant species, 220 bird species, 13 mammal, three amphibian and five reptile species, and large colonies of breeding seals and sea lions and other marine life. Many distinctive plant and animal species have adapted to the island's unique environment, including the island scrub-jay, the island fox, and eight plants that are found nowhere else in the world.

In the Sea
For thousands of years, Chumash people inhabited Santa Cruz Island, which was known to them as "Limuw", meaning "in the sea." The first European settlers, fishermen, and sheep ranchers arrived in the 1800s. In 1980, the island was designated part of Channel Islands National Park. Together, the National Park Service, which manages the eastern 24 percent of the island, and The Nature Conservancy, which manages the western 76 percent, work together to preserve and protect the island's resources. The island waters are protected by the National Park Service, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, and the State of California.

You Have a Role to Play
Everyone who visits this national park plays an important role in safeguarding the island plants, animals, cultural sites, and artifacts. Help protect your park by taking a moment to read the information provided here and follow up with actions that preserve the islands' fragile resources. For additional information on park regulations, safety, and things to do please refer to the park newspaper, brochure, and bulletins located in the brochure box below or visit www.nps.gov/chis .

Protect Yourself and Your
Park Everything is protected.
As in all national parks, it is illegal to feed, collect, disturb, or harm park wildlife, plant life, or other natural, historical, and archeological features.

No pets.
Domestic house pets can carry diseases that could harm the rare island fox or other animals that are unique to the island. Service animals require a permit from the park superintendent.

Remove your garbage.
Visitors are required to pack out what they pack in, including garbage, and to secure their food and trash from birds and animals at all times.

Hike only on designated trails.
It is recommended that visitors use the designated island trail system. Although hiking off trail is permitted on Santa Cruz Island, anyone leaving the designated trail system should have experience in off-trail hiking and navigation. Visitors should stay back from cliffs and should not rock climb as the cliffs and rock faces are very unstable. Please refer to the hiking guide located in the box below for detailed information on island hiking.

No campfires or charcoal fires.
Due to extreme fire danger, no campfires or charcoal fires are permitted on the island. Use only enclosed gas campstoves for cooking.

Smoking allowed only on beaches.
Please take cigarette butts off the islands with your other trash.

Firearms are prohibited in park facilities.
Federal law prohibits firearms in federal facilities.

Certain items are prohibited on the island.
To protect park resources and prevent the introduction of nonnative species the following items may not be brought to the park: live or potted plants; soil; cut flowers; firewood or any untreated, unfinished wood (including hiking sticks); corrugated boxes; tools or equipment with attached soil; motorized vehicles; bicycles; and single-use plastic grocery bags.

No landing on offshore rocks.
Landing is not permitted on offshore rocks and islets. In addition, the shoreline between Arch Point and the east boundary of Potato Harbor is closed to landing to protect seabirds.

No fishing within Marine Reserves.
Marine Protected Areas, including Marine Reserves and Marine Conservation Areas, are found throughout the park, marine sanctuary, and state waters. Within these areas it is unlawful to injure, damage, take, or possess any living, geological, or cultural marine resource. Limited harvest is allowed in Marine Conservation areas.

Avoid contact with deer mice.
Hantavirus has been found in island deer mice. Contact your physician if you experience flu-like symptoms after contact with deer mice or infected materials. This is a life-threatening illness.

Be aware of boat departure times.
When departing the island, visitors are responsible for meeting the boat on time. Ask the ranger or concessioner for departure times

Emergency Procedures
In an emergency, contact a ranger or concession employee. If a phone is available, contact the National Park Dispatch Center at 559-565-4221. This dispatch center handles all emergencies, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for Channel Islands National Park. On the water, use a marine radio to contact the US Coast Guard on VHF Channel 16.

Things to Do
Santa Cruz Island is the perfect place for a variety of activities including hiking, camping, swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, fishing, and wildlife and wildflower viewing. Please refer to the exhibits, park newspaper, brochure, Eastern Santa Cruz Island Hiking Guide, and the Santa Cruz Island Backcountry Camping Guide located at the orientation area for detailed information.

For self-guided interpretive information on Smugglers Harbor and other locations on Santa Cruz Island, please refer to the Eastern Santa Cruz Interpretive Guide located in the adjacent box.