Santa Barbara Island, Pacific island in Channel Islands National Park, California
Santa Barbara Island is a small island in Channel Islands National Park off the coast of California. It features steep cliffs that rise to Signal Hill, which towers over 600 feet (180 meters) above the ocean.
The island was mapped by the United States Coast Survey in the 1850s and subsequently used for fishing and seal hunting operations. These early economic activities shaped human use of the remote island for several decades.
Archaeological findings indicate human settlements from indigenous Chumash and Tongva peoples extending beyond 4000 years on this remote island.
The island is best reached by ferry from Ventura Harbor, with the crossing taking about one to two hours across the Pacific. Visitors should prepare for rough conditions and limited facilities on the island.
The island is home to two plant species found nowhere else in the world: Santa Barbara Island live-forever and St. Catherine's lace buckwheat. These rare plants thrive only in the special climate conditions of this remote location.
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