Detailed Trip Report: Day 3
Day 1 here | Day 2 here | Day 4 here
Day 3 [May 12]: Two Harbors to Parson’s Landing (via West End Road) to Starlight Beach
Hike:
15.6 miles*
1,200 feet elevation gain
Weather:
High 63° / Low 54° | Sunny
Terrain:
Dirt road in morning; dirt primarily well-packed trail in the afternoon
Camping:
Parson’s Landing, Site PL04
* Hike distances and elevation changes are all educated estimates based on maps and tools such as AllTrails.
$20 Well Spent
Morning Views at Little Harbor Campground Morning Coffee + Packing
- I woke up on Day 3 a little anxious. The day before, a couple that we were talking to mentioned having to pre-purchase water for Parson’s Landing because there was no running water at the campsite. Umm…whaaaaat? I didn’t remember seeing anything about that when I made my reservation or read blogs about other TCT trips. BUT I also did not follow through on my plan to look into campsite amenities in more detail in the days before the trip.
- Was it too late to get water if we didn’t already purchase it? To be comfortable, we def. needed more water than we could carry in our hydration bladders and water bottles. And where did you put in this water order? It wasn’t obvious.
- I ran over to the group we had been on the same schedule with since Day 1 and asked them about it. Yes, you needed to pre-purchase water, and you did it at the Two Harbors Visitor Center.
- After packing up camp, we headed over to the Two Harbors Visitor Center, paid our $20 and got a key to a locker at Parson’s Landing that would have the water and wood. We also got some solid insight about the trails including that the inland route to Parson’s Landing had a very, very steep section that some people preferred to go down en route to Parson’s and others preferred to go up on the return to Two Harbors. We also learned that one of the routes to Starlight Beach was washed-out and impassable.
- Brandon decided we should do the easier coastal route out to Parson’s and the tougher steeper climb on the way back to Two Harbors the next day. At the time I was indifferent to which day we did which trail but after the fact, I was glad we did it that way. Gave my legs a little rest on Day 3. Little being the operative word, we still walked double-digits, but it wasn’t as grueling as the prior two days.
- It was $20 and you’d get a key to a locker with firewood, two gallons of water,
- After learning about this water issue, I logged into check my campsite reservation for Parson’s and there was no noticeable alert about this.
Roadie
Coastal “trail” Redundant but still pretty. Yup, still pretty.
- Most of that morning’s “hike” was a six-mile walk along a wide, dirt path passable by cars along the ocean. The incline increase was minimal and gradual. Views were pretty but the same for the bulk of the walk.
- For me, this leg was a welcome breather from the prior two days. We ran into the couple that had advised us about buying water for Parson’s Landing and walked the last few miles with them. Talking to someone other than me was probably a welcome respite for Brandon.
Waterfront Lunch
- Locker key worked and we suddenly had ample water to make food, drink, and even kinda-sorta wash up with.
- We also realized there were only 8 campsites at Parson’s – pretty cool! Not all of them were clearly marked so we figured ours out by process of elimination.
- Enjoyed a hot, oceanfront lunch.
“This Better Be a Beautiful Beach”
- Parson’s Landing campsite seemed to whisper “This beach was made for relaxing….just hang out here,” but alas, we had miles to go to Starlight Beach before we could sleep.
- “Miles to go before we could sleep is an allusion to Robert Frost’s Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening, which I tried to recite without success during our hike to Starlight Beach. I also gave The Road Not Taken a crack with better, although not verbatim results. At the time, I mentally decided that I should memorize these poems, you know, for something to repeat in my head while hiking. Upon return to normal life, it’s become less of a priority.
The woods are lovely, dark & deep,
Robert Frost, Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
- Starlight Beach is the westernmost accessible point of Catalina Island. It used to be part of the official Trans-Catalina Trail but is now an optional “add-on.”
- The best part of the hike to Starlight Beach is you don’t have to carry all your gear! Just a day-pack or if you have a really good hiking partner like I did, nothing because they carry the day-pack for you. (Pop quiz: Do you know the Ten Essentials for a Day Hike? Check your answer here.)
- There are a few ups and downs on the route we chose, some nice views of Parson’s campground as you’re leaving and some ocean views along the way. We also encountered a few sections with so many butterflies that we joked it was Catalina’s largest butterfly garden.
- On fresh legs, the hike wouldn’t be too bad, but it does add about 8 miles on to the day and on tired legs, you learn what body parts have not been taking the abuse of the past few days well – Brandon’s feet and my hips, if you were wondering.
- At one point, Brandon commented that Starlight Beach better be a really beautiful beach since we were putting in this extra work. Turns out, Starlight Beach isn’t much of a “beach” at all, but more waterfront rocks.
- I hung out on a rock and stretched my hip when we arrived. Brandon wandered a bit, looking for a different beach hidden around a corner. I think he was convinced that this could not be THE Starlight Beach that you hear so much about along the way.
- After hanging out for a few, we headed back to the campsite. At one point on the return, the couple in front of us yelled back that they had seen a rattlesnake right around where Brandon was standing amid the high grass. He didn’t see it. These are the times when it is good to be in the back – let the trailblazers scare the wildlife away. That being said, I was still nervous walking through.
Slid on my butt to get down. It’s a strategy…maybe not the ideal one. Starlight “Beach” Friends for over 5 years. Only hiked across an island together once. #slackers
Whiskey Rivers & Tent Yoga
Loved the view behind the site too. Candid. Soaking it in. Brandon winning the photo comp. I look tired…because I was Campsite Perfection.
- We arrived back at the campsite just in time to enjoy a sunset. The type that you just have to enjoy because the size of the sun and its bright color just aren’t going to come through in a photo.
- We had a hot dinner with plans to follow it up with an Apple Cobbler backpacker dessert. Instead, we ended up having our respective whiskey cocktails (me = Apple Cider Whiskey; Brandon = just whiskey) and enjoying a campfire for a bit.
- I got cold and tired pretty quickly so I hit the tent around 8-something and did some yoga/stretching to try to work out my hips which seemed to alternate hurting like hell while hiking. I felt them loosening within a few minutes and they were much improved when I woke up the next morning.
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