Parking
No on-island parking. Arrive by boat and land at Cuyler Harbor; the mapped trail begins at the San Miguel Island Ranger & Visitor Contact Station after the designated approach from the landing.
Overview
About Harris Point Trail
Harris Point Trail is a ranger-led hike on remote San Miguel Island, following the designated trail from the San Miguel Island Ranger & Visitor Contact Station to Lester Point, the headland overlooking Simonton Cove toward Harris Point. Plan on about 6.2 miles total out and back and roughly 3.5 hours. The walk is exposed, windy, and scenic, with coastal-bluff views and marine wildlife below.
Why go
- Ranger-led access protects sensitive wildlife and cultural sites
- Wide views of Cuyler Harbor, Prince Island, and Simonton Cove
Heads up
- Guided access depends on island staff and trip schedule
- Steep, exposed terrain with strong wind, little shade, and no potable water
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Channel Islands map
Full mapElevation46–548 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
Safety
3 active Channel Islands alerts
- ClosureSanta Rosa Island wildfire-recovery closuresAvoid closed routes and shorelines on Santa Rosa Island during recovery from the 2026 wildfire.Official details
- ClosureSanta Barbara Island dock closed; landings restrictedThe Santa Barbara Island dock is closed; landings are restricted to the adjacent rocky ledge. - Severe winter storm damage caused the closure, and repairs are not expected in the near future.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Channel Islands Tour Guide
Your drive to Harris Point 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
Harris Point Trail and Coastal BluffsListen
“You are coming up on the San Miguel Island Ranger Station, which is the staging area for the guided hike out to Harris Point.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Channel Islands Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- San Miguel Island Campground: A Wild and Windy Stay
- The Ranger-Led Walk to the Caliche Forest
- Cuyler Harbor: San Miguel's Wild Front Door
- The Unique Ghost Forest of Caliche
- 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 Harris Point Trail
RouteFrom the ranger-station area, the NPS Canyon Trail descends and crosses Nidever Canyon before…
From the ranger-station area, the NPS Canyon Trail descends and crosses Nidever Canyon before joining Harris Point Trail. The route then follows the bluff and open grassy plateau toward Lester Point. The full one-way mapped corridor is stored here; length is the visitor's total round-trip distance. The route ends at Lester Point rather than the geographic Harris Point peninsula, with views across Simonton Cove toward Harris Point and Secret Cove.
What You'll SeeExpect broad views over Cuyler Harbor, Prince Island, Simonton Cove, and the open Pacific.
Expect broad views over Cuyler Harbor, Prince Island, Simonton Cove, and the open Pacific. Northern elephant seals and California sea lions may be visible on beaches below; spring can bring lupine, giant coreopsis, dudleya, and island poppy. Keep to the designated route and do not disturb wildlife or Chumash cultural sites.
Know Before You GoSan Miguel Island is open only when National Park Service personnel are present, and a permit…
San Miguel Island is open only when National Park Service personnel are present, and a permit including a liability waiver is required. Harris Point is beyond the ranger station, so visitors must be accompanied by park staff; guided hikes are arranged with island staff and are not guaranteed to every location on every visit. No off-trail hiking is permitted. The former bombing range may contain unexploded ordnance. Nidever Canyon is steep and slippery, there is no potable water, shade is scarce, and no pets are allowed ashore. Bring water, sun and wind protection, and follow ranger instructions.
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.
