Central Coast National Parks Overview
On March 1 1872, President Ulysses Grant signed into existence the world's first national park. Since then, hundreds more have been established. These parks are awe inspiring natural wonders and offer glipses into our history. California has several of these National Parks and Monuments. Channel Islands and Pinnacles are two National Parks found along the Central Coast of California.
TIP:The National Park Service offers FEE FREE DAYS to some National Parks on select weekends through the Summer. Use this link to view available dates.
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Central Coast National Parks
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Channel Islands are located off the coast of Los Angeles, Oxnard, Ventura and Santa Barbara and can be accessed by boat from the Ventura Harbor. They include the islands of San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Anacapa, and Santa Barbara. Ocean activities include scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, bird watching, kayaking, whale watching, and sailing. On the islands, you can camp, hike, picnic, and explore tide pools, isolated beaches, and rugged canyons. Park employees conduct interpretive hikes on the islands throughout the year.
GETTING THERE:
Boat from Santa Barbara - Truth Aquatics (805) 963-3564
Boat from Oxnard or Ventura - Island Packers (805) 642-1393
Plane from Camarillo - Channel Islands Aviation (805) 987-1301
Channel Islands National Park
1901 Spinnaker Drive
Ventura, California 93001
(805) 658-5730
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Pinnacles National Monument is located east of Soledad off highway 101. The monument resides on the remains of an ancient volcano. Massive monoliths, spires and sheer-walled canyons create a breathtaking landscape of more than 12,000 acres. Pinnacles is renowned for the beauty and variety of its spring wildflowers. Activities include camping, hiking, rock climbing, caving and wildlife viewing. Monument features include two large caves with an active bat population and Tunnel Trail where a bridge meets a tunnel blasted through solid rock.
Pinnacles Visitor Center
5000 Highway 146
Paicines, California 95043
(831)389-4485
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