San Miguel Island
Seals and sea lions and fox on San Miguel Island-oh my!
Plan Around San Miguel Island
A good stop is not just something to read about. Once it belongs on the day, move into a saved trip and build the route around it.
Use this detail page to confirm that the stop is worth it, then carry that decision into a trip draft while the park context is still fresh.
San Miguel Island Details
Perhaps one of most appealing reasons to visit San Miguel Island is its marine life: thousands of seals and sea lions breed, pup and haul out along the island's 27 miles of coastline. If you have a day to spend and are up for it, join an all-day, ranger-guided, 16-mile roundtrip hike across the island to see the more-than-30,000 animals lazing on the beaches at certain times during the year. In fact, most of the hiking on San Miguel Island is permitted only with a guide. Aside from seals and sea lions, the island fox and deer mouse can also be found on the island; they both can only be found in the Channel Islands. Offshore, dolphins, porpoises, and gray, orca and blue whales can often be seen. Back on the 9,500-acre island, indigenous plant life is returning after more than a century of overgrazing, and any number of birds fly overhead. Pit toilets are available at the Ranger Station just south of Cuyler Harbor.
Difficulty
Low
Distance
N/A
Estimated time
N/A
Region
N/A
Nearby Parks Around San Miguel Island
Compare nearby parks around San Miguel Island when deciding whether to expand the route after this stop.
Nearby Points of Interest Around San Miguel Island
Use nearby POIs to quickly expand your options beyond San Miguel Island while the map context is still fresh.
1.1 mi away
Cuyler Harbor Beach
Arrival at San Miguel Island is via an inflatable boat into Cuyler Harbor and its beach.
1.2 mi away
Cabrillo Monument
On the Nidever Canyon Trail, you'll come across the Cabrillo Monument.
1.3 mi away
Cuyler Harbor Campground
It's up, up, up to Cuyler Harbor Campground on San Miguel Island.
1.3 mi away
Nidever Canyon Trail
Most of San Miguel Island is off-limits for independent exploration, but this trail is ready for hiking.
1.3 mi away
Cuyler Harbor Beach
Arrival at San Miguel Island is via an inflatable boat into Cuyler Harbor and its beach.
