HOME Cedros and San Benitos Islands
Topography and Trails
Cedros Island is primarily a desert climate, but in the mountains
there are forests of endemic Cedros Pine and Cedros Oak trees, which
get their moisture mainly from fog. Here the forests can be seen on top
of the mountains, 3,950 ft at their highest elevation.
On the trail to the Cedros Pine forests. The desert
vegetation includes juniper scrub, chapparal,
coastal scrub and sand dune scrub.
Detail of the Baja Peninsula and Cedros and San Benitos Islands.
Located in the Pacific ocean off the coast of Baja California Mexico,
Cedros and San Benito Islands are about 300 miles from the U.S.
Desert plants mix with Cedros Pines and Oaks in the high
mountain forests. These trees are unique to this island.
Other endemic species include the Cedros horned lizard,
Cedros mule deer and Cedros brush rabbit.
The lighthouse on the east San Benitos Island.
Rotating guards live full time on the San Benitos fishing camp
where fisherman and their families back every year
during fishing season.
Aerial view of the salt transportation plant in El Morro,
one of only two towns on Cedros Island.
This plant , along with the fishing co-op, are the only industries on
the island. Tourism, which COA is working to foster,
is an important addition to the economy of this remote
island, and will help the locals to protect this fragile eco-system.
The east shore of Cedros Island
Aerial view of Cedros Town, one of only two towns
on Cedros Island, where most of the island's
approximately 4,500 inhabitants live.
The island is 24 miles long from north to south, and
the majority of it remains uninhabited .
The San Benitos, a group of three islands, lie 16 miles west
of Cedros Island. These islands are important breeding ground for
elephant seals, Guadalupe fur seals and sea lions.
Trails run the circumference of the island, past the lighthouse and
fishing village on the west, returning to the east.
Punta Norte
Agave in bloom on the west side of the island
Pine forests at the end of the Punta Norte trail, on the west side
Eco-Tourists leaving Punta Norte
Eco-tourists photographing desert plants