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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Campground Capacity (Next 30 Days)

Campsite Reviews (375)

4.8 out of 5

5 star		83%
4 star		10%
3 star		4%
2 star		1%
1 star		1%

@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.

@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!

@ZachS7409666 · Camped on May 19, 2025 at Campsite #20

The only reason it wasnt a 5star was the bathroom smells. The recent staffing cuts by the president has reduced a staff of 7 down to 1 person to fulfill all the repairs and maintenance needs. Hes doing a great job for being by himself but Im nervous that things will get worse as time goes on and the increased numbers of summer happens

@RUBENO5E512359 · Camped on May 16, 2025 at Campsite #13

This place is truly a national treasure! We arrived here after a long hike from Del Norte Campground. Once we settled we went on several day hikes, snorkeling and kayaking, all of which were wonderful! The pit toilets are not for the faint of heart, but the National Park Service staff do a phenomenal job keeping them clean and in great condition.

@lindav5763447 · Camped on May 14, 2025 at Campsite #22

The campground was very quiet and peaceful. I loved having the orientation upon our arrival. It made me feel better having that information as a second time visitor, first time camper there. I would highly recommend this trip to friends and family who are interested in visiting the Channel Islands.

@MarvinA8CE7418 · Camped on May 11, 2025 at Campsite #7

Rangers were excellent: very helpful and informative.

@KristinaM52819 · Camped on May 10, 2025 at Campsite #22

Such a great experience!! Book your trip to Santa Cruz Island asap! We backpacked from Prisoners and only spent one night in Scorpion but I cant wait to come back. We were in campsite 22 which was nice but a little close to bathrooms. Pottable water, pit toilets. Island is beautiful!

@PattyB9081868 · Camped on May 9, 2025 at Campsite #5

Our group did a one-night camping trip to Santa Cruz Island, Scorpion campground. The campground was very clean and the site was spacious. Also, well shaded. We hiked to Smuggler's Cove the day we got there, which made for a late start (noon, by the time we set up our tents and put our food in the fox box). It was a bit warm, but manageable. The next day we hiked to Potato Harbor. Both hikes were beautiful, the hills were green, and the wildflowers were out.I would definitely consider the weather conditions to plan hiking activities. If it's hot, there's no cover.

@EdwardM9946642 · Camped on May 7, 2025 at Campsite #25

You should take the warnings about foxes, ravens, and robber jays serious. Everything the rangers warned us about I actually witnessed while I was camping.As a side note the privys were surprisingly clean. Good Job Park personnel!

@JonathanS47608 · Camped on May 4, 2025 at Campsite #14

Absolutely amazing place! The boat ride over was a bit rough due to sea conditions, but we took otc motion sickness medication and followed other advise to make the trip over as comfortable as possible. The campsite was great and it felt like we had this entire island to ourselves. The giant coreopsis were in full bloom which was spectacular. Hiked to potato harbor the first afternoon and then back up to Cavern Point to watch the sunset. Truly magical! Got up somewhat early and hiked to Smugglers Cove and had a nice picnic table available to set up on, spent several hours there wandering along the beach and relaxing under the eucalyptus trees. Possibly the best national park Ive ever visited.

@JessicaM144623 · Camped on Apr 27, 2025 at Campsite #20

Campground is rustic but so worth it. Water and bathrooms were close (but not too close). The valley provided shelter but it was still the windiest night Ive ever experienced. Ravens were in the lookout so zip your car keys. Saw lots of foxes. Most hikes are in/out of the campground; its the perfect base. Great trip, must do it at least once.

@BaileyWB1DB019 · Camped on Apr 25, 2025 at Campsite #24

Such an incredibly beautiful campground. Surrounded my so many green hills and trails. 3 stars bc we stayed in a site next to 5ish group sites - I saw that before I booked it and I made the decision but man it was incredibly loud the entire time. There wasnt a moment of peace at the site. So if youre going to stay here either just be one of the big groups or bring headphones. (Site 24) I didnt have that, so it was definitely not a peaceful experience

@ChandraS3C922D · Camped on Apr 24, 2025 at Campsite #13

Loved the quiet! Campsite was clean and bathrooms were fine. Having all the wildflowers out was a bonus. Loved how small the campsite was... yet spread out and away from your neighbors for privacy.

@MelindaRCA3328 · Camped on Apr 24, 2025 at Campsite #6

Absolutely loved our 2 night stay. Highly recommend the kayak cave tour. Hiking to Smugglers cove was a favorite. Camp sites are well taken care of, definitely use the fox boxes. And YES ravens will open zippers to bags. As experienced by a fellow camper.

@JaminBDB902E1D · Camped on Apr 21, 2025 at Campsite #22

Our site was just a short walk from the pier, close to the outhouse and potable water was nearby. The campground is convenient for access to hiking trails too. Beware of foxes and ravens which are smart enough to open backpacks to access items. All food should be stored in the critter boxes ( we also put our stove and other kitchen items away).

@ElizabethB5852 · Camped on Apr 20, 2025 at Campsite #3

Loved camping here, the sites were great and the bathrooms in good shape for being well used pit toilets!

@KatrinaL468876 · Camped on Apr 16, 2025 at Campsite #1

This is the third time I have camped out at Scorpion cove on Santa Cruz Island. It is always amazing. We love to hike and then just hand out and enjoy nature. We saw a bunch of humpback and Minke whales on the way out and back which was a real treat.

@TinaB5848724 · Camped on Apr 15, 2025 at Campsite #8

Santa Cruz Island was beautiful. I love how wild it is and how few people there are, especially on the longer hikes. The views and the wildlife and birds are amazing. The only downside was the restrooms. I am fine with pit toilets, but these were pretty awful. They werent cleaned the whole three days I was there, there was excrement on several toilets and walls, and one of them ran out of paper on day 2. I figure maybe staff is low with all the layoffs so no complaint here, but thought it was worth a mention. Regardless, I would definitely visit again.

@KristenC378064 · Camped on Apr 15, 2025 at Campsite #3

What an incredible place! The campground is beautiful and just a short walk from the pier and beach. We definitely want to come back!

@ScottUB988B195 · Camped on Apr 9, 2025 at Campsite #8

We stayed at lower Scorpion for 2 nights in early April and had a wonderful experience. While we stayed out of the water, there was plenty of hiking and sitting on the beach to observe the park. Campsites had tree cover for shade, easy access to water, and the bathrooms were well taken care of. Believe all the warnings about using the storage boxes! We observed foxes and ravens work their way through each campsite looking for left out food. We even watched a raven open an unattended backpack to get a bag of goodies!One of the highlights of the trip was the volunteer guides roaming the campsites and trails to answer questions. Special shout out to Tanya, the volunteer who was staying on the island while we were there. She was so warm, knowledgeable, and helpful and gave us a richer appreciation for the island.

@CindyJ8CC6D63A · Camped on Apr 8, 2025 at Campsite #3

Beautiful Island. Great hiking trails. Campsite was excellent but unfortunately our timing was such there was a large group of kids right next to us and kids are kids but by 8pm they were in their tents and quiet.

@StephenD346210 · Camped on Apr 8, 2025 at Campsite #8

We visited and camped at the Scorpion campground in early April. The campground was full, with some big groups (students) but everyone was respectful. We hiked to Potato harbor, the Scorpion Loop, and up to the Cavern point lookout. We camped in spot 8, saw plenty of foxes, and lots of pelicans. The hiking is exposed to the sun so bring a sun hat for protection. The trip out with Island Packers was easy, and we saw humpback whales and bottle nose dolphins going both directions. Believe the ranger when he says there is little to no cell reception on the island, your there for the peace and quiet anyway. We would definitely go back to Channel Islands National Park.

@RaymondD430090 · Camped on Apr 7, 2025 at Campsite #21

Beautiful surroundings, complete with Island foxes! Great hikes to be had

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