California has no shortage of landscapes to explore, from sprawling deserts and redwood forests to dramatic mountain escapes and rugged coastlines. But some of the state’s most unusual scenery is found offshore.
Just 22 miles southwest of the city, Santa Catalina Island packs beaches, mountains, canyons and protected wilderness into a surprisingly compact destination. And somewhere in that rugged interior, American bison roam free!
This guided safari-style tour takes visitors beyond Avalon and into Catalina’s backcountry, where an open-air vehicle travels mountain roads in search of bison, mule deer, bald eagles, ravens and the elusive Catalina Island fox, while also exploring the island’s unusual mountaintop airport…
A safari through Catalina’s wild interior
The roughly two-hour adventure begins at The Cabrillo Mole before heading inland toward Catalina’s protected wildlands. The ride is deliberately more expedition than sightseeing bus: expect steep, narrow, winding and bumpy roads as the vehicle climbs through the island’s mountainous terrain.
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The main attraction is, of course, the bison. Catalina’s herd is descended from animals brought to the island in 1924, reportedly for a movie production. They are not native to Catalina, but they have become one of the island’s most recognizable residents.
The animals are now managed by the Catalina Island Conservancy, which works to balance the herd with the island’s fragile ecosystem. The Conservancy currently reports fewer than 90 bison, and the animals are no longer reproducing.
Bison aren’t the only wildlife to watch for. The route can also reveal mule deer, ravens and bald eagles, while the Catalina Island fox is a particularly special sight. The fox is endemic to Catalina and found nowhere else on Earth, making it one of the island’s most distinctive animals.
The tour also heads toward Airport in the Sky, perched at 1,602 feet above sea level. The airfield was created in 1941 by leveling two mountain peaks and remains a striking landmark in the island’s interior.
Visitors can explore the Nature Center and look toward a historic Native American site connected to Catalina’s Tongva heritage. The nearby soapstone quarry reflects thousands of years of Indigenous history on the island, long before the bison ever arrived.
With an average of just 328,746 visitors a year, Channel Islands National Park is California’s least-visited national park, according to My Yosemite Park. That means you can take in Catalina’s wild landscapes with fewer crowds, making the island’s remote interior feel even more secluded.
