Santa Barbara Island

Santa Barbara Island is 38 miles off southern California close to Los Angeles. Santa Barbara is one of the small Channel Islands in the archipelago at 640 acres. It is also the southern- most island part of the chain and Channel Islands National Park. The highest peak or mountain is 634 feet, making it more like a hill than a true mountain.

The Channel Islands were created based on volcanic activity and earthquakes. They sit on a fault like much of California. It boasts as being one primarily created from Miocene volcanic rock or basalt. The cliffs on the shore line make it fairly young compared to the other islands. There are six marine terraces with tectonic uplift and subsidence. Visitors may want to check out Arch Point on the north east shore because it is a 130 foot arch caused by erosion. Shag Rock and Sutil Island are also two other rocks of importance.

Historically the island was visited by the Portuguese. Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo arrived on the island in 1542 though it took another 60 years for the island to be dedicated to Saint Barbara. Santa Barbara Island has one of the largest sea lion populations in California.