Santa Cruz Del Norte Backcountry

great setting. vault toilet is well maintained. had tp and hand sanitizer

Tough 3.5 mile hike from the harbor to the campsite. Several steep inclines and declines while carrying all your water. Quiet and isolated campsite. Clean and maintained campsite and toilet, but be prepared for the smell. Sometimes rangers leave emergency water in the fox box. Stayed one night in late April of 2023, weather got very foggy. The hike to the scorpion campsite is 13.5 miles and includes a small scramble. This was our first backpacking trip and I would recommend it to other beginners. :)

Great site if you're prepared for the journey - it's 3.5 miles mostly uphill and you have to bring enough water for the duration of your stay. I recommend dramamine for the ferry (our ride out was rough) and water shoes to cross the stream near the ferry landing. Spectacular views from the campground and it's very peaceful with only 4 sites. Highly recommend a side trip on the Pelican Bay trail - it has more spectacular flowers and plenty of wildlife. You can leave your gear in the fox boxes by the ferry and go on that trail unencumbered. Steep drop-offs on the narrow trails so it's not a great place for small kids.

Long review because I found information on logistics to be limited when I was planning my trip, so I hope this helps someone else:

Site #1 has amazing views!! Fox box and new pit toilet bathrooms were clean and as expected. I hiked from Scorpion Cove up to Del Norte then down to Prisoner’s Harbor on Day 2. The hike was tough with the water haul but totally worth it!!

I chose to hike from Scorpion Cove because I was on the island for an entire week. This allowed me to set up a Basecamp at Scorpion Cove and leave my extra gear locked in the fox box at base camp and only take what I needed for the 2 day hike from Scorpion to Del Norte then on to Prisoner’s.

At the end I took the ferry from Prisoner’s Harbor back to Scorpion Cove. This worked great for me!

I also took the North Bluff Trail to go over the Montanon Ridge. It was a longer hike because I added Cavern Point and Potato Harbor, but the views made it totally worth it! I also wanted the steepest part of the hike on Day 1 with fresh legs rather than at the end of a long 2 day trek.

I went solo (female) and felt very safe. Park rangers and Island Packers staff were very helpful and very kind. I also carried a Garmin InReach with my route preprogrammed and a topo map.

5 liters of water worked for me. Cold foggy weather-I drank 1 liter at base camp prior to departure, drank 2 on the way up. Used 1 liter for dehydrated meal for dinner and morning coffee, then had 2 liters to hike to Prisoner’s Harbor with. I drank another liter when I reached base camp later that afternoon (and purchased a celebratory wine on the ferry from Prisoner’s to Scorpion).

I hope my comment and experience will help someone else enjoy as epic a trip as I did!

Happy hiking-you will not regret this site!!

Wonderful views of the mountains and ocean. Sites conveniently have a food box and a picnic table. It was nice that our site provided a level raised platform for the tent since the site was slightly sloped. We were able to fit a 2p tent on it. Pit toilet also available.

We hiked to Del Norte camp from Prisoners Harbor in early March and it was such a beautiful and restful experience. I had a done a lot of research but the camp sites were better than I could imagine. Beautiful views and very private and clean. It was nice to have the convenience of the picnic table, lockers, and restroom. Can’t wait to come back!

Del Norte campground is an A+ campground. Keep it up y'all! Brand new pit toilet, splendid views of the coastline and channel, picnic tables and shade for two of the sites (3 and 4). The hike up is well worth it.

Amazing view and solitude. Sites 1-2 provide best views but almost no shade - wile 3-4 have less view but more shade. Best campground so far visited in California. Clean pit-style toilets. About 1,5hrs hike from prisoner’s harbor and 4hrs from scorpion. Take plenty of water - start early if you hike to scorpion to avoid the heat and to get there before lunch!

We visited the Del Norte campground in December. Given how exposed the campsites are, I was worried it would be very windy but it was not an issue. We stayed at campsite 2 and while it had a nice view (not as nice as campsite 1 though), the tent site was quite slanted and we were sliding to the foot of our tent the whole night. This may have been a result of recent rains. The campsites aren't very private, though sites 3 and 4 offer a little more privacy as well as some shade from trees. Campsites 1 and 2 have no shade, so keep that in mind if you are visiting in the summer. The trail in was well-marked and offered some nice views. Overall, we enjoyed our trip but next time we would choose a different campsite.

Hiked from Scorpion to Del Norte and back. It was a great trip. The tree in campsite 4 is very low so if your tall this may not be great site for you. The bathroom is a bit smelly but it is clean.