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Santa Catalina Island, CA – Volunteer Vacation 2024

May 19 @ 5:00 pm - May 25 @ 10:00 am

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Explore diverse coastal habitat and maintain trails at the same time with this beautiful trip to Santa Catalina Island! Santa Catalina, one of California’s Channel Islands, lies southwest of Los Angeles. It’s known for its wildlife, scuba dive sites and Mt. Orizaba, its highest peak. The resort town of Two Harbors lies to the north. To the south, in the city of Avalon, palm trees and cabanas line Descanso Beach. Avalon’s circular, art deco Catalina Casino is a cultural center with a movie theater, ballroom and museum.

Volunteers will help with trail maintenance on this incredible island off the coast of California. The Trans-Catalina Trail is a rugged hike along the Island’s interior with camping stops next to pristine beaches covering 38.5 miles. Volunteers will use shovels, picks, and loppers to provide maintenance to the Trans Catalina Trail. Volunteers will drive or carpool to the project site.

During this trip, Santa Catalina Island’s average high temperature is 70°, and average low temperature is 55°.

There is no experience needed to join a Volunteer Vacation! Your expert hosts will provide detailed instruction, tool demonstrations, and project oversight throughout the week. All you need is a willing attitude and to be in good physical condition to participate in moderate physical activity for approximately 6-8 hours a day with plenty of breaks, at your own pace. Find out more about what it’s like to join a Volunteer Vacation and other frequently asked questions here.

AHS acknowledges with gratitude that this project takes place on the traditional lands of the Tongva peoples past and present. We honor the land itself, the Indigenous communities who have stewarded this land for generations, their deep and sacred connection to these lands, and those who continue to steward these lands today. We offer this land acknowledgement as the first of many steps to stand as an ally and amplify Indigenous voices. We invite the American Hiking Society community to join us through continued efforts to support Indigenous communities and learn more about the history of the lands on which we live, work and recreate.

Click here for a PDF of trip details.

Host

Catalina Island Conservancy

Accommodations

Car Camping Tent Sites

Hiking/Access

Volunteers will drive or carpool to the project site.

Project Rating

Moderate

Minimum Volunteer Age

16

Maximum Group Size

14

Area and Attractions

The Conservancy provides access to Catalina’s Wildlands with nearly 165 miles of recreational roads and trails and 62 miles of secluded coves for camping, biking, hiking, touring and more. Enjoy Descanso Beach, a pretty one-mile stroll north of Avalon Harbor where kayaks and stand-up paddleboards are available to rent. Join a SNUBA adventure and walk across the sea floor without all of the heavy scuba equipment, all while breathing fresh air through a special hose connected to an air supply on the surface. Enjoy a glass-bottom boat tour or an entertaining mini-submarine tour of Avalon Harbor.

Accommodations Description

Tents and cots with mattresses are available for up to 14 guests. The camp has two refrigerators, four bathrooms with flush toilets and two hot water showers, and a full kitchen. There is no wifi and cell signal is limited. Volunteers will need to bring their personal camping gear, bedding, towels, and toiletries.

Travel

Long Beach Airport in Long Beach, California is the closest major airport. Airport pick up and drop off is not available for volunteers, however carpooling and rideshare can be arranged upon confirmation of the trip. Volunteers will need to take a ferry from the Catalina Express terminal in Long Beach, CA to Santa Catalina Island. The host will provide ferry tickets to volunteers from the Long Beach ferry terminal. The Long Beach airport is about 16 minutes from the Catalina Express ferry terminal.

Location

Catalina Express Terminal
320 Golden Shore, Long Beach, CA 90802 United States + Google Map
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