Santa Cruz Scorpion Campground, Channel Islands National Park, CA - Latest Reviews, Photos & Campground Map

Santa Cruz Scorpion Campground is part of Channel Islands National Park in California (about 23 miles from Oxnard, CA) with an elevation of 20 feet. There are a total of 31 campsites which are all tent-only sites. The campground is open all year. All sites are currently reservable. Reservations can be booked up to 6 months in advance. Fees range from $15.00 to $40.00. Some amenities include drinking water, swimming, restroom, water sports rental. Activities include boating, fishing, hiking trails, floating sports.

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Campsite Reviews (397)

4.8 out of 5

5 star		83%
4 star		9%
3 star		4%
2 star		1%
1 star		1%

@CamrynFC276954 · Camped on Jul 19, 2025 at Campsite #18

Great campsite perfect for one larger tent (4-person) and one smaller tent (2-person), some shade from the hills and trees, close to the bathroom, but not too close to get any sort of smell. Bathrooms were decently clean for vault toilets, lots of flies. There's little privacy in the campground, given it is just a sparse eucalyptus grove. If I come again, I will try for site #11 or #14, they were the most private. Got pretty windy at night, I was glad I brought my fleece (even in July!), and the island foxes and ravens are no joke, be very careful with food storage (each site has a "fox box"). Short hike uphill for stunning sunset views.

@JulioD465C5676 · Camped on Jul 18, 2025 at Campsite #21

Great outdoor experience

@GregoryFF4F7CF · Camped on Jul 16, 2025 at Campsite #20

Great location and beautiful island!

@NoahZ38A68B912 · Camped on Jul 14, 2025 at Campsite #23

Fantastic! Although a bit further to walk, highly recommend upper campground. #23 is pretty secluded, and all these at the end of the campground have a beautiful unobstructed view up the valley into the mountains. There's NPS-reserved site in between 23 & 24 that's not on the map, which creates separation or, if you have both 23 & 24, a huge joint space (it was unused when we were there). 24 & 25 are pretty close to one another but otherwise secluded and so would make a great pair. Highly recommend kayaking despite the price. If you can manage the extra distance (steadily but not severely uphill), getting to the Montanon Ridge off the Scorpion Loop was spectacular.

@BrendanM393331 · Camped on Jul 6, 2025 at Campsite #2

one of the best parks I've ever been to. Unique and beautiful. Will return!

@ToddL4603084 · Camped on Jul 6, 2025 at Campsite #14

A truly unique and wonderful experience. Stand at the front of the boat on the way over, you will likely see dolphins. Bring warm layers (even in summer), because the wind will be be omnipresent. Other tips: fly a kite on the beach, plan to hike as many trails as possible, rent a kayak cave tour, watch the sunset from Cavern Point (arrive early to see the entire light show), and bring a wetsuit for snorkeling. We limited ourselves to only what would fit into our backpacks, but a cart with extra luxuries or food on ice is perfectly acceptable (just stay within your weight limits).

@ZacharyB979819 · Camped on Jul 4, 2025 at Campsite #22

Saw a whale on the ferry ride over and a huge pod of dolphins on the way back! Campsite was great, quiet and just the right walk for anyone transitioning from car camping. Hike to watch the sunset is super close and I would recommend renting snorkel gear for the kelp forest in the harbor.

@MarisaL8FC0A06 · Camped on Jul 3, 2025 at Campsite #1

What an incredible experience. A California native, I had heard of the Channel Islands but was never sure where they were or what they were all about. The easiest "backpacking" experience I can imagine, with 60 lbs. weight limit, running water (no showers or sinks, just a spigot) on the island, it was a short walk from the boat to the campgrounds. People were quiet (though those foxes were pretty sniffy around the tent in the night) and respectful. The hikes were well-curated and gorgeous - wish I'd been able to go for more than one night!As promised - foxes - hungry! Adorable.Ravens - giant! Vocal!Scrub jays - ... exist!Watch for the weird sticky brown tiny oval bugs... they'll climb on your pen while you're journaling and it'll be hard to get them off your things. ;) The rangers were incredible. This administration can **** it if they mess with locations like this.

@AmeliaKa0C6E3B · Camped on Jul 1, 2025 at Campsite #21

NIce campground. Beautiful location, cute foxes, smart ravens, and nice shady sites. The Channel Islands are beautiful. The pit toilets are a bit rough but that's okay.

@AMYS5542485 · Camped on Jun 29, 2025 at Campsite #A

This was an incredible internet-free get-away with my family. We hiked, kayaked and sat in the sun. Highly recommended.

@GenevaR3FECAD2 · Camped on Jun 29, 2025 at Campsite #19

The campsite was extremely clean and was very spacious. There were rangers always available if you had a question or issue and I felt extremely safe as a solo female camper.

@MirandaNFC6776 · Camped on Jun 29, 2025 at Campsite #4

Great time! Ranger Karen is a total rockstar.

@BrianaC8488758 · Camped on Jun 27, 2025 at Campsite #10

The weather was perfect and mild! The crowds weren't too bad. The hiking trails were maintained and had excellent views. There's only cell service at the dock, so keep that in mind if you need to contact anyone. Something else to consider is there is no running water on the island, so be prepared for the bathrooms. My group brought heavy duty sanitizing wipes and next time we'll bring a shower bag to wash our hands. Other than that this is truly a Treasure in the Sea!

@DavidW7736336 · Camped on Jun 22, 2025 at Campsite #9

Santa Cruz and Scorpion Campground are amazing. Lovely hikesPotato Harbor, Smugglers Coveboth delightful. Although we didnt participate, there seemed like plenty of water activities availablesnorkeling, kayaking. On the trip over and back the ferry captain took us through a large pod of dolphins (hundreds of dolphins, without exaggeration).

@PamelaA8210131 · Camped on Jun 21, 2025 at Campsite #21

Do not visit the Channel Islands. Its amazing!

@Elizabeth93265 · Camped on Jun 19, 2025 at Campsite #B

The vibrant peaceful energy of this island is a dream. We are so lucky it is so close to Los Angeles. The group campsites are quite large. This one has trees on both sides and is directly adjacent to the bathrooms and potable water. The bathrooms is both a good and a bad thing. It was very windy the whole time we were there until day 3 when and when the wind died down, we could smell the bathroom when we were close to it's we were able to set up our tents pretty far away though, so it was a non-issue. Trees are very large trunks so bring extenders for your hammock. During the day, there are no bad views- the island is a California paradise, and the night sky is hypnotizing. You can see the milky way. My son counted 66 fox sightings and we even saw babies multiple times. Bring stuff for wind (windbreakers) and sun (hats and sun shirts). Plan your food well. Overall an amazing experience.

@Jacquelin5BBD7 · Camped on Jun 18, 2025 at Campsite #14

This is a unique - one-of-a-kind opportunity to visit a beautiful other-worldly type place without going far. It is an adventure for sure, but with not too many inconveniences. We loved the kayak cave tour, swam, enjoyed seeing fox cubs frolic and the beautiful blue island jays stopped by the tree next to our tent often. The campground has running water, the nearby hiking trails have breathtaking views, and the ferry trip was an adventure in itself. Our advice is to book the ferry right after you book your site. We had a little bit of trouble booking the ferry we wanted - but somehow it all worked out.

@NicoleS4864408 · Camped on Jun 15, 2025 at Campsite #9

Campers during our stay were quiet and respectful of our space. The campground's layout is open, so it is quite easy to see when others are up. Oftentimes in situations like this, campers tend to run over each other. During this visit other campers respected boundaries while still open to polite socialization.

@NikkiY1F8E458E · Camped on Jun 7, 2025 at Campsite #15

I had an amazing time at this campground. The site itself was well-maintained, offering nice campsites, fantastic hiking opportunities, and breathtaking ocean views. The vault restroom was clean, though the smell was quite bad.A big highlight was the park ranger, who provided valuable information about the island, the campsite, and emergency procedures, which added to the overall experience. Their guidance made me feel more prepared and informed.I enjoyed this trip so much that Im already planning to explore other campsites soon!

@josephs9140090 · Camped on Jun 6, 2025 at Campsite #9

One of the best places the US has to offer to spend a weekend!

@IvanA4790D1AAC · Camped on Jun 4, 2025 at Campsite #22

Amazing well-spaced out campground with plenty of water spigots. Rangers are awesome and explain things well. Hikes were great and camping allows you to do more of the park! Ravens and foxes will eat your stuff if you leave it out, very opportunistic.

@SummerS6EB32A1 · Camped on Jun 1, 2025 at Campsite #11

We had site #11 which is tucked away in the back of the lower loop. Site #11 is the most privacy you're going to get because it backs up to an empty creek, whereas all the other sites are pretty much out in the open, and the sites are tight with very little shade or privacy. Spigots are around for clean drinkable water. Upon arrival, please be warned that you will need to carry all of your belongings to the campsite. It says 1/4 mile walk which doesn't sound bad, but it's not a nice walk! You walk through sand, through gravelly dirt, through wood chips, and more dirt/sticks/rocks. If you have a physical disability like myself, ask a ranger for a ride on their golf carts to get to your site. I didn't know this was an option until I asked at the end of the trip. The bathrooms at this campsite (and Channel Islands as a whole) were unacceptable throughout our stay. Pit toilets were nearly overflowing with HUNDREDS of flies swarming you as you attempted to use it. Weeks old fly traps, too. Horrible experience with that. NPS needs to clean the pit toilets, or be prepared for people to go in the forest because the condition of the toilets was unacceptable.

@RyanS4713424 · Camped on May 29, 2025 at Campsite #18

Great outdoor experience

@WenYB36A272581 · Camped on May 26, 2025 at Campsite #4

Excellent camping locations. Great for hiking, snorkeling, and kayaking. There is water available on site as well as toilets with septic tanks. No showers.Would recommend 2 nights if you want to take it easy the first day, spend one day hiking and seeing the island, and the last day kayaking before ferrying back in the late afternoon. If you think camping on the weekdays will be less busy you are wrong, there are many kids and field-trips. at least during the end of May when I was there.

@TheresaB676023 · Camped on May 25, 2025 at Campsite #9

Gorgeous scenery, delightful foxes, the weather was great and we would come back!

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Santa Cruz Scorpion Campground, Channel Islands National Park, CA - Latest Reviews, Photos & Campground Map