Island Packers recommends Scorpion Canyon Camping passengers utilize the Channel Islands National Park App
for a more complete island experience.
Download before you go so you can use it offline at the islands! The app is free and available on the App Store and on Google Play.
Ticket Type | Age | Round Trip |
Adult | 13-54 Years | $ 84.00 |
Senior | 55 Years + | $ 79.00 |
Child | 3-12 Years | $ 61.00 |
Infant( Must Reserve) | Under 3 Years | $ 00.00 |
Camping in the Channel Islands National Park
To camp in the Scorpion Canyon camping area you must have both a boat reservation and a campground reservation. By clicking the two buttons to the right/below, you will be able to view both the reservation system for the boat and for the campground in two separate windows. You can use these programs to check availability.
Scorpion Canyon Camping
Scorpion Anchorage offers the most numerous and most-visited campsites in the Park. There is a total of 31 sites.
25 Sites (1-25) are family sites for up to six people. Family sites can be reserved up to six months in advance. Family Sites are $15.00 per night.
You may reserve up to 7 consecutive nights. All campground are site specific. When you reserve your site, you will be assigned a site number/letter. Site #1 is closest to the pier where you disembark the boat.
Reserve Your Seats
or View Availability
Six sites (A-G) are group sites holding up to 15 people per site. You may reserve up to four group sites (60 people).
You will need to contact the National Park for a Special Use Permit if you have more than 60 campers in your group. Group sites may be reserved 1 year in advance. Group Sites are $40.00 per night.
Facilities at Scorpion Canyon
Camp sites 1-22 are in the lower loop and are all family sites. The upper loop contains the six group sites. Three family sites (23-25) are located above the group sites. Campsites start about a half mile from the pier and continue for about a half mile.
Scorpion Campground has potable water. Family sites have a picnic table and a large food storage box. Group sites have multiple tables and storage boxes. You may not clean dishes at the water spigots, so you will need a container to get water back to your campsite.
The campground area has shade in most sites provided by old growth (non-endemic) eucalyptus trees. The placement of the campground in Scorpion Canyon provides shelter from the prevailing NW winds. There are no trash cans for the public on the island, so you must pack out all trash when you leave.
ATTENTION CAMPERS – During the rough weather months, November through May, you will need to make sure Island Packers’ schedule has not been changed due to ocean/weather conditions before you leave the camping area for the day. Schedule changes are relayed to the park in the morning and the bulletin board or the ranger will have schedule change information. Campers during these month should come prepared with extra food in case weather prevents us from our planned pick up.
Hiking While Camping
Campers can enjoy some of the longer hikes on Santa Cruz that time constraints prevent day visitors from enjoying. Hiking to Smugglers Cove can be a fun all-day adventure with a picnic lunch and a swim (spring through early fall). You can enjoy great views of the south shore of Santa Cruz Island, west end of Anacapa Island and evidence of the past ranching era of Santa Cruz. A vault style restroom and picnic tables are provided but no potable water is available at Smuggler’s.
Multiple night campers can arrange in advance to shuttle up to Prisoners Harbor and back for the day or get dropped off at Prisoners Harbor for a shorter access to an overnight stay at Del Norte Campground. (Three and a half miles one-way and no potable water is available at this campground.)
The National Park does not allow campfires or charcoal burning on the island at any time.
