3 Best Hiking Trails on Catalina Island
Catalina Island, with its rich biodiversity and scenic beauty, promises an exciting hiking experience for the visitors. It has numerous hiking trails that crisscross through the diverse landscapes of the island, making hiking a totally new experience even for the passionate hikers. Besides, the trails in the island have various campgrounds that enable the visitors to camp and explore different locations.
Most of the adventurous hiking trails are included in various Catalina Island packages intended for tourists. Another specialty of the hiking trails in Catalina Island is that there are various types of them, from simple to more remote and adventurous ones.
Here are 3 best hiking trails on Catalina Island.
Trans Catalina Trail
The Trans Catalina trail is one of the largest hiking trails in the North American continent. With about 37 miles in length, the Trans Catalina trail starts at Avalon and extends right to the Starlight Beach located at the west end of the island. It is one of the best hiking trails meant for visitors looking for the real adventure and pleasure of hiking.
The most challenging part of the trail is the first 15 miles trek into the Black Jack campground located near Mt. Orizaba. Compared to other trails, the Trans Catalina trail offers the best hiking experience and is more suited for avid hiking enthusiasts.
Hermit Gulch Trail Loop
The Hermit Gulch trail loop is located near the Hermit Gulch campground, which is two miles from the city of Avalon. Extending to about 11.75 miles, this trail is meant for natives and tourists, and promises an equally exciting hiking experience to all. The hiking trail begins from the Hermit Gulch Campground and ends at the Wrigley Memorial Botanical Gardens.
Hiking on the Hermit Gulch Trail loop is the best way to enjoy the rich biodiversity of the island and the spectacular ocean views. The trail also passes through an elevated point that offers incredible scenery of Avalon and the channel that surrounds the island.
Two Harbors to Parsons Landing
This is another top hiking trail on Catalina Island, which starts from Two Harbors in Avalon. The hiking trails involve the main dirt road from Two Harbors heading to Emerald Bay. Another dirt road leads from Emerald Bay to the Parsons Landing, which is an isolated beach camping site. This campground offers numerous activities for visitors such as kayaking, boating, biking, swimming, etc.