The clock was ticking, and after hitting an unsurprising surprise Los Angeles traffic jam near the San Pedro Ferry Terminal, it looked like my hiking buddy G and I were going to miss our boat to Catalina Island, where we were set to hike the Trans-Catalina Trail. But the next thing we knew, our driver and 35-weeks-pregnant friend, Veronica, was veering through side streets, looking for ways to circumvent the logjam. We made it to the ferry with two minutes to spare.
It was an unexpectedly adrenaline-fueled start to our trek across the 38.5-mile Trans-Catalina Trail. It proved to be a rugged but delightful journey, serving up stunning wilderness terrain, wildlife and remote beaches — and welcome luxuries to backpackers, like restaurant meals and safe tap water.
You don’t have to backpack, of course, to have a wonderful time on this island 22 miles off the coast. But the trail offers a special chance to get to know a place that’s home to species found nowhere else in the world, from the Catalina Island fox to a herd of bison, managed with birth control.
Catalina is part of the ancient mountain range that makes up the Channel Islands archipelago, the southernmost of the eight islands. At various points in its long history, Catalina has been home to the indigenous Tongva people, otter hunters and gold diggers. In 1846, it became part of a Mexican land grant, but by the 1860s, it was the sole property of San Francisco real estate magnate James Lick, whose name graces the Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton and who was at one point the richest man in California.
The Trans-Catalina Trail traverses Catalina Island, the southernmost of the Channel Islands, formed from an ancient mountain range. (Courtesy Gennady Sheyner)
Developers followed, most notably chewing gum magnate William Wrigley, Jr., who bought a controlling interest in the Santa Catalina Island Company in 1919 and began adding infrastructure to the island. There was a reservoir, a hotel, a park and baseball facilities — the spring training home of Wrigley’s Chicago Cubs from 1921 to 1951. The Catalina Casino — Avalon’s iconic round theater — was a Wrigley creation, too.
Today, much of the island is managed by the Catalina Island Conservancy, and Wrigley descendants are still involved.
You could venture no further than Avalon, where ferries from San Pedro, Dana Point and Long Beach dock multiple times a day, and have a perfectly splendid time browsing boutiques and enjoying cozy restaurants. You could loll on the beach or tour the Casino — no roulette tables here, casino is Italian for “gathering place” — and take in a movie at its Avalon Theatre.
The iconic, Mediterranean Revival and Art Deco style Catalina Casino was built in 1929 on Catalina Island. (Getty Images)
We’d opted to do the island on foot, camping along the way, but you could rent a kayak to explore, book a golf cart or a cab, or take a 40-minute Cyclone boat ride to Two Harbors, a rustic resort village on the island’s narrow isthmus.
Avalon to Blackjack Camp
The Trans-Catalina Trail is a beautiful, challenging way to see Catalina Island by foot. (Courtesy Gennady Sheyner)
We stepped off the ferry in Avalon, that well-loved tourist destination and the largest city on Catalina Island. It feels like California’s Capri: Its vibe is vacation. G and I took advantage of the restaurants in town, picking up breakfast and sandwiches to go at the Catalina Island Brew House before heading through town and up to the trailhead.
The Brew House is a coffee bar and taproom just across from the Pleasure Pier, serving up lattes and house-made pastries in the morning and island-brewed craft beer, sandwiches, pizza and panini in the afternoon, with a side of ocean views.
As we ascended, already sweating a half-mile in, as golf carts rolled merrily by, we began questioning our choice to make this journey a foot-powered one. But we persevered, making camp that first night at Blackjack Camp, near the tallest peak on the island, Mount Orizaba. After an 11-mile day, with our delicious sandwiches but a memory, rehydrated backpacker food had never tasted so good.
Little Harbor and Two Harbors
I’d started out the morning thinking I’d be a team player and take a shift carrying the tent. That lasted about a mile, before we decided that G was to be the Frodo of our expedition, with the tent playing the role of Ring of Power. Continuing onward and upward, it wasn’t long until we hit The Airport in the Sky, a cafe at Catalina Island’s private airport.
It should be said at this point that there is a Catalina Island shuttle, the Wildlands Express, that will take you from Avalon to the airport ($26) or the sandy beachfront campground in Little Harbor without the need for hiking boots. Or if you happen to own your own plane, you know… But the Trans-Catalina Trail!
The author enjoys a mid-hike break between Little Harbor and Two Harbors on Catalina Island at a vista point with stunning views. (Kate Bradshaw/Bay Area News Group)
The Airport in the Sky cafe serves up hearty breakfast burritos ($9.50), Bonanza Burgers ($20.50) with avocado and bacon, giant chocolate chip cookies and a boppin’ Dua Lipa playlist. I’m not sure which of these perks boosted morale the most, but by the time we left, we were pumped to journey down to Little Harbor, a lush oasis with palm trees, green grass and a scenic cove and beach perfect for a quick dip.
From there, the trail climbs up a mountain, as panoramic views of the ocean unfold with each turn, and a gazebo awaits at the top. We felt like we were on top of the world, or at least a tiny slice of it, looking down at views of the island on every side.
A knee-crunching descent was all — all! — that remained of the day’s 13.5-mile trek to Two Harbors, an isthmus situated between two harbors. A small village is nestled here, with a small general store, a restaurant and campground as well as a small inn, the Banning House Lodge.
We had difficulty finding our campsite — signage was problematic, and our knees had turned to noodles — but we instantly forgave the campground managers when we got there. The site was secluded and on a hill overlooking the harbor. As the sun set and we set up camp, a Catalina Island fox passed cautiously through camp. In the distance, we could see pelicans diving for fish amid splashing seals.
Sunset at the Two Harbors Campground falls over a cove that’s home to seals and pelicans. (Kate Bradshaw/Bay Area News Group)
As dusk hit, we waddled gingerly to the Harbor Reef Restaurant & Bar, for the largest serving of fish and chips ($17) ever, plus sips of the bar’s signature cocktail, a Buffalo Milk ($14). Invented by a Harbor Reef bartender 40 years ago, it’s made with vodka, creme de cacao, creme de banana, coffee liqueur and milk, topped with whipped cream and a dusting of nutmeg.
A Two Harbors loop and back to San Pedro
The last leg of our trip — a 14-miler — was a loop, so we could leave our camp set up and hit the trail with daypacks. (Does that mean we didn’t fully backpack the whole trail? Sure, sure. But did we have way more fun not carrying all of our gear the last segments of the trail? You bet.)
The Silver Peak Trail is a gnarly one, climbing 1,700 feet over the course of two miles. Pump-up tunes and an overstuffed baggie full of Swedish Fish were critical in keeping spirits up through this slog. Atop the summit, with the hardest part behind us, the trail started to feel pretty great. Then it was downward on the gritty Fenceline Trail, with a decline of about 1,000 feet in elevation over the course of a mile — but the sun was out, and we felt light as birds, free of our packs.
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Parson’s Landing was the perfect spot for a quick mid-morning ocean dip before continuing on to the home stretch, past private coves hosting retreats, harbored yachts and youth camps closed for the season. (This portion of the trail does not have accessible drinking water, so pack plenty.)
Parson’s Landing at Catalina Island is a remote beach near Two Harbors with crystal blue water — a perfect swimming spot. (Courtesy Gennady Sheyner)
We made great time as the terrain leveled out on our return to Two Harbors — and the ferry back to San Pedro — playing our new theme song for the trek. Madonna’s “La Isla Bonita,” whose lyrics open with “Last night I dreamt of San Pedro,” may refer more to a mindset than a specific place. The singer told Rolling Stone in a 2009 interview, “I don’t know where San Pedro is.” But to me, it will forever bring to mind a seaside portal to a magical island adventure.
If You Go
Catalina Express Ferry: Ferry service ($73-$92 round trip) runs multiple times per day from San Pedro, Long Beach and Dana Point to Avalon and from San Pedro to Two Harbors. Trips last about one hour; https://catalinaexpress.com.
Catalina Island Brewhouse: Open daily at 417 Crescent Ave., Avalon; www.catalinabrewhouse.com/.
Airport in the Sky Restaurant: Open daily at 1 Airport Rd, Avalon; https://theairportintheskyrestaurant.com/.
Harbor Reef Restaurant and Bar: Open daily at Catalina Isthmus, Avalon; www.visitcatalinaisland.com.
Campsites: Campsites and tent cabins on Catalina Island must be reserved in advance through visitcatalinaisland.com. Hiking permits are required in the island’s interior. Find more information at catalinaconservancy.org.
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