Santa Cruz Island

This article is about the Santa Cruz Island off the contiguous United States. For the Santa Cruz Islands in the Pacific Ocean, see Santa Cruz Islands. For the island of the Galápagos, see Santa Cruz Island (Galápagos).

Santa Cruz Island
Native name:
Isla de Santa Cruz (Spanish)
Limuw or Michumash (Cruzeño)
ESA satellite image of Santa Cruz Island
Geography
Coordinates34°00′N 119°43′W / 34.000°N 119.717°W / 34.000; -119.717
Area250 km2 (97 sq mi)
Length35 km (21.7 mi)
Width10 km (6 mi)
Highest elevation740 m (2430 ft)
Highest pointDevils Peak
Administration
United States
StateCalifornia
CountySanta Barbara
Demographics
PopulationRangers and tourists are the only residents
Map of the Channel Islands

Santa Cruz Island (Spanish: Isla Santa Cruz, Chumash: Limuw[1]) is located off the southwestern coast of Ventura, California, United States. It is the largest island in California[2] and largest of the eight islands in the Channel Islands archipelago and Channel Islands National Park.[3] Forming part of the northern group of the Channel Islands, Santa Cruz is 22 miles (35 km) long and 2 to 6 miles (3 to 10 km) wide with an area of 61,764.6 acres (249.952 km2).

The island's coastline has steep cliffs, large sea caves, coves, and sandy beaches. The highest point is Devils Peak, at over 2,450 feet (747 m). A central valley splits the island along the Santa Cruz Island Fault, with volcanic rock on the north and older sedimentary rock on the south. This volcanic rock was heavily fractured during an uplift phase that formed the island, and over a hundred large sea caves have been carved into the resulting faults. The largest is Painted Cave, among[quantify] the world's largest.[4]

The island is part of Santa Barbara County, California. The 2000 census showed a population of two people.[5] Santa Cruz is the largest privately owned island off the contiguous United States. Ownership is split between the National Park Service (24%) and the Nature Conservancy (76%).[3]

Public passenger access to the eastern portion of Santa Cruz Island is provided by the Island Packers ferry service out of the Ventura Harbor.

  1. ^ "Chumash Place Names". Archived from the original on April 1, 2015. Retrieved September 28, 2017.
  2. ^ "Santa Cruz Island - Island Packers Cruises". islandpackers.com. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Santa Cruz Island - Channel Islands National Park". National Park Service. Retrieved April 26, 2013.
  4. ^ *Bunnell, D. (1988). Sea Caves of Santa Cruz Island. Santa Barbara, CA: McNally and Loftin. ISBN 0-87461-076-1.
  5. ^ United States Census Bureau, 2005