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Trans Catalina Trail Stats & FAQs<\/h2>\n
The Trans Catalina trail runs East-West along Catalina Island off the coast of California. It\u2019s part of the Channel Islands<\/a> archipelago<\/strong>. <\/p>\n The full trail 38.5 miles. Hikers typically start in Avalon and end in Two Harbors after hiking a loop around the northwest peninsula of the island.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Most people hike the Trans Catalina Trail in 3-5 days. See below for itinerary options.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n the Trans Catalina Trail is no walk in the park \u2014 it is hard. Over the course of the trip, there is plenty of up, down, up, down \u2013 in total over\u00a07,940 feet in elevation gain\/loss<\/strong>. <\/p>\n There is also a lot of sun exposure and no shade along the trail, meaning it can get very hot in peak summer months so be sure to bring sun protection<\/a>.<\/p>\n With that being said, this hike across Catalina Island takes you through an incredibly unique and beautiful ecosystem, and the experience was more than worth the challenge. There are also some alternative route options you can take if you want to avoid some of the elevation gain and loss or if you simply don\u2019t have enough time for the entire route (I share some alternative itineraries below).<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n This is not a traditional wilderness backpacking trip. Some of the hike is right on the road where you will encounter the occasional vehicle. <\/p>\n Also, at the Airport, you\u2019ll find a restaurant serving breakfast and lunch and in Two Harbors, they have a full-blown general store, restaurant, and bar.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Yes, the TCT is well-marked. However, I still recommend picking up a map at the Catalina Island Conservancy shop where you can purchase a detailed Trans Catalina Island Trail map<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n This one-way trail can be traveled\u00a0in either direction, but I recommend starting in the town of Avalon and ending your hike at Parson\u2019s Landing (returning on the ferry via Two Harbors). In this direction, the views and solitude only improve as you hike.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Your camping reservations will serve as your permit to hike the Trans Catalina Trail, so be sure to carry a copy with you. (See more about camping below)<\/p>\n You don\u2019t need an additional permit unless you will be day hiking on the island, and in that case, you\u2019ll need to request a free permit<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The most popular TCT backpacking itinerary is 5 days\/4 nights. If you\u2019re an experienced hiker, you could do it in 4 days. See more about planning your itinerary below.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n There is no potable water on the trail in between the campgrounds, but\u00a0water is available at Black Jack, Little Harbor, and Two Harbors campgrounds. For the last night at Parson\u2019s, you\u2019ll need to purchase a locker key that gives you access to a 2-gallon jug of water. <\/p>\n I recommend that when you hit the trail each morning, you have at least 3-4\u00a0liters of water for the day.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Catalina Island typically sees more than 260 days of sun per year. <\/p>\n My recommendation is to hike between<\/strong> September through early November<\/strong> for the most comfortable temperatures and the highest likelihood of sunshine.<\/p>\n You may have heard the saying \u201cMay Gray, June Gloom\u201d for California. During these months, there\u2019s a good chance Catalina will be engulfed in fog. Hiking temperatures will be comfortable, but you may not get the sunny California views you are hoping for.<\/p>\n Backpacking the Trans Catalina Trail\u00a0does take a good bit of planning between getting there, making campsite reservations, and packing all the necessary gear. <\/p>\n Below I dive into everything you need to know about planning your TCT trip.<\/p>\n The Trans Catalina Trail can be done in 3-5 days. A 3-day trek will be quite challenging with lots of elevation gain and longer days. <\/p>\n We wanted to take our time and enjoy the incredible scenery, so we chose a 5-day itinerary, which allowed us to move at a relaxed pace and really take in the experience. <\/p>\n Here are three different Trans Catalina trail itineraries:<\/p>\n This is the itinerary we did.<\/p>\n Down below in the trip report, I go into detail about each day\u2019s trek.<\/p>\n If you want to experience the Trans Catalina Trail but don\u2019t have time to do the whole thing, here are a few\u00a0alternative options: <\/p>\n There is no free\/dispersed camping on Catalina Island, so you need to make campground reservations before you start your trip.<\/p>\n Campsites do book up during the busy summer months, so don\u2019t delay in making your plans, especially if you are headed to Catalina on a weekend. Campsites can be booked up to a year in advance.<\/strong><\/p>\n The five campsites along the Trans Catalina Trail are:<\/p>\n You can book your Catalina Island campsites online<\/a>. Keep in mind that since you will be staying at a different campsite each night, you\u2019ll need a separate reservation for each night.<\/p>\n You can also reserve all of your campsites over the phone. Before you call, browse the official website<\/a> which has a ton of information about each campsite. When you know which sites you want, the reservation specialists can help set up your itinerary over the phone based on availability for your entire trip. To book a reservation over the phone, call (310) 510-4205.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Campground Amenities<\/strong>: All of the campgrounds have chemical toilets and most have cold water showers. The only campground that doesn\u2019t<\/strong><\/em> have potable water is Parson\u2019s Landing. You can choose to purchase a key at Two Harbors Visitor\u2019s Center which will give you access to a locker with potable water and firewood at Parson\u2019s Landing. <\/p>\n Getting to the island is an adventure in itself with the opportunity to encounter some big marine life like whales and dolphins during the 60-90 minute boat ride.<\/p>\n Be aware that the seas can get rough, so if you are prone to seasickness, plan ahead. I highly recommend taking ginger pills for seasickness<\/a> and wearing Sea Bands<\/a>.<\/p>\n There are two ferry operators that offer daily departures to Catalina Island:<\/p>\n Another option for getting to Catalina Island is a 15-minute helicopter ride<\/a> from Long Beach to Avalon which runs up to $179 per person each way.<\/p>\n FERRY TIMINGS:<\/strong> There are a couple of options for timing your ferry rides to and from Catalina.<\/p>\n Arrival:<\/strong> You have two options for arriving on the island:<\/p>\n Departure: <\/strong>The Catalina Express doesn\u2019t run every day from Two Harbors to San Pedro, so be sure to check their schedule<\/a> before planning your trip. <\/p>\n I recommend getting a late afternoon ferry from Two Harbors, so you can have a nice chill morning at Parson\u2019s Landing campsite.<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t want to sail to San Pedro from Two Harbors, the Wildland Express<\/a> is a bus shuttle service between Two Harbors and Avalon. Reservations are required. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The TCT is pretty well-marked, but I still highly recommend stopping in the Catalina Island Conservancy shop to pick up a detailed Trans Catalina Island Trail map. <\/p>\n While most of the trail was well marked, there were a few areas where we got confused on the route, so having a hard copy of the map absolutely came in handy. <\/p>\n The map also indicates the location of water sources, bathrooms, food, and other amenities<\/strong> along the trail.<\/p>\n I hiked the Trans Catalina Trail in 5 days. Here\u2019s my detailed trip report. <\/p>\n We opted to take an early ferry from Long Beach. Once we got to Avalon, our first stop was the\u00a0Catalina Conservancy office<\/strong> (it\u2019s on the way to the trailhead). There, we grabbed a map, learned a little bit about the wildlife and island, and asked our last-minute questions about the route. (Note that they don\u2019t open till 8:00 am).<\/p>\n Next, we filled up water in town at one of several spigots. Also, if you need any last-minute forgotten items there is Vons Express right down the road from the ferry terminal. However, it\u2019s not like a big grocery store on the mainland and it\u2019s expensive, so you\u2019ll want to bring most of what you plan on eating with you. Check out this post on\u00a0Lightweight Vegan Backpacking Food Ideas<\/a>\u00a0for my favorite easy trail meals.<\/p>\n We took our time walking along the waterfront and grabbed breakfast, which meant we got a late start on the trail. <\/p>\n To shave off a little bit of mileage, we hiked up above Avalon along Stage Road and met up with the Trans Catalina Trail near Haypress Reservoir. <\/p>\n It was a steep ascent along a fairly well-traveled road. Once we finally connected with the trail, it was up-down-up-down-up.<\/p>\n This part of the trail is the longest stretch you\u2019ll go without seeing the ocean. It\u2019s also very hot and dry. I was glad to have trekking poles<\/a>, sun protection<\/a>, and plenty of water.<\/p>\n We arrived at our campsite (Black Jack #1) right at sundown after 5 straight hours of hiking.<\/p>\n At the time of our visit, no campfires were allowed due to severe drought conditions. However, at other times of the year, you can pay for a locker full of firewood before you leave Avalon. <\/p>\n\n
TransCatalina Trail Map<\/h4>\n
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\nBest time of year to hike the TCT<\/h2>\n
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\nPlanning your trip<\/h2>\n
Choosing an itinerary<\/h3>\n
3-DAY ITINERARY:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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4-DAY ITINERARY:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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5-DAY ITINERARY:<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Crunched for time?<\/h4>\n
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Making campsite reservations<\/h3>\n
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Getting to Catalina Island<\/h3>\n
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Navigating the trail<\/h3>\n
\nMy TCT Trip Report<\/h2>\n
Day 1:\u00a0Avalon to Black Jack campground (10.7 miles)<\/h3>\n
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