Tours

This tour will give viewers a comprehensive history of Santa Rosa Island. It details the use of the island through many different inhabitants and owners, including the Chumash Native Americans, sheep ranchers, the Vail and Vickers cattle ranch, and the National Park Service. Most of the stops focus on historic structures in the ranch area and describes when they were built, how they were used, and who they were used by. The tour also gives an in-depth look at the Santa Rosa Island Research Station for students to view before they visit.

The VR tour is accompanied by a handout that gives more information on the trail and a scene list. The map shows each tour stop and it's location on the tail. These correspond to the scene list on the second page that describes the contents of each tour stop. It provides an extent map to orient visitors of the location of the tour. The handout also gives a brief overview of the trail, recommended outfit and gear, things to bring, safety hazards in the area, and approximate mileage of the trail. There are also a couple notes about tour stop locations and an addition to the main trail. This handout can be helpful for visitors using the VR tour on the island or walking the trail.

This tour gives an introduction to the geology of Lobo Canyon Trail. Lobo Canyon trail is filled with unique geological features and ends at a beach with a beautiful view of the island. This is a trail that is known to be more difficult and less accessible, however is known to be many people's favorite trail. This tour is done from the point of view as if you were hiking to Lobo Canyon from the pier.

This tour is led by a handout that includes a map of all the locations the tour shows, trail descriptions, and how to prepare to hike this trail. The guide highlights hazards that a visitor may experience while hiking Lobo Canyon.

The Torrey Pines Botanical Tour takes you through the Torrey Pines Trail. Beginning at the pier, you will walk through vast grasslands, passing Water Canyon into the Torrey Pines Forest. Each scene visited will introduce new species of flora located on the island.

The provided tour handout contains a map of the Torrey Pines Trail and the stops visited on the tour. Other information given includes how to prepare for the hike, what to wear and bring, possible hazards, and a list of all the plants you may encounter on the tour.