AVALON – The Catalina Island Conservancy will offer summer visitors to the Island naturalist-led hikes along Catalina’s most popular and easily accessible trail, the Garden to Sky Trail. On these hikes, visitors will be able to learn about Catalina’s natural and cultural history while enjoying breathtaking views of Avalon and the windward side of the Island.
AVALON – The Catalina Island Conservancy will offer summer visitors to the Island naturalist-led hikes along Catalina’s most popular and easily accessible trail, the Garden to Sky Trail. On these hikes, visitors will be able to learn about Catalina’s natural and cultural history while enjoying breathtaking views of Avalon and the windward side of the Island.
Summer Naturalists, recent college graduates or undergraduates who have studied the natural sciences and undergone the Conservancy’s Naturalist Training, will lead the hikes, providing an in-depth understanding of the Island’s unique plants and animals and its geologic history.
The Garden to the Sky Trail offers a moderate level hike of just 1.2 miles to a ridgeline that, on a clear day, rewards trekkers with a 360-degree view of Avalon, the Pacific Ocean and San Clemente Island.
The naturalist-led hikes will depart from the Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesdays and Saturdays beginning June 20. Catalina Island Conservancy members can join the hike for free. The cost for all other hikers is $12 for adults and $8 for children. The price includes admission to the Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden, where visitors can explore more than 35 acres of California’s and the Channel Islands’ endemic and rare plant species. Visitors can make reservations for the hike at the Conservancy House, 125 Claressa Avenue, Avalon, or at the Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden a short ride or 30-minute walk from Avalon.
The Summer Naturalists also will be offering free 45-minute guided tours of the garden this summer on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays, starting at 9:30 a.m. Visitors can learn more at the garden.
In addition, the Conservancy also offers many other exciting Island adventures. Visitors can “go wild” on the Conservancy’s one-of-a-kind naturalist-led Jeep® Eco Tours. These open-air Jeep tours offer adventure amid the Island’s spectacular valleys, mountains and beaches.
Hikers, bikers, campers, runners and all outdoor enthusiasts can find challenging adventure in the wildlands where the Conservancy provides 50 miles of biking and nearly 150 miles of hiking opportunities on its trail and road system.
The Conservancy’s Avalon and Airport Nature Centers feature self-guided exhibits, videos and hands-on activities where visitors can learn all about Catalina – from its geology to how species arrived on the Island and adapted to it.
The world-famous Airport in the Sky sits atop a 1,602-foot mountain, providing a popular destination for pilots and their passengers, as well as visitors and hikers from Avalon. Many enjoy lunch or dinner at the airport grill.
The Conservancy’s Wildlands Express offers a convenient and inexpensive way to travel in the comfort of an air-conditioned van from Avalon to the airport, Little Harbor and Shark Harbor on the Island’s remote windward beaches with extraordinary views of the wildlands along the way.
To book a Jeep Eco Tour or the Wildlands Express, get a hiking or biking permit, learn about membership or learn more about the Conservancy, please call 310-510-2595 ext. 108, visit the Conservancy House located at 125 Clarissa Avenue, just a short block west of Front Street in Avalon, or visit the website, CatalinaConservancy.org.
About the Conservancy
Formed in 1972, the Catalina Island Conservancy is one of California's oldest land trusts. Its mission is to be a responsible steward of its lands through a balance of conservation, education and recreation. Through its ongoing efforts, the Conservancy protects the magnificent natural and cultural heritage of Santa Catalina Island, stewarding approximately 42,000 acres of land and more than 60 miles of rugged shoreline. It provides an airport and 50 miles of biking and nearly 150 miles of hiking opportunities within its road and trail system. The Conservancy conducts educational outreach through two nature centers, its Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden and guided experiences in the Island’s rugged interior. Twenty miles from the mainland, the Island is a treasure trove of historical and archaeological sites. It also contains numerous rare and endangered animals and plants. The Island is home to 60 species – and counting – that are found only on Catalina.For additional information, please visit www.catalinaconservancy.org.
