California’s national parks saw more than 11.3 million visits in 2023, but most of those crowds were in several of the state’s most popular parks, according to the National Park Service. The least visited of all of the Golden State’s national parks was remote Channel Islands, seeing just 328,746 visitors last year. Located off the shores of the central coast near Ventura, this chain of five islands is only accessible by authorized boat or plane, dramatically limiting the number of visitors that can take in the islands’ remote beauty, unique ecosystems and lovely surrounding waters. Read on to learn more about California’s least visited national park.
How Many People Visited California’s National Parks in 2023?
Across the state, the most popular parks continued to see high visitation numbers. Yosemite had nearly 3.9 million visitors in its first year without a reservation system since 2019. Visitation rose 6% from 2022 and the park announced reservations would be back for 2024. Across the Sierras, Death Valley saw more than a million visitors despite extreme storm damage closing the park completely in September. Outside Palm Springs, Joshua Tree had its biggest visitation year ever with 3.2 million flocking to see the park’s namesake agaves. On the other hand, Channel Islands remained uncrowded, along with several of the state’s lesser-known parks. Channel Islands, Pinnacles, Redwood and Lassen Volcanic national parks each saw fewer than 500,000 visitors in 2023.
2023 California National Parks Visitation Numbers
- Yosemite: 3,897,070
- Joshua Tree: 3,270,404
- Death Valley: 1,099,632
- Sequoia: 980,567
- Kings Canyon: 643,065
- Lassen Volcanic: 418,978
- Redwood: 409,105
- Pinnacles: 341,220
- Channel Islands: 328,746
Things to do at Channel Islands National Park
If you’re eager to be one of the lucky few who get to experience the magic of Channel Islands, you’ll need to plan ahead a bit, but the sense of solitude and adventure is worth it. The easiest way to access the park is by an Island Packers ferry, the only authorized boat concessionaire. Boats depart from the Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard or Ventura Harbor Village in Ventura. Book your tickets well in advance to ensure ferries aren’t already sold out for your desired trip dates. For a day trip, Santa Cruz Island is a great choice at just an hour’s ferry ride away. Once on the island, you can go hiking to spots on this 96-square-mile island like Smuggler’s Cove where you’ll see a historic olive orchard and ranch. You can also enjoy the water on a guided kayak tour with Channel Islands Adventure Company. The small Anacapa Island will make you realize why the island chain is referred to as the “American Galapagos” with several species of animals and plants that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. Go for a hike and check out the iconic lighthouse. Santa Rosa, Santa Barbara and San Miguel islands are farther away, making them better suited for overnight trips. Book a site at any of the islands’ primitive campgrounds for a truly off-the-grid experience. You’ll need to bring all your own supplies as there are no services, including no potable water. The reward? Stunning night skies, gorgeous sunsets and an even deeper feeling of solitude.
If you can’t wait to add this unique experience to your 2024 bucket list, check out our Channel Islands guide or make it a road trip along the best of California’s coast.