Trans Catalina Trail
The Trans Catalina Trail is a 38.5 mile trail that traverses Catalina Island off the coast of southern California. The trail is typically hiked from the eastern terminus in Avalon, out to Parson's Landing on the west coast of the island, and then looping back to Two Harbours. The trail is usually done over 5 days, though many people attempt shorter itineraries.
The Trans Catalina Trail was not a trail on my bucket list. In fact, I actually only heard of the trail a few weeks before I hiked it!
I had booked a week of vacation in September; however, my plans ended up changing, so I moved those days to November and vowed to go somewhere warm this winter. With only 10 days off, I felt my options were restricted, as I did not want to spend a chunk of my time traveling to the destination and then have to adjust to a big time difference. After much time scouring the internet for trails that could be completed within the time I had off, were doable in November, and still had permits available on short notice, I eventually settled on the Trans Catalina Trail.
On first glance, it appeared there were many campsites still available for the Trans Catalina Trail, so I thought it would be easy to plan my trip. I booked my flight to Los Angeles and then went back to the Catalina Island Company website (https://www.visitcatalinaisland.com/trans-catalina-trail/) the following day to book my campsites. To my dismay, I found that the Parson's Landing campground, where I was going to stay on my final night, was not available for the dates I had selected! I shuffled my booking by a day, then by another day, and another day; then I checked the reverse direction. In all the possible itineraries, the final night was never available! My heart sank knowing that I had spent hundreds of dollars on a nonrefundable flight to Los Angeles and now I might not get to do the one thing I really wanted to do on the trip.
I checked the Catalina Island Company website daily hoping for cancellations. Only about a week before my departure, a campsite opened up so that I could do the trail in the reverse direction! I was thrilled that I was going to get to do the Trans Catalina Trail, but also very stressed because I now had to scramble to change around all the other plans I had made, including cancelling hotel and ferry reservations and making new ones.
Day 1 - Two Harbours to Parson's Landing
Walking Time: 2.5 hours
Distance: 12.15 km
Elevation Gain: 260m
In the morning, I caught a taxi from my hotel in San Pedro to the Catalina Express terminal. I arrived 45 minutes early, as was recommended, but I was the only person there. A couple groups of tourists rolled in closer to the sailing time, but I was the only person with a backpack and I felt out of place. Eventually, another solo female hiker arrived with a big blue backpack and her presence gave me peace of mind. I wanted to introduce myself to her, but she had her headphones in and was talking on her phone.
On the ferry ride over, I saw numerous dolphins leaping out of the water and playing in the waves from the boat! Getting to see dolphins made going to Catalina Island already feel worth my while. We stopped in Avalon to let off passengers and then were docked for what felt like an unreasonable amount of time, as I was unsure what was causing the holdup. Streaks of rain began smattering the windows and a downpour ensued. I grumbled at what perfect timing it was for rain to start right as I was about to start my hike.
When we arrived in Two Harbours, it luckily was not raining anymore. I checked in at the Visitor Centre to get my code for the supply locker in Parson's Landing and a map of the island. I asked the staff member if she had any advice for hiking with bison. She told me that she used to make noise by banging hiking poles together and that this approach had always been effective, until one time her noise pissed off a bison and he charged her. She told me, "It's about 30/30/30. Around 30% of the time they will do nothing, 30% of the time you'll scare them off, and 30% of the time they'll charge". I didn't like those odds. To ease my nerves, she told me there have not been any bison sightings on the west side of the island for quite a while, so it is very unlikely I would see any...today.
Before starting the Trans Catalina Trail, I had to stop at the general store to get a canister of fuel, as you are not allowed to bring propane on the ferry. Then I set off along the coastal trail, opting for the flatter route for my first day when my backpack is the heaviest. After maybe a minute of walking, I passed a couple local guys in their front yard who joked, "Only 7 miles left to go". I replied with a smirk, "Yeah, I'm almost there".
The trail snaked along the ragged coastline, feeling as though it was almost a series of hairpin turns. Each time the trail looped, I looked back for blue backpack, but she was not in pursuit. As I approached Lion Head lookout point, I stopped dead in my tracks as a fox darted across the trail and then darted back again. I had not been walking for long, so I was not in need of a rest; however, I was unsure when the next rest stop would be, so plopped down on the bench at Lion Head and looked out across the ocean for Los Angeles.
At Emerald Bay, I passed a group of about 30 children from the camp. One girl pointed at me and called out excitedly to her fellow campers, "She's backpacking!" They all started cheering for me and gave me words of encouragement. I burst into a huge grin, feeling like I was really cool because these children admired me. Moments after passing them, the skies suddenly opened up! By the time I could get my raincoat out from my backpack, my shirt was already soaked.
There was rain on and off for the rest of the day, but the rainy periods were not too heavy. I arrived at Parson's Landing at a bit after 2pm. I gathered my 2 jugs of water from the locker and lumbered over to my campsite, nearly falling on the way because the steep path from the lockers down to the beach was slick grey clay. I made a second trip to the lockers to collect my firewood bundle and carefully inched my way down the path. Despite my caution, I ended up on my hands and knees in the clay. I threw a little tantrum that included hollering a few choice words into the void and then I carried on. I waited for a break in the rain to pitch my tent, but the next bout started when I was working on the poles and the floor of my tent ended up getting quite wet. I holed up in my tent with a tube of Pringles and wallowed in self-pity.
I emerged from my tent in late afternoon to make dinner before the sun set. A woman had arrived and set up camp 1 over from mine, but we were the only ones despite the online booking system having said it was to be a full house tonight. I tried to start my fire, but my lighter was failing to work. I do most of my backpacking trips in the summer and there is always a fire ban, so I had been really looking forward to this rare instance where I could have a bonfire. Using my camp stove, I was able to get a fire burning and the heat from the flames dried my damp clothes and warmed my chilled bones. I heard the clattering of rocks on the beach, so I turned my headlamp on and saw multiple pairs of glowing fox eyes.
Day 2 - Parson's Landing to Two Harbours
Walking Time: 4 hours
Distance: 10.8km
Elevation Gain: 585m
When I awoke, the other woman had already packed up her camp and left, so I was alone on the beach.
I set off at around 9:15am. The trail was muddy from the rains yesterday and it clumped on my boots and poles, making me feel like I was hiking with ankle weights on. I intermittently saw small footprints going in the same direction and figured I was following the woman from Parson's Landing. The trail was brutally steep, with AllTrails listing a 32% grade at one point. There were no switchbacks to make the elevation gain more manageable, just a series of short climbs straight up. I thought I was in decent shape from doing a number of multiday hikes this summer, but I was humbled by having to take a break at the top of each incline because my calves were screaming and I was gasping for air. I kept hoping that the top of the next incline was the last, but I was met with another. I was on edge while hiking this morning, as the fog was so dense that I could only see a few feet in front of me, which meant I could stumble right into a bison.
After over an hour of trudging up slippery, squelchy, steep slopes, I came upon a structure that I could just barely make out through the thick fog. As I got closer, I found blue backpack sitting at a covered picnic table cooking on her camp stove. She introduced herself as Kelly and we got to chatting. She asked if I would like to hike with her, which I eagerly agreed to.
Only a couple more short inclines until we were finished with the elevation gain for the day. I was utterly disappointed to be at the highest point on the trail with no visibility of our surroundings. I was glad to have company, as it would have been a boring day with no view and nobody to talk to.
Part way through our descent into Two Harbours, either the fog lifted or we got below low hanging cloud and we finally had a view! This gave me a renewed vigour for the Trans Catalina Trail.
As we plodded down the steep descent, Kelly kept apologizing for being slow and assuring me there would be no hard feelings if I left her behind. I was initially in no rush, as by midday we had already done all the elevation gain and more than half the distance; however, as we approached Wells Beach, I started to desperately need to use the washroom. Seeing on AllTrails that we were not far from Two Harbours, I hustled to the facilities without Kelly.
I arrived at Two Harbours at 1:15pm. I stopped at the Harbour Reef Restaurant for lunch and the wild mushroom sliders tasted incredible in comparison to the disgusting backpacking meal I had last night! Kelly joined me at the restaurant about half an hour later. She was supposed to be carrying on to Little Harbour today, but she decided to stay at Two Harbour instead because her feet had gotten blisters that were killing her. I invited her to join me for a bonfire later.
That night, as I was sitting around my bonfire, I heard a rustling near my tent and turned my headlamp on to find a fox standing on my picnic table! I tried to shoo it away with a stern voice and clapping, but it seemed quite comfortable around humans and only scurried off once I was within arm's reach. I returned to my fire and spent the evening listening to the sound of two sea lions bellowing at each other and watching the fishing boat go bath and forth in the harbour.
Day 3 - Two Harbours to Little Harbour
Walking time: 2.5h
Distance: 8.9km
Elevation Gain: 460m
I woke up to find a pile of fox poo on my picnic table, which was no doubt revenge from the fox I shooed away last night. With a short day ahead of me, I dawdled that morning. Kelly stopped by my campsite when I was packing up my tent and apologized for not joining me for the bonfire last night, saying she went to bed early because she was exhausted from the hike yesterday. We walked back over to Two Harbours together and chatted while I charged my phone and she waited for the ferry. I had service at the restaurant, so I checked my email and received notice that the Trans Catalina Trail had actually been closed yesterday due to weather! There is no service out at Parson's Landing, so how were Kelly and I to have known? I was sad that she would not be joining me for the hike today because I had really enjoyed her company yesterday. I set off at around 10:30am, on high alert because I was now venturing to the side of the island that has bison.
It is a climb out of Two Harbours, but this felt much more manageable than the climbing yesterday because the mud had hardened enough that my boots were not getting weighed down in a thick layer of mud and I could get traction on the ground rather than just slipping around. I also felt more motivated to climb because I had much better visibility today and the view kept getting better the higher up I got. I took solace in the fact that I could see for miles, so I should be able to spot a bison well in advance; however, it was also disconcerting that there really were no large objects that I could put between myself and a bison if I were to encounter one, which is what is recommended.
About halfway through the hike, I came across another covered picnic table like I had yesterday where I met Kelly. This one was high up on the ridge overlooking the ocean, so it was a damn nice place to stop for a snack.
After that point, the trail became a footpath instead of the dirt road I had been walking along up until this point. I dropped my pace in order to be more careful of my footing because the trail was narrow, rocky, and up on a ridge with sheer drops on either side. With the sparkling ocean on my right and rugged desert hills on my left, this was definitely the best scenery I had seen on the trail so far! I spotted Little Harbours campground in the valley below, which looked like an oasis.
I arrived at 1:00pm and then spent the afternoon lounging on the sandy beach, soaking in the sun and munching on snacks. My solitude was interrupted late afternoon, as groups of hikers strolled in and groups of beachgoers arrived in vehicles. Many people opted for a dip in the ocean, but I preferred to wash myself in the fresh water outdoor showers because salt water tends to make my skin itchy.
As dusk set in, I wandered over to the nearby garbage bin to throw out the packaging from my dehydrated meal. I froze when I saw a bison standing across the road maybe 10 meters away. At first, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me in the fading light and that it was actually just a picnic table, but then I saw a hoofed foot take a step. I backed away slowly and went over to warn a group of girls at a campsite a few over from mine that there was a bison in the area. They could tell I was scared, so they invited me to stay at their camp until the coast was clear. Before I braved my camp again, I told them I would be getting a bonfire burning later and that they were welcome to join me.
That evening, we shared stories by the bonfire and passed around a flask of rum. My heart felt full, as this was the experience I had been hoping for on the Trans Catalina Trail.
Day 4 - Little Harbour to Black Jack
Walking Time: 3.75h
Distance: 13.2km
Elevation Gain: 734m
The girls I had chatted with last night had told me they'd seen many bison in the section of trail I was about to hike, so I was very nervous about encountering bison today and was wishing that I was not going it alone. I had to hype myself up to set off that morning. I only got a few feet from camp and then spotted a bison standing right at the trailhead!
I went back to the campground to wait for the bison to move along. I checked back a short while later and the bison was nowhere to be seen. I threw my backpack on and hustled up the trail while vigilantly scanning my surroundings, as I knew the bison was likely still in the area. Once I felt I had gotten a safe distance away, I dropped down to a normal walking pace. I came across a covered picnic table after only about 30 minutes of hiking and stopped for a quick snack because I was unsure when the next rest stop would be.
The trail became more steep and winding after that point as it climbs up to a ridge. I was pulling myself up the incline with my poles when my left pole suddenly gave way and I nearly toppled over. My pole had separated in the middle and I was left with something resembling a nunchuck. "That's perfect timing" I grumbled to myself, as I had only just begun the climb for the day, which is also the last major climb of the trail. With only one pole, the elevation gain felt much more challenging. My broken pole was not completely useless though, as I could use it as a noisemaker to warn bison of my approach.
As I neared the top of the ridge, I crested a hump in the trail to see a bison approximately 15 meters ahead! The bison was lumbering down the trail away from me, so I paused to increase the distance between us. The bison disappeared over another hump in the trail and I realized it was dumb of me to lose sight of the bison because it could have stopped right over the hump and then I would end up very close to it when I crest the hump. I proceeded cautiously, banging my pole as I went in order to avoid sneaking up on the bison. When I crested the hump, the trail was clear ahead. I knew the bison could not have gone far. I looked down the slope on my left and saw the bison looking up at me from approximately 10 meters below. I walked briskly away, frequently peering over my shoulder to ensure it was not charging after me. The bison stayed still and let me continue on my merry way. I popped out onto a gravel road and came across a couple hiking the opposite way. I alerted them of the bison I had just passed and they seemed unfazed.
After over an hour of climbing in the blazing sun, I was sweaty, tired, and hungry. I was eager to get to the airport for lunch and I knew that I was getting close. When I turned off the gravel road, I was met with a covered picnic table beside a duck pond. I was enticed to stop for a snack.
I hiked for maybe 20 minutes more before I arrived at the airport. I was annoyed at myself for stopping for a snack earlier because now I was showing up to the restaurant already full. I had really been looking forward to eating here, so I decided to get lunch anyways. When I used the restaurant bathroom, I saw in the mirror how sunburnt I really was!
As I was packing up to leave the airport, a man began chatting with me as he also packed up to leave. He was going in the opposite direction, so I asked him if he had seen any bison on his way to the airport. He told me that he had not, which apparently is unusual because he has hiked the Trans Catalina Trail numerous times and always seen bison in that section. One time, he had been forced to wait an hour for a bison to move off the trail because there was no way to go around!
I set off for Black Jack campground feeling relieved that I was unlikely to have another bison encounter today. This section of trail had taller vegetation, which made for poorer visibility, so I regularly banged my pole together in case there was a bison lurking in the bushes.
I arrived at Black Jack campground at around 2pm. There was nobody else there, so the campground felt like a ghost town. After setting up my tent, I changed into my bathing suit to take a shower. Unfortunately, I found that the plumbing had been shut off and the only water available at the site was in bottles.
At around 4pm, other groups of hikers finally started to roll in. I overheard all of them complaining at how challenging the day had been, which made me think that I had made the better choice to hike the trail in the opposite direction.
Since you are not allowed to have a fire at Black Jack, I tucked into my tent when the sun went down, which in November was 6pm. I had cell service, so before bed I sent an update to my loved ones and checked the weather forecast. I had trouble falling asleep because my circadian clock felt it was too early and because the chatter from nearby sites kept me up.
Day 5 - Black Jack to Avalon
Walking Time: 5.5h
Distance: 16.8km
Elevation Gain: 573m
I had managed to fix my pole last night and I was very pleased to be setting off with a pair or working poles again because I knew they would be useful for the big descent at the end of the day.
I left Black Jack campground at around 8:30am. The trail started by dropping down into a valley, which was a nice way to flush out the legs. I saw a hiker up ahead on the ridge. When we met, I commented that he must have gotten a really early start because he was nearly at Black Jack campground and it was only 9am! I asked him if he'd seen any bison on his way from Avalon, which he had not, and then I let him carry on because he seemed like he was on a mission and not very interested in stopping to talk with me.
The trail kept rising and falling through the hills. Eventually, I started to get a bit annoyed at repeatedly working my butt off to get up a hill only to immediately lose that elevation again. Looking out over the vast red dirt hills dotted with cacti while the sun beat down on me, I really felt today more than any other that I was in the desert.
I arrived at the Haypress reservoir at around 11am and stopped at the park to have a snack at the picnic table and use the restrooms. There were a couple other groups of hikers taking a break there as well and they encouraged me that I only had one more bit of ascent before it would be all downhill.
A few minutes later, when I had climbed up to where the trail meets Divide Road, I crossed paths with a couple. I congratulated them on finishing their climb out of Avalon and before the midday sun! The man asked me, "Did you see any other bison on the trail or is that the first?" I turned to see a bison down the hill behind me approximately 20 feet away. I tried to play it off cool, as if I had seen the bison but not cared because I was so used to them at this point. In reality, I was concerned that I was not as vigilant as I had thought myself to be and I couldn't help but wonder how many other bison I had narrowly missed on the trail.
It was road walking from there, well dirt track not paved road, and the walking grew wearisome despite the nice views of the ocean on the left and the desert hills on the right. I saw Avalon below with a massive cruise ship in the bay. I was eager to enjoy a celebratory beer at a pub in town, but also not ready for the crowds of tourists.
The trail down into Avalon is all switchbacks and I appreciated that these made the rapid descent easier on my knees. The trail was very busy, both with hikers beginning the Trans Catalina Trail and with day hikers seeking a view from the ridge. I tried to encourage people that they were almost there or that the view from the top is worth the struggle. At the bottom, a man and his partner nervously waiting by the trailhead asked me if there are any rangers checking for permits and then pointed to a sign saying "permit required". I smirked and told them that I had just walked across the whole island and never had a ranger ask me for a permit, so I'm sure they would be fine walking up to the ridge.
When I got into town, I passed the Mexican restaurant with the $2 tacos I had heard about. Unfortunately, I was there before the $2 happy hour special, but I stopped anyways and paid full price for tacos. After filling up on tasty Mexican food and getting a slight buzz off only one beer because I was dehydrated from hiking, I wandered through town and down to the beach for a refreshing dip in the ocean.
