Santa Cruz Island Camping Guide
This content was automatically generated by gpt-4o-mini (No human review). The original post is in Chinese.
During the recent three-day holiday (4/15-4/17), we went camping and hiking for two nights on Santa Cruz Island, the largest island in Channel Islands National Park.
First, check out these two videos to learn more about Channel Islands National Park.
For more summer travel tips, check out this article: Summer in Southern California | Channel Islands National Park: The Galapagos of North America
This blog focuses on sharing the experience of hiking and camping on Santa Cruz Island.
Book Tickets in Advance
If you want to visit Channel Islands, it’s best to book tickets more than a month in advance, including purchasing boat tickets and reserving campsites. For most people, the only way to reach the Channel Islands is by boat, so securing boat tickets is essential. Additionally, there are no hotels on the island; the only overnight option is camping, and campsites are even more sought after than boat tickets on weekends and holidays. We had tried to go to Channel Islands several times but couldn’t get tickets, so this trip was booked over three months in advance.
National Park website: NPS Channel Islands
Boat ticket reservation website: Island Packers
Camping reservation website: Santa Cruz Scorpion
If you have time, it’s recommended to browse through most of the pages about Channel Islands on the National Park Service (NPS) website, as the content there is the most authoritative and detailed. If you have any questions, you can actually call the above organizations for inquiries. This blog is based on personal experiences and aims to supplement some information.
Booking Tickets
Most information about tickets can actually be found on the Island Packers website (this is the only option available). I want to highlight a few important points. First, ticket prices vary; same-day round-trip tickets are cheaper, while tickets for campers are more expensive. The boat ride to the island takes about an hour, but it can take longer (for example, our outbound trip took an hour and a half). After arriving, you also need to pick up your luggage and gather, etc. Therefore, if you are not camping, you should book the earliest outbound ticket and the latest return ticket for the day. These tickets usually sell out the fastest.
About Campsite Selection
There is only one campground on the island, the Santa Cruz Scorpion Campground, which is divided into Upper Loop and Lower Loop. After disembarking from the boat, you need to walk to the campground, which is 0.5 miles away. Considering that camping gear can be quite heavy, it is recommended to choose the Lower Loop since it is closer to the dock. When selecting a Campsite Number, the smaller the number on the map, the closer it is to the dock (and also closer to the restroom, which is more convenient). You can check out this Scorpion Campground - Camp Site Guide YouTube video to pick your preferred Campsite.
The Scorpion Campground has drinkable water faucets (the water is tested to be drinkable and has no odor). There are no places to shower (there’s no place to rinse off after snorkeling either). There are no flush toilets, but the restrooms are fairly clean, and there are lights in the restrooms at night. You can use a Camp Stove, but campfires are not allowed. There are many Fox Boxes in the campground, with each Campsite having its own Fox Box to store food and prevent foxes and crows from stealing it. Each site has its own picnic table. The campground has many trees, so most Campsites have shade, but some do not. Besides the Santa Cruz Scorpion Campground, there is also a Backcountry campground, but I have no experience with that, so I won’t discuss it.
Luggage Preparation
What to Bring
At first, we weren’t sure how much camping gear to bring since we had only done Car Camping before. We watched a few YouTube videos and noticed that the vloggers didn’t seem to bring much (or maybe they just didn’t show it all). However, the two of us ended up bringing 6 pieces of luggage plus a hand cart (highly recommend the hand cart, as it can help you transport your luggage from the dock to the campsite, which requires an additional $10). When we arrived at the check-in area, we found that others had even more luggage than we did, and we regretted not bringing a few more items. This is because there are no stores on the island, so the amount of luggage you bring determines how much you have to use or eat. For packing recommendations, check the information on the Island Packers website, Camping | Overnight Gear Guidelines. Personally, I believe you can bring a lot, as long as you can pull it from the dock to the campsite; camping is already tough, so why not bring some good food and warm clothes?
The 7 pieces of luggage we ultimately brought:
- One large plastic bag from IKEA containing: a tent, 2 sleeping bags, and 3 sleeping pads.
- A bag of dry food: bread, 6 instant noodles, cookies, 8 apples, beef jerky, a camp stove, utensils, etc.
- A cooler: 8 boiled eggs, soy milk, carrots, celery, cherry tomatoes.
- A bag of clean clothes.
- Two hiking backpacks: lots of hiking gear, clothes, headlamps, trekking poles, etc.
- A foldable hand cart (must be foldable, otherwise it can’t be brought).
How Thick of Clothes to Bring
The weather on the island is relatively mild. Before we went, we checked the weather, which was sunny with temperatures between 10-20 degrees. Thinking not to bring too much luggage, I struggled back and forth and ultimately left Cuihao’s warm jacket in the car, which I regretted very much. Although the temperature on the island isn’t low (around 10 degrees), it has been very windy these days, with wind speeds of 20-30 mph and gusts up to 35 mph, making the perceived temperature much lower than the actual temperature. The difference between windy and calm conditions is significant. Therefore, I recommend bringing a full set of warm gear, including a hat (gloves are optional), because the nights while camping are really cold. I really wished I had a beanie at that time. An insulated jacket is definitely a must-bring (after this lesson, even if I go to the island in August next time, I will bring a down jacket). Ideally, the clothes you bring should be suitable for temperatures ranging from 4 to 34 degrees (which means layering, so you can take off layers when it’s warm and put them on when it’s cold).
Luggage Check-in
At first, the luggage check-in is done at the meeting point, where someone checks if your luggage is overweight and how well it’s packed (mainly by visual inspection; larger items are weighed, but in practice, it’s not as strict as what’s stated on the website). Then, before boarding, the checked luggage is moved onto the boat and placed in a storage area under the deck. You can choose to carry 1-2 pieces of luggage with you (no need to check them). Additionally, large bottles of water and coolers are not considered checked luggage and are required to be placed on the back deck of the boat. The fuel bottles for the camp stove must be placed in a large metal box together.
Boat Experience
Camping visitors need to arrive at the dock an hour early to check in their luggage. My experience shows that arriving about an hour early is indeed necessary, as it provides ample time for check-in, baggage drop-off, restroom breaks, and so on. Also, when lining up to board, you can secure a better position (this is really important, as your place in line directly affects where you sit once on board). This time, we were towards the back of the line, so by the time we boarded, all the good spots were taken, leaving only the seats in the middle of the cabin available.
What to Pay Attention to if You Get Seasick
If you, like me, are prone to seasickness, it’s advisable to take seasickness medication in advance and try to grab a seat on the deck at the back of the boat, as that is the least likely spot to induce seasickness. The ferry to the island has two levels; the top level may offer great views, but it’s bumpier and not suitable for those who get seasick. The enclosed space inside the cabin, with stagnant air, can also make seasickness worse. Therefore, sitting on the deck at the back on the first floor, where the air circulates and it’s less bumpy (except when the boat stops, when the smell of gasoline can be strong), is ideal. So, you should line up early to secure a good seat. Additionally, the crew has plenty of vomit bags, so you can ask them for a couple right away. On both the outbound and return trips, I took seasickness medication; the outbound trip was extremely bumpy, the bumpiest boat ride I’ve ever experienced. I felt terrible the entire time and used three vomit bags, losing my dinner from the night before. The return trip was very calm, with no seasickness or vomiting.
Hundreds or Thousands of Dolphins? Didn’t See Any
In fact, taking the boat should have been a highlight of the trip to the Channel Islands. More than one friend has shared that they saw hundreds or even thousands of dolphins swimming alongside the boat on the way to Santa Cruz Island. They might even see whales. On our outbound trip, we should have encountered 1-2 whales, but since I was feeling so seasick, I didn’t have the energy to stand up and look for them. Even though I heard the crew mention where the whales were and their movements, I didn’t see them from my seat at the back of the boat. We did encounter a small group of dolphins, maybe around twenty, with three or four coming quite close at one point and jumping high, which was indeed spectacular, but they quickly swam further away, and the number was far from the hundreds that would have been impressive. On the return trip, our luck was even worse; we didn’t see a single dolphin. So, I believe our boat experience this time was below average; we just didn’t have good luck. If you’re lucky, you should definitely be ready with your phone or camera to take photos and videos.
What to Do on the Island
Hiking
Santa Cruz Island Hiking Guide
Spring in Southern California is the best time for hiking because the temperatures are comfortable, the plants are greener, and there are many wildflowers. This time, we originally planned to visit Channel Islands to see the flowers, but the blooming season was already a bit past. Although there were still many flowers, more of them were already wilted. If you want to see wildflowers, it’s best to come in mid to late March.
We hiked the following three trails, although we only completed half of the Scorpion Canyon Loop. My personal favorite was the Potato Harbor Trail (great scenery), while I wasn’t too fond of the Smugglers Cove Trail. The Scorpion Canyon Loop Trail probably had the most wildflowers. Due to strong winds on the first and second days, the hiking experience was quite poor; it felt like we were almost being blown away (a bit of an exaggeration), but it really wasn’t very enjoyable.
Potato Harbor Trail (Easy, 2h4min, 4.9mi, 603 ft elevation gain)
Smugglers Cove Trail (Moderate, 3h33min, 7.7mi, 1400 ft elevation gain)
Scorpion Canyon Loop Trail (Moderate, 2h3min, 4.5 mi, 784 ft elevation gain)
Kayaking and Snorkeling
If you’re thinking about kayaking on the island, there are three options available. For more details, check the website Kayaking - Island Packers:
- Sign up for a Guided Tour with the island’s kayaking company (starting at $129)
- Rent a kayak on the mainland ($35/$55 per day) + arrange for Island Packers to transport it ($20/$28), without a guide
- Bring your own kayak + arrange for Island Packers to transport it ($20/$28), without a guide
For most people, it’s best to sign up for the Guided Tour with the Channel Islands Adventure Company. Santa Cruz Island has many sea caves, so kayaking here is mainly about cave exploration, which is quite fun but also has certain risks. Therefore, opting for a Guided Tour is a safer choice. The Guided Tour provides all the necessary kayaking gear, including clothing!! (which is quite rare). They offer wetsuits and splash jackets, as well as sandals (along with paddles, life jackets, and helmets). The reason is that the water temperature here is low, and sit-on-top kayaks often get your clothes wet. If you don’t wear a wetsuit, it can get cold, and if you fall into the water, it gets even colder. Wearing a wetsuit definitely makes it much safer, and with the splash jacket, you shouldn’t feel cold at all.
For snorkeling, you can bring your own gear, but you must have a wetsuit, as the water temperature in Southern California is very low. The kayaking company on the island also rents out snorkeling equipment.
So far, you will have encountered three types of staff on Santa Cruz Island:
- National Park Service Ranger
- Island Packers Boat Company (ferry captains and crew)
- Channel Islands Adventure Company (kayaking instructors)
You can actively engage in conversation with them to gather a lot of information and gain a better understanding of Santa Cruz Island.
Our Itinerary
Day One
Woke up at 4:45 AM, left Irvine at 5:45 AM, took I-405 N -> US-101 N (1h44min, 109mi), arrived at Island Packers Ventura Office around 7:40 AM, parked in the long-term parking area. Checked in and checked our luggage, set off at 8:30 AM, landed around 10:00 AM. After arriving on the island, a Ranger will be waiting for you at the dock to go over safety tips and other information, and you’ll have to wait a bit to collect your checked luggage. So we probably left the dock around 10:30 AM. I felt really seasick, which was quite uncomfortable. Once we got to the campsite, we sat down to rest for a while, then made and ate lunch, followed by setting up the tent. After that, we were just too tired, so we went into the tent and took a nap for over an hour, only setting out for a hike around 2 PM. We completed the Potato Harbor Trail, and it was very windy the whole way. Each of us brought 1 liter of water, and we didn’t finish it. When we returned in the afternoon, due to the strong wind, we adjusted the direction of the tent and tied down the rainfly ropes. After dinner and cleaning up, we hurried into the tent because it was too cold outside with the wind. As soon as we entered the tent, we were shocked to find the sleeping pads covered in dirt because the wind had blown a lot of sand into the tent all afternoon, so we had to clean the sleeping pads before lying down. We took many brochures from the national park and read them in the tent to pass the time.
Day Two
On the second day, we slept in until we woke up naturally. The strong wind from last night was quite noisy, which affected our sleep. We set out quite late the next day, starting our hike at 8:50 AM, taking the Smugglers Cove Trail, and brought lunch, each carrying 1.5 liters of water (which we didn’t finish). We reached Smugglers Cove by the sea to have lunch; there were several picnic tables, some shade, and a restroom. The wind wasn’t strong, and it was actually quite pleasant (there were several white bones on the beach, but I don’t know what animal they belonged to). On the way back, the sky was a bit overcast, and it even drizzled a few drops of rain. When we returned to the campsite in the afternoon, the wind was still strong, and there was nothing to do outside since it was too cold, so we hid in the tent for a nap. After waking up, we went to the tidepool by the dock, but we didn’t see much; I only spotted a crab and many sea roaches that scared me. We also wandered around the Visitor Center and chatted with the kayaking instructor for a long time. I originally wanted to sign up for the kayaking tour the next morning, but since my boat was scheduled for noon, and the first group of visitors would probably disembark around 10:00 AM, it would take nearly until 11:00 AM to get in the water after changing clothes, so I couldn’t join their tour. Unless I changed my return ticket, kayaking was off the table. Not being able to kayak on this trip was quite a regret.
That evening, there was an Evening Program, where we watched a movie outdoors with about a dozen people. The film was actually the two videos about the Channel Islands mentioned at the beginning of this blog; we only watched one that night because the first day was canceled due to the strong wind. After the film, everyone could ask the ranger questions, and people were quite active in asking. I asked a question about the crows I saw at the campsite that had markings on their wings, and the answer was quite surprising.
The video on the island recorded crows eating the eggs, chicks, and even adult endangered birds (Ashy Storm-Petrels), so researchers wanted to determine whether this behavior was exhibited by all the crows on the island or just one or two. They captured some crows and marked their wings with noticeable blue markings. The results from a two-year tracking study indicated that this behavior was only exhibited by two crows—Crow 11 and Crow 13. Therefore, the researchers plan to relocate these two crows to another area. For more details, you can check this Facebook Post
At the campsite, we actually saw Crows 11 and 13, and they were often together. There were also many island foxes at the campsite, a species unique to the Channel Islands, very small and cute, and not afraid of people. We often saw them at the campsite, with as many as three or four nearby, but we didn’t see any on the hiking trails.
Day Three
On the morning of the third day, we started packing our bags and then walked the first 2.5 km of the Scorpion Canyon Loop Trail before turning back. We didn’t have enough time to complete it. Initially, we hadn’t planned to do this, but since we had some time left, the Ranger suggested we walk the first half, citing the abundance of wildflowers and beautiful scenery. We returned to the campsite around 10:30, packed up further, queued at the dock by 11 to check our luggage, and took the boat at noon. The return trip went smoothly, and we arrived at the port on time at 1:00. Before 1:30, we had our luggage and were ready to drive home.
This trip had the most advance reservations I’ve ever made, yet I ended up doing the least amount of planning (otherwise, I wouldn’t have found myself on the island with nothing to do and no kayak tour booked). In the days leading up to my departure, I was busy with other things and only started looking at the national park’s website the afternoon before I left. I began packing my bags the evening before. I can say it was quite a miscalculation, but the weather was really bad, and luck wasn’t on my side, so overall, the experience wasn’t very ideal.
