Backpacking Catalina Island
Looking to do a backpacking trip around Catalina Island? This blog post shares the ins and outs of how to plan your trip from getting to the island, to booking your campsites, what to pack, and more!
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TRANSCATALINA TRAIL OVERVIEW
Length We Completed: 22 of the 38.5-mile trail
Elevation Gain: 5,000 feet elevation gain
This backpacking trip was one of the least primitive ones we have taken. You have potable water, pit toilets, and bear-resistant storage compartments at every campground which makes your pack lighter and planning so much easier. Not to mention that there’s a restaurant (and a top tourist attraction) along the route. A portion of the hike is accompanied by guided tourist ATV which can take away from the traditional backpacking feel of being in the true wilderness. However, this backpacking loop is one of the easier ones we have taken and can be completed by beginners.
BEFORE YOU GO
Book Your Campsites – You’re going to want to do this first because space is very limited. The best time to backpack the island is fall, winter, or early spring when the temperatures are a bit cooler because there is hardly any shade along the trail. We took our trip in early June and it went fine for us but we also had a lot of overcast in the middle of the day which helped a ton with the heat. You can book your sites by visiting the booking website or calling them directly.
Book Your Ferry Passes – After booking your campsites, you’ll want to book your transportation to and from the island. We didn’t do a full loop of the island and actually took the Cyclone from Two Harbors back to Avalon on our last day. Visit the Catalina Express Website to book your trip to and from the island. And if you’re going to use our same itinerary, you’ll also want to book your Cyclone ride between Two Harbors and Avalon by visiting the Catalina Info Website.
THINGS TO NOTE
Wild Bison roam freely on this island. I would advise you not to approach them (as would any ranger). Once you see them up close like we did when we came upon many of them grazing alongside the trail, you’ll know why. They are massive, they WILL outrun you, and there are so many spaces along the trail where you literally have nowhere to escape if you tick one off. So keep your distance and just be aware of your surroundings and always have an escape plan.
You can only have campfires where there are fire rings. We were able to have a fire at two harbors which we really enjoyed because you could hear the ocean waves crashing ashore the beach while we enjoyed a nice warm fire. You can purchase firewood and starters from the campground by giving them a call or placing the order at the time of booking your site. They will deliver it right to your site for you!
OUR FULL ITINERARY
Day 1 | 6/5/2023 | 10.5 miles |3,200 feet elevation gain
We took the ferry from Dana Point to Avalon and arrived there around 11 a.m. We didn’t take propane along because we had read that we weren’t allowed to however, everyone else took theirs along on the ferry. So we were left with purchasing an overpriced mini propane tank when we didn’t have to. So don’t be like us 😊. We started our hike around 11:45 a.m.
The first few miles were tough on this hike. It was straight uphill! But then it started to flatten out and you were more hiking ridges the rest of the day. It took us 5 hours to complete this first day at an average pace of 2.1 miles an hour. We saw some bison grazing on hillsides from afar. We were glad we didn’t have to detour because of them on day one. We made it to Black Jack Campground around 6 PM and set up camp. There are pit toilets, bear-resistant storage containers, and potable water at this campground. The storage containers were super nice for storing all our gear. Our tent only fits the two of us so having that extra space made for a better night's sleep.
Day 2 | 6/6/2023 | 11.5 miles | 1,800 feet elevation gain
We gave ourselves a little bit of a slow morning and took off around 8:30 AM to make the hike to our next campground. Our first stop was the Airport in the Sky Restaurant. This is a place where tourists can get via vehicle as well. It’s a small airport and restaurant. We got breakfast here and it was VERY delicious. We were given really large portions so I would recommend sharing your meal if you have a big hike because we were too full and didn’t enjoy that during the hike. You can also purchase souvenirs or any essential backpacking gear if needed at this place.
We originally had planned on hiking to Little Harbor and then back across to Two Harbors but decided to take a little bit shorter route. We couldn’t get a campsite at Little Harbor otherwise we would have camped there for the night and not at Two Harbors. The shortcut we took had us hiking part of the road which we didn’t mind because it was smoother footing, but it also led us to a few run-ins with bison which in return required us to seek alternative routes. One of which took some planning and mapping with our All-Trails App.
The bison were cool looking and all, but I really didn’t want to be anywhere near them. I have a lot of respect for them because of their size and intimidating nature. This day wasn’t too terrible of a hike, and we had a lot more descent than ascent. Which sometimes isn’t super fun on tired legs. Our ocean views at some of the bluffs were breathtakingly beautiful. You really get the best of both worlds, wilderness, and ocean views. Upon arriving at our campsite at Two Harbors, we were excited we were so close to the ocean. You could hear the waves crashing from our campsite which we really enjoyed. The bathrooms (port-a-johns only) left much to be desired and really looked as though they hadn’t been cleaned in months.
We went out for dinner this last night because Two Harbors little town has a handful of restaurants you can walk to (and we were sick of dehydrated food). It’s only about a half-mile walk into town from the campground.
Day 3 | 6/7/2023 | No miles | no elevation gain
Today we spent our day traveling back to Avalon on the Cyclone ferry. The ferry isn’t the warmest ride and you definitely can get ocean spray (or in our case, rain). The boat isn’t covered so if it’s raining, it still runs and you’re going to get wet if you don’t have some coverage. We never backpack without a rain-resistant jacket. We were so glad to have had those on the ride back to Avalon. We spent the rest of our time in Avalon exploring the shops and restaurants. You can check your backpacking gear into a bag check at the ferry station for a small fee. There’s a small beach right in town that you can relax at before returning home which is what we ended up doing. We took the afternoon ferry back home and were excited to sleep in our own beds again!
THAT’S A WRAP
Thinking of trying a backpacking trip but don’t know where to start? This one is a great one for beginners because it’s not at high elevation, the mileage isn’t terrible, and the elevation gain is friendly. You also don’t need to carry as much gear because there are potable water spouts, bathrooms, and storage containers at all your campsites along the way. Let us know if you have any questions by contacting us on social media, sending an email to rowenmadecreations@gmail.com or commenting below!
