A Catalina backpacking journey, sparked by a Facebook post, took us from lush hills to beachside campsites. Despite challenging trails and unexpected encounters with wildlife, the beauty of Catalina’s landscape left us in awe. As we boarded the boat back to the mainland, we reflected on our luck in avoiding rain and cherished the memories of our adventure.
It all began with a Facebook post. Someone had snagged campsite reservations in Catalina for early April. I seized the chance, eager to backpack again after my last trip to The Enchantments in Washington State.
Fast forward to departure day. We hopped on a boat from Long Beach to Avalon with Catalina Express, brimming with excitement as we prepared to hit the trail. Arriving in Avalon an hour later, we were greeted by lush, green hills, promising an unforgettable adventure ahead.
Our first stop was the Conservancy shop, doubling as the trailhead, and then the supermarket for some last-minute supplies. From there, we headed to our initial campsite, Hermit Gulch, a mere 1.5 miles from the trailhead and about 300ft elevation.
It was a gentle start to our journey albeit already uphill. After picking up a gas can (boat regulations), we set up camp.
Hermit Gulch felt more like glamping than roughing it, with its amenities like picnic tables, toilets, showers, WiFi, and electricity. We settled in, enjoyed a meal, and shared stories before turning in early, knowing the next day’s trek wouldn’t be as leisurely.
Hermit Gulch to BlackJack campground– Officially 10.5 miles- Total Elevation 2740ft
We started our day around 7 am, had breakfast, tidied up, packed our bags, and began our first climb. The ascent kicked off right as we exited the campgrounds, covering 1.5 miles and gaining about 1200 feet in elevation. The views were breathtakingly lush. This leg of the journey warranted our first break at the top—it was a brutal uphill battle to start with.
After conquering that tough climb, we were relieved to come across some flatter terrain and enjoyable downhill stretches.
We paused for lunch along the way, eventually reaching the reservoir where we briefly paused to witness the partial eclipse. We borrowed glasses from some fellow hikers, the dimming was noticeable—perhaps because we were already expecting it.
Pressing on, we encountered more inclines and challenging descents, navigating manageable muddy patches from the previous week’s rain. I kept my eyes peeled for bison, a personal goal for this trip, but no luck on day one!
By the time we reached BlackJack campground, exhaustion had settled in, leaving our legs feeling like jelly. Thankfully, a good night’s sleep and some ibuprofen worked wonders. After setting up camp, chatting with neighbors, and having dinner, we hit the sack. BlackJack campground has picnic tables as well as fox boxes at each camp, running water, and toilet as well as exterior showers if you wish to rinse off, some people have cell reception depending on your provider.
Lesson learned: Hill training is a must before attempting this hike, as two hikers we met had to quit the next day due to leg pain.
BlackJack to Little Harbor Campground with a detour to Airport in the Sky- Officially 8.5 miles
We woke up to a surprise- fox droppings on our table. Despite clearing away all our food the night before, it seems they were annoyed at us for not leaving them anything.
We broke camp a bit later, planning to brunch at the airport in the Sky, two miles away. The hike kicked off with a short, steep uphill out of camp, but mostly descended until the airport came into view. Then, there was another uphill stretch, though nothing as strenuous as the day before. Along the way, we passed babbling creeks serenaded by frogs- until they dramatically stop. I was taken aback by the amount of water on Catalina; I always pictured it as bone dry.
At the airport, I opted for a bison burger, a local specialty. It wasn’t particularly memorable, but a welcome change from the freeze-dried food of the past two days. We also took the chance to charge our phones and batteries.
A few miles past the airport we were lucky to observe a lone bison grazing. As we walked by, hikers coming from the other direction warned us about a group of bisons a mile down the road being very close to the road. Sure enough, we encountered them right ON THE ROAD!!
Multiple hikers were stuck so we tried to find a different route to bypass them but after a few minutes, they decided to move off the road. We could safely walk past them and go onward on our journey. This gave me a checkmark on one of my goals so I was super pumped up.
The hike to Little Harbor was relatively flat, with some manageable ups and downs, unlike the previous day’s grueling climbs. The landscape took on a desert-like feel.
I also developed my first blisters under my second toes, but a quick fix on the trail sorted them out for the rest of the trip – my fault for not stopping as I felt something was off. Arriving at Little Harbor, we searched and set up camp and cooled our feet in the ocean—a much-needed refreshment. After dinner, attempts to build a fire in the concrete ring needed a lot of effort due to a lack of airflow. Nonetheless, we indulged in some well-deserved s’mores and admired the phenomenal sunset before turning in for the night.
Our campsite, LH15A, wasn’t the most accommodating, lacking flat ground for two tents. However, the campground provided running water, a picnic table at each site, and porta-potties.
Little Harbor to Two Harbor Campground- Officially 5.3 miles
As the day broke, we stuck to our routine: breakfast, cleanup, and packing up. Starting from Little Harbor, the trail began with a gentle incline that quickly escalated into ultra-steep uphills, ascending from sea level to 1200 feet.
Numerous times, I thought I’d reached the peak, only to discover I had further to go. The rocky terrain made the climb even more arduous and slippery. Once at the summit, I found comfort under a pergola, watching as clouds engulfed the trail I had just conquered. It was a mystical and otherworldly sight.
I took a lengthy break, checking my blister bandages, then began the challenging descent, especially as I neared Two Harbors.
The trail hugged the coast, offering breathtaking views on both sides of the island.
Arriving at Two Harbors, I stopped by the bar grill to charge my phone before heading to camp where, we found our site (TH14) was even less accommodating than the previous one, lacking sufficient flat ground for two tents. Since we were staying for two nights, we trekked back to Two Harbors and requested a different site. While in town, we treated ourselves to a cold beer and chips before heading back to camp to enjoy the beach and evening. The new site (TH17) was spacious and flat and we could enjoy the incredible view.
The campground provided water, porta-potties, and picnic tables at each site. Some lucky campers even had cell reception.
Since we didn’t secure a Parsons Landing campsite, we stuck around Two Harbors for another night. We took a stroll to Cat Harbors, where the turquoise waters contrasted beautifully with the fog-covered mountains.
Lunch was a delicious serving of fish and chips, followed by a leisurely day lounging at the beach. On my walk back to camp, I spotted several foxes peacefully enjoying their meals in our campground.
As I neared my tent, something seemed off. I had heard stories about ravens pecking at tents or squirrels trying to snitch food, but I never thought it would happen to me—I’m meticulous about keeping food away from my tent. Yet, there it was: a ziplock bag at the entrance and a sizable hole in the inside mesh. A sneaky squirrel had gnawed through in search of a snack and left a mess behind!
After cleaning up the unexpected intrusion and patching the hole as a temporary fix, we enjoyed a pleasant evening by the fire, indulging in s’mores and watching the sunset.
Two Harbors to Parsons Landing campground- Officially 6.8 miles- 1938 ft elevation gain!
We tackled the west side trail, known for its challenge, with many recommending poles—and they were right. The uphill sections were tough, but the real trial came with the downhill stretch. At one point, it hits a staggering -46% incline on a gravelly, slippery road. Even with poles, it required careful, tiny steps to avoid a tumble. Thankfully, recent rain in Southern California had left some sections resembling small riverbeds, which I used as makeshift stairs to some extent. Despite the foggy conditions, the trail’s beauty was undeniable.
Arriving at Parsons Landing, any hardships along the trail were quickly forgotten. The campsites were right on the beach—truly the highlight of the trip. After setting up camp, enjoying a dip in the ocean — just the feet, and taking a nap on the sand, we set out to explore the area. North of the camp, a creek flows into the ocean, adorned with beautiful rocks. We followed the creek until it dried up, then returned to camp to light a fire. Thanks to the generosity of the previous occupants, we had plenty of wood for our final night on Catalina.
This campground does not have running water but you can buy water by the gallon as you reserve your site and it will be delivered by about 4 pm. It has picnic tables and toilet available.
Parsons Landing to Two Harbor- Officially 7.5 miles
This marked our final day, and an early rise was necessary with our boat departing at 11 am. Waking up around 6:15 am, we stuck to our usual routine before hitting the trail around 7 am, opting for the east side trail to complete the Trans- Catalina 38.5 miles. This route proved to be a breeze—a flat path hugging the coast through numerous coves.
By around 10 am, we had completed our hike, leaving us with ample time to shower, grab breakfast at the bar grill, and join the queue for the boat back to the mainland at San Pedro.
Remarkably, we managed to dodge rain throughout the entire week—until we boarded the boat, that is. It started coming down just as we set sail. We counted ourselves extremely fortunate, as I can’t even fathom attempting this trek in the rain. Having completed it, I now understand why the Catalina Conservancy closes the trails during wet weather.
In summary, I’m thrilled I grabbed the opportunity to join my new friend on this adventure. We picked the perfect time of year—the weather was ideal, flowers were in full bloom, and the mountains were lush and inviting.