Parking
No island parking. Access is by boat; meet the ranger near the Cuyler Harbor campground trailhead on San Miguel Island.
Overview
About Point Bennett Trail
This is San Miguel Island’s signature long walk: a ranger-led, out-and-back trek of about 16 miles total to the far-western headland of Point Bennett. It’s a full-day, strenuous undertaking thanks to length, constant wind, rolling terrain, and soft sand in places. Interior hikes on San Miguel—including this one—are only allowed with a National Park Service ranger, a rule tied to safety and resource protection.
Why go
- World-class viewing of massive seal and sea lion colonies at the endpoint
- Rare Caliche Forest fossil tree casts along the route
Heads up
- Guided-only access dictates pace and timing
- Highly exposed to wind with no shade, making miles feel longer
For prepared hikers who crave remoteness, natural history, and a blockbuster wildlife finale, this is one of California’s great coastal adventures. For casual walkers, the distance, exposure, and guided-only access make it a tough fit.
Parkwolf’s verdictBottom LineMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Channel Islands map
Full mapElevation174–823 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 Point Bennett 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
San Miguel Island Campground: A Wild and Windy StayListen
“You're on the trail that climbs up to the San Miguel Island Campground, which is perched on a very windswept bluff overlooking Cuyler Harbor.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Channel Islands Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Harris Point Trail and Coastal Bluffs
- 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 Point Bennett Trail
Route and What You’ll SeeFrom the Cuyler Harbor campground area, the route follows an old Navy road turned singletrack…
From the Cuyler Harbor campground area, the route follows an old Navy road turned singletrack over San Miguel Hill (the island’s high point at 831 feet), dips through Sand Blast Pass, and rolls past landmarks like the Caliche Forest—fossilized tree casts from the last ice age—before skirting a dry lakebed/airstrip and continuing to Point Bennett. Expect roughly 1,500 feet of cumulative gain with multiple climbs and descents. The payoff is one of the world’s densest concentrations of seals and sea lions, viewed from an overlook near a research station. Throughout, you’ll get sweeping views of wind-carved hills and rugged coastline, with WWII history on San Miguel Hill adding a human layer to the landscape.
Trail ExperienceThis hike is all about exposure: strong winds, big skies, no shade.
This hike is all about exposure: strong winds, big skies, no shade. Underfoot it’s mostly dirt with sections of soft sand. You’ll likely feel the distance—wind and sand make the miles punch above their weight. Typical group time is around six hours of hiking, but stops for ranger interpretation and wildlife viewing can extend the day. This is a remote, disciplined outing: you’ll stay on trail and with the ranger at all times.
WildlifePoint Bennett is famous for its marine mammals—seals and sea lions in impressive numbers.
Point Bennett is famous for its marine mammals—seals and sea lions in impressive numbers. Spring and early summer often bring especially lively scenes, including pups. Birdlife is a constant companion across the island’s open terrain.
Logistics and AccessSan Miguel is reachable by boat with limited schedules, and many visitors stay overnight to…
San Miguel is reachable by boat with limited schedules, and many visitors stay overnight to make this hike feasible. Given weather-dependent landings and the distance, build flexibility into your plans. Bring ample water, food, sturdy boots, layers for wind and sun, and binoculars for the finale. You must remain with the ranger; off-trail travel is prohibited due to sensitive resources and lingering military hazards.
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.
