The SoCal public park with stunning ocean views — and the reason you can’t access it
Santa Barbara Island, the smallest in California's Channel Islands National Park, offers stunning ocean views and rich biodiversity but is extremely difficult to access due to the destruction of its only wharf in 2015. Despite being public land, no regular ferry service operates and landings are limited to experienced private boaters under favorable conditions. The National Park Service is working on wharf repairs, with construction potentially beginning in 2027 pending funding and approvals.
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Metro exclusive The SoCal public park with stunning ocean views — and the reason you can’t access it By Daniel Farr Published April 30, 2026, 9:30 a.m. ET A tiny island off the Southern California coast delivers “million-dollar” scenery but remains out of reach for nearly everyone. Santa Barbara Island, part of the Channel Islands National Park, sits about 38 miles offshore and covers just one square mile, making it the smallest island in the park. Despite being officially open to the public, getting there has become nearly impossible. 5 Santa Barbara Island from the air. California Department of Fish and Wildlife The issue dates back to 2015, when severe winter storms destroyed the wharf at Landing Cove, the only practical way for most visitors to step ashore.
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