Potato Harbor Loop via North Bluff Trail(edit)

Overview

This is a easy loop trail to Potato Harbor in Channel Islands National Park.

This trail goes by Upper Scorpion Campground and Scorpion Campground. The trail can be accessed from a number of points along the campground. The trail ascends steeply offering views from the cliffs that line the island. The path is broad and well-trod, making for easy footing for all.

After a good day enjoying the phenomenal kayaking at Santa Cruz where we went to Potato Harbor and enjoyed the snorkeling gear we brought, we decided we wanted to hike up to the overlook, doubling our fun at Potato Harbor.

The trail starts in seveal places, but if you catch it at the beach, you can hike out to two overlooks with splendid views: Cavern Point and the Sea Stacks overlook. It was great to see where we'd been from above. It all looks bigger from a boat, and smaller from hundreds of feet elevations.

The flat wide trail allowed my wife and I to chat side by side for most of the distance before we reached the end. Time had flown and we were there, overlooking the small rocky beach we'd lunched on only 6 hours ago and again listen to the calls of the seals who lounge on the west side of the Potato rock. We sat and watched the amazing sunset, then strolled through the deepening darkness back to the campground.

One caveat: at the end, there are a couple of side faint side trails leading to the south and the canyons dropping into the Potato Harbor. The signs note that no trails drop into Potato Harbor, and, having been there, I'm sure they are correct that those faint trails lead only to steep drops.