Hiking

Hiking permits are required by the Catalina Island Conservancy. They are free of charge, and available the day of your hike. They can be obtained at these locations:

Conservancy House in Avalon, at 125 Claressa Ave.
Open daily from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM, may close for lunch. 310-510-2595
Catalina's Airport-in-the-Sky
Open daily from 8 AM to 5:00 PM (winter) 7:00 PM (summer), call 310-510-0143.
Two Harbors Visitor Information Center
Open daily from 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM (winter) 6:30 PM (summer), call 800-422-8475.

On the first Saturday of the summer months, May through September, HIKE into the interior with the Catalina Island Conservancy's Education Department.

Trail maps are available.

Hiking Rules and Regulations:

Hiking permits are issued for day hiking only and not for overnight camping or backpacking.
Please use trash containers provided. When none is available, please carry refuse out with you. Section No. 374B of the California Penal Code covers the anti-littering act and its enforcement.
Tree cutting or gathering of wood, plant collecting, or in any way removing or defacing any natural or man made feature, including archaeological sites, is prohibited.
Do not disturb wildlife. All plants and animals are protected. Many are found only in Catalina and are rare and/or endangered species.
No hiker shall carry firearms, traps or other hunting equipment while in the interior of Catalina.
Hitchhiking is prohibited.
Carry a signed permit while hiking.
Dogs must be held on a leash while in the interior of Catalina.
Adhere to all regulations that govern your travel in the back country. As a visitor you have the responsibility to leave the natural environment free of any permanent imprints.
Stay on roads and trails.

Caution: Poison Oak
Poison oak is common in Catalina's canyons and creek-beds. If you brush against it stop immediately and wash your skin with soap. Don't itch! That only spreads it to your hands and then other parts of your body. The rash is sometimes difficult to acquire the first time, but subsequent reactions require less contact and tend to be much more severe.

Rattlesnakes
It's rare to see or hear a snake along trails and roads, but it's worth it to be careful. The bites are rarely fatal, but (like bees) if you have an allergic reaction it can be life-threatening. Snakes are cold-blooded, so in the heat of the day they're often in the shade of tall grass, and at night they will sometimes try to absorb the heat off the blacktop roads. And even the babies are poisonous.

Heat
Make sure to carry plenty of water. Most of the Island's streams have dried up by May, and the daytime summer temperature can get up to 90 degrees.

Telephones
Emergency telephones are located throughout the interior.

Smoking
No smoking in the interior.

Fire Breaks

Wildland Weed Dispersal
Recreational use of the island, even through activities as innocuous as hiking, can contribute to the spread of wildland weeds on the island.