If you’ve only visited Avalon, you haven’t seen the real Catalina
You don’t need to go on safari to see wild creatures up close—just head to Catalina’s back country, where bison and foxes roam free and you might catch a glimpse of an animal seen nowhere else in the world.
Although more than a million people visit Catalina annually, few visit the most interesting part of the island — the back country. Avalon is just a small part of the island; and beyond it lies a place worlds apart from where you can find deserted beaches, first-rate backcountry activities and wide, open spaces.
This is where the buffalo roam. They graze on grass growing along the side of the road or amble down the middle of it. Visitors have the opportunity to view the bison by reserving an excursion to the backcountry with a local tour operator.
The bison are a Catalina curiosity — 14 were left here during the filming of a movie in 1924; now about 150 roam free. Some are as much as 10 feet long, 6 feet tall and weigh up to 2,000 pounds.
Catalina is California the way it used to be, before gridlocked traffic, shopping malls and housing developments. It’s the real deal.
By Rosemary McClure