ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION
Island Packers strives to assist the National Park Service in making the Channel Islands National Park as universally accessible as possible. Due to the remote nature of the park and transportation requirements, there are added hindrances that may be encountered.
The islands are not readily accessible due to their isolation and rough terrain, so please review our various accessibility sections for detailed information to better plan for your visit. You can contact our office by emailing [email protected] or calling at 805-642-1393 for further questions on transportation.
You can also visit the accessibility pages on the Channel Islands National Park Service webpage here and/or contact them at 805-658-5730 for island specific questions.
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Please visit the NPS page by clicking the link below for further information about island terrain, including virtual tours of the island conditions. Island guided hikes and programs can be modified upon request to the Channel Islands National Park Visitor Center.
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Due to the rugged terrain and isolation of the islands, they are not readily accessible for individuals in wheelchairs or those with limited mobility.
Please call our office at 805-642-1393 or email [email protected] to make arrangements for safely accessing our vessels and for any information that is not provided below.
Island Accessibility – Physical Mobility – NPS
For more information about access at our Mainland Docks and the specific Channel Islands, please read the information below.
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Boat Service: Island Packers has paper maps and interpretive guides available at our office. We also have information on the plants, marine life, and birds of the Santa Barbara Channel and islands of the Channel Islands National Park. You can also view the maps and guides by clicking this link: Printable Hiking & Interpretive Guides
Interpretation:
American Sign Language interpretation can be provided for any ranger program with advanced notice to the Channel Islands National Park Service.Island Visitor Centers:
These visitor centers have audio-visual exhibits that are open-captioned. The park app also has their exhibits, signs, and points-of-interest.Mobile App:
NPS has an excellent mobile app which can be found in the Google Play or Apple Store for maps, exhibits, signs, points of interest and island information. -
Boat Service: Island Packers provides narrated descriptions of marine mammal sightings.
Islands: The National Park Service App has narrated descriptions of island exhibits and signs on their mobile app as well as audio descriptions of all island points of interest.
For Additional Information, please visit the Channel Islands National Park website by clicking the link below:
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Noises and Quiet Spaces:
- Office: The office can be quite loud and crowded during check-in or high-volume seasons. There are benches outside for some respite. We also recommend arriving early for check-in to avoid a crowded office.
- Boat: There are many points of origin for noise on the boats such as wind, birds, PA system, engines, and other visitors. We recommend contacting our office for recommendations on trips with a possible lower noise volume. You can contact us by calling 805-642-1393 or by email by clicking the button below
- Islands: While there are areas of the islands where you may hear loud noises from seabirds and pinnipeds, there is plenty of room to offer respite. The possible exception is Anacapa Island, especially during the Western Gull nesting season.
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For non-landing trips: Island Packers requests advanced notification about all service animals for any of our non-landing trips. Please contact us by emailing [email protected] or calling at 805-642-1393 with the following information:
1) Your booking information such as the confirmation number and date of trip.
2) Breed of dog.
3) Approximate weight of dog.Please note that dogs can experience motion-sickness. Visitors are responsible for cleaning up after the animal and keeping it on a leash or tethered unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work.
For landing trips: Service animals are required to have a health screening prior to landing ashore on the islands of the Channel Islands National Park. This is to limit the risks and consequences of disease transmission.
The following steps must be completed prior to departure to the islands per the National Park Service:
1) Visit the national park’s service animal webpage at the link below.
2) Download the Service Animal Health Background Form.
3) Complete the visitor section.
4) Veterinarians must complete the vaccination affirmation section. All vaccinations must be completed and up-to-date at least one month before island visit.
5) Within 14 days of island visit, veterinarians must complete a health examination and screening affirmation section.
6) At least 3 business days prior to trip, return form for official signature to [email protected]
7) A signed copy will be returned by email and must be kept.For Additional Information, please visit the Channel Islands National Park website by clicking the link below:
ACCESS AT OUR MAINLAND DOCKS
➤ Ventura Harbor
For trips leaving from our Ventura Harbor location in Ventura, there is ramp access to the docks that varies in steepness depending on the tide. Access to the boats is via a ramp at deck level. The boat has inside and outside seating available on the lower deck while the upper deck has outside seating only.
The lower deck has two restrooms with one oversized restroom on each catamaran boat to accommodate wheelchairs. The upper deck is only accessible using narrow, steep stairs. Each deck narrows in the forward section of the boat, making part of the bow inaccessible.
➤ Channel Islands / Oxnard Harbor
For trips leaving from our Channel Islands Harbor location in Oxnard, there is ramp access to the docks that varies in steepness depending on the tide. There are 7 steps up to the boat and 3 large steps down into the boat.
The boat mainly has open back seating and narrow aisles on the lower deck. There are only narrow, steep stairs to the upper deck and no elevators. Assistance from the boat crew is available.
Photo 1: Stepping up to vessel Vanguard from the dock at the Channel Islands Harbor, Oxnard. Photo 2: Steps down onto the boat deck.
CHANNEL ISLANDS NATIONAL PARK ACCESS
➤ Anacapa Island
Accessing Anacapa Island requires a degree of agility. Visitors must offload from a live boat (not tied-off or anchored). Passengers step from a moving boat onto a stable platform with the assistance of a crew member, then climb a vertical ladder up to 8 feet tall depending on the tide.
The number of rungs on the ladder varies depending on the height of the tide. Once on the dock, there is a 154-step staircase which visitors must climb to reach the top of the island. There is no lift to the top of the island.
➤ Santa Cruz Island – Scorpion Anchorage
Visitors must offload from a live boat (not tied-off or anchored) to an adjustable platform on a pier. At the landing platform, there is a ramp that provides access to the top of the pier.
Most days wheelchairs can access the island via the stern or side gates of the catamarans, which is weather dependent. Once on the pier, visitors must use a flat, wooden planked pier to access dirt roads and trails.
➤ Santa Cruz Island – Prisoners Harbor
Accessing Prisoners Harbor requires a degree of agility. Visitors must offload from a live boat (not tied-off or anchored) onto a ladder.
The ladder can range from 0-7 feet depending on the tide. Once on the pier, visitors must use a flat, wooden planked pier to access dirt roads and trails.
Photo 1: Low tide causes a tall ladder to climb.
Photo 2: High tide raises the boat to almost pier level.
➤ Santa Rosa Island
Accessing Santa Rosa Island requires a degree of agility. Visitors must offload from a live boat (not tied-off or anchored) onto a ladder.
The ladder can range from 0-7 feet depending on the tide. A metal staircase leads to the top of the pier. Once on the pier, visitors use a flat, wooden planked pier to access dirt roads and trails.
➤ San Miguel Island
Accessing San Miguel Island requires a degree of agility. This island has a skiff landing onto the beach.
This requires visitors to climb down a boat ladder of 4-5 feet to a skiff or small boat. Then visitors must climb out of the skiff onto wet sand, and potentially ankle deep water.
