Parking
There is no public on-island parking. Arrive by authorized boat at the Bechers Bay pier; arrange transportation before departure.
Overview
About Cherry Canyon Trail
Cherry Canyon Trail is a moderate 3.5-mile round-trip loop from the Bechers Bay pier on Santa Rosa Island. The route follows the island’s ranch-road and trail system into Cherry Canyon, where seasonal creek habitat and native vegetation give way to open coastal-terrace views across Bechers Bay.
Why go
- Official 3.5-mile loop from the Bechers Bay pier
- Seasonal creek corridor with riparian vegetation and island wildlife
- Coastal-terrace and Bechers Bay views with historic ranch scenery
Heads up
- Remote boat access requires careful scheduling
- Upper route is exposed to sun and strong island winds
- Uneven natural surfaces, poison oak, cholla, and ticks are possible
Cherry Canyon is a rewarding island loop with modest elevation, a seasonal creek corridor, historic ranch context, and broad Bechers Bay views. It is an approachable hike, but the remote boat access and exposed island conditions require preparation.
Parkwolf’s verdictBottom LineMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Channel Islands map
Full mapElevation52–420 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
Safety
3 active Channel Islands alerts
- ClosureSanta Rosa Island wildfire-recovery closuresMentions Santa Rosa Island, referenced in this guideAvoid closed routes and shorelines on Santa Rosa Island during recovery from the 2026 wildfire.Official details
- ClosureSanta Rosa access closures at Sandy Point and China CampMentions Santa Rosa, referenced in this guideFollow the closures and on-trail-only restrictions at Sandy Point and between China Camp and Cluster Point to protect island wildlife and sensitive resources.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Channel Islands Tour Guide
Your drive to Cherry Canyon Trail, narrated.
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 trailhead
Santa Rosa Island's Water Canyon CampgroundListen
“You're nearing the Water Canyon Campground, the only established campsite on Santa Rosa Island.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Channel Islands Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Trail Options from the Bechers Bay Pier
- A Glimpse into the Vail and Vickers Ranch
- Water Canyon Beach: A Remote Stretch of Sand
- Torrey Pines Overlook: Viewing the Rare Grove
- 47 audio storiesacross Channel Islands’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Island Fox, Humpback Whale, Blue Whale, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 31 trails, 49 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“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!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Cherry Canyon Trail
What You’ll SeeThe loop passes historic ranch-area scenery before entering Cherry Canyon, a sheltered corridor…
The loop passes historic ranch-area scenery before entering Cherry Canyon, a sheltered corridor with riparian vegetation and a seasonal creek. Higher sections open onto broad views of the Santa Rosa coast and neighboring islands. The island’s native wildlife, including the Santa Rosa Island fox, is part of the experience; observe it from a distance and never feed wildlife.
Trail Stats & RoutePlan on 3.5 miles total from the pier.
Plan on 3.5 miles total from the pier. This is a closed loop: the stored line follows the full continuous visitor traversal from the pier through the Cherry Canyon and Telephone Road corridor and back through the Bechers Bay ranch area. Branches toward Black Mountain, the campground, and Water Canyon Beach are separate extensions and are not included in this route.
Know Before You GoBring all food and drinking water. Water at the ranch and campground is not potable.
- Bring all food and drinking water. Water at the ranch and campground is not potable.
- Stay on designated trails and roads, especially around the active airstrip and historic ranch area.
- Watch for uneven natural surfaces, poison oak, jumping cholla, and ticks.
- Pets are not allowed on Channel Islands National Park trails.
- There is no public on-island parking; arrange transportation and confirm the boat schedule before departure.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Channel Islands
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.
