Channel Islands National Park covers 249,561 acres in California. It became a national park on March 5, 1980, the 40th of today’s 64 parks to get that title. It recorded 227,186 recreation visits in 2025, the 51st most of the 63 parks with a 2025 count.
Today at Channel Islands
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Alerts: National Park Service, checked hourly. Forecast: National Weather Service, for the middle of the park. Always confirm on the official park site before you set out.
In the park service’s words
Channel Islands National Park encompasses five remarkable islands and their ocean environment, preserving and protecting a wealth of natural and cultural resources. Isolation over thousands of years has created unique animals, plants, and archeological resources found nowhere else on Earth and helped preserve a place where visitors can experience coastal southern California as it once was.
From the National Park Service (public domain).
Entrance fee and passes
No entrance fee is listed for this park in National Park Service data. You do not need a pass to enter. Parking, ferry, boat or other transport fees can still apply.
Best time to visit
- Best time to visit Channel Islands: January, February, November and December. The weather is at its most comfortable then, and crowds are lighter than at the peak.
- Busiest month: July, with about 35,334 visits in a typical recent year. That is 2.3 times as many as January.
- Quietest month: January (15,365 visits).
Bar height: visitors that month, compared with the busiest month. Temperatures: average daily high and low (°F); rain and snow: monthly averages. Best marks the months we suggest.
More detail: the best time to visit Channel Islands, month by month.
Plan your visit
- Best time to visit: crowds and weather month by month
- Camping, RVs and lodging: 7 campgrounds
- Getting there: closest airport Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (31 mi)
- Know before you go: safety, what to pack and what to leave at home
Webcams
- Channel Islands Live Broadcasts (live video)
- San Miguel Island Ranger Station Webcam (live video)
- Peregrine Falcon Webcam (live video)
- Bald Eagle Webcam (Sauces Canyon Nest) (live video)
- Bald Eagle Webcam (Fraser Point Nest) (live video)
- Ocean Webcam (live video)
- Anacapa Island Webcam (live video)
- Mount Diablo Webcam (live video)
Weather, in the park service’s words
The park service says:
In general, the islands have a Mediterranean climate year-round. Temperatures are relatively stable, with highs averaging in the mid-60s (°F) and lows in the low-50s. However, there are seasonal differences that visitors should take into consideration when visiting the park. In addition, visitors also should be aware that ocean and weather conditions vary considerably from day-to-day and island-to-island. For more information visit: http://www.nps.gov/chis/planyourvisit/weather.htm
From the National Park Service (public domain).
Nearby national parks
- Sequoia (California): about 172 miles in a straight line
- Pinnacles (California): about 197 miles in a straight line
- Kings Canyon (California): about 199 miles in a straight line
- Joshua Tree (California): about 202 miles in a straight line
There is no road from Channel Islands to another national park; you fly or take a boat between them.
Sources
Last checked 1 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to enter Channel Islands National Park?
No entrance fee is listed for this park in National Park Service data.
What state is Channel Islands National Park in?
California.
When did Channel Islands become a national park?
March 5, 1980.
How many people visit Channel Islands?
227,186 recreation visits were counted in 2025.
When is the best time to visit Channel Islands?
January, February, November and December. July is the busiest month and January the quietest while the park is fully open.
