Navy Announces Reopening of San Miguel Island

The U.S. Navy announced that on 5/16 it will reopen San Miguel Island to the public in time for the summer season, more than two years after it closed the former bombing range to look for unexploded ordnance. The discovery of potentially dangerous, but ultimately harmless, materials prompted the closure. The Navy surveyed 18 miles of marked trails and high-use areas and found 125 munition items, such as practice bombs, bomb fragments, and fuses. No explosives were discovered, but visitors must now sign an access permit and liability waiver to access the property. The Navy also said the island won’t be open if there isn’t a ranger to escort visitors.