Sight · Channel Islands National Park
Highest accessible island summit with big 360-degree views
Overview
Often called El Montañon, this summit crowns the eastern half of Santa Cruz Island and is the highest peak open to the public. From the top you get sweeping, 360-degree views across Santa Cruz and Anacapa, out to the Pacific, and back toward the California mainland on clear days. It’s the island hike to do if you want a big payoff and don’t mind earning it.
If you’re up for a real climb, absolutely—Montañon is the east end’s signature adventure: airy, scenic, and blissfully uncrowded.
Parkwolf’s verdictIs It Worth It?Map
Local know-how
Catch the earliest boat and start hiking right away to bank time.
Carry 2–3 liters of water per person; there are no sources on the route.
Download an offline map or GPX; use trails branch on the ridge.
Pack wind layers—summit gusts can be sharp even on sunny days.
If time allows, add nearby High Mount’s benchmark as a quick ridge bonus.
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Channel Islands Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Channel Islands National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Channel Islands audio tourRecorded for this place
A Challenging Hike to Montañon Peak“For anyone looking for the signature challenge on this part of the island, that would be the hike to Montañon Peak. It's a demanding eight-mile round-trip from the Scorpion area with a lot of sustained climbing.”
Plays as you drive up to Montañon Peak in the Parkwolf Channel Islands Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
You’ll start at Scorpion Ranch/Anchorage and climb steadily onto Montañon Ridge via signed trails and old roads. Expect roughly 8–9 miles round-trip (either a loop or an out‑and‑back) with about 1,700–2,000 feet of total elevation gain. The upper ridge is exposed, with sections of loose gravel and rock as you approach the summit. Strong hikers sometimes tag the nearby High Mount benchmark along the same ridge if time allows.
Keep an eye out for the island fox around Scorpion and along the lower trails, plus raptors riding thermals over the ridge. In spring, you may even spot whales in the channel from high vantage points.
This is a remote, exposed ridge hike. Bring 2–3 liters of water per person, sun protection, sturdy footwear for loose gravel, layers for summit winds, and a map or GPS. There are no amenities on the route; restrooms and other facilities are back at Scorpion.
Wildlife
2,232 sightingsIsland FoxMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
282 sightingsHumpback WhaleMost seen around 9 AMSighting map
79 sightingsBlue WhaleMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
101 sightingsGrey WhaleMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
364 sightingsCalifornia Sea LionMost seen around noonSighting map
105 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 5 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Channel Islands. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ModerateCavern Point Loop2 mi · 1.3 hr · 2.2 mi awayShort bluff-top loop from Scorpion Ranch with huge ocean views and a steep start
ModeratePotato Harbor Trail5.2 mi · 2.8 hr · 2.3 mi awayA moderate 5.2-mile coastal out-and-back from Scorpion Anchorage to a clifftop view of Potato Harbor
ChallengingMontañon Ridge Trail10 mi · 6.5 hr · 2.4 mi awayA strenuous, exposed loop to Montañon Ridge with sweeping island and ocean views
EasyScorpion Anchorage to Cavern Point2 mi · 1.5 hr · 2.4 mi awayA short coastal loop from Scorpion Anchorage to Cavern Point
ModerateNorth Bluff Trail3.8 mi · 2 hr · 2.4 mi awayExposed coastal loop from Scorpion Anchorage via Cavern Point and North Bluff to Potato Harbor views
ModerateBluff Trail (Santa Cruz Island)5 mi · 2.5 hr · 2.4 mi awayExposed island bluffs leading from Scorpion Beach to Potato Harbor
ModerateScorpion Canyon Loop Trail4.5 mi · 2.5 hr · 2.4 mi awayClockwise 4.5-mile island loop from Scorpion Anchorage with coastal views, an historic oil well, and endemic wildlife
Sight · 1.8 mi awaySmugglers Ranch HouseRestored 1889 ranch house tucked above secluded Smugglers Cove
Beach · 1.9 mi awaySmugglers CoveRemote cove with big views at the end of a stout hike
Campground · 2 mi awayUpper Scorpion CampgroundSheltered island basecamp with water spigots, beach access, and fox cameos
Campground · 2.2 mi awayLower Scorpion CampgroundTent-only island basecamp with beach access and resident foxes
Sight · 2.3 mi awayChannel Islands Adventure CompanyGuided sea-cave kayaking at Scorpion with expert, eco-minded guides
Sight · 2.3 mi awayPotato Harbor OverlookClifftop window onto a turquoise, potato-shaped cove
Sight · 2.3 mi awayScorpion AdobeRanch-era adobe steps from Scorpion Anchorage with island history
Sight · 2.3 mi awayScorpion RanchHistoric ranch hub for hikes, kelp snorkeling, and sea cave kayakingParkwolf’s Channel Islands ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
