About Santa Cruz Scorpion
Number of accommodations: 31
Nearby Activities & Attractions
Birding
Hiking
Kayaking
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Open year round
This campground is open year round, providing flexibility for your stay.
Campground Amenities
Water and Hygiene
- Potable Water
Water Access
- Beach Access
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Rates, Sites & Availability
31 Sites Available
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Site Details
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31 Sites Available
No available sites
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Reviews (566)
What Guests Are Saying
The Santa Cruz Scorpion campground is highly praised for its stunning views, well-organized facilities, and excellent hiking opportunities. Campers appreciate the tranquility, plentiful shade, and friendly park rangers, making it a perfect base for exploring the island. While some concerns were noted about wildlife interactions and limited wind coverage, the overall experience is described as unforgettable, with many looking forward to returning.
What Guests Are Saying
The Santa Cruz Scorpion campground is highly praised for its stunning views, well-organized facilities, and excellent hiking opportunities. Campers appreciate the tranquility, plentiful shade, and friendly park rangers, making it a perfect base for exploring the island. While some concerns were noted about wildlife interactions and limited wind coverage, the overall experience is described as unforgettable, with many looking forward to returning.
Review Summary
Alex A
VerifiedDecember 2, 2023 • Stayed at: 003, Loop: Lower Loop
Great experience, hope to be back soon!
Tim W
VerifiedNovember 29, 2023 • Stayed at: 002, Loop: Lower Loop
Overall good experience
Amber G
VerifiedNovember 26, 2023 • Stayed at: 014, Loop: Lower Loop
Great campsite with clean bathrooms. Short walk (0.3miles) to the campsite. Fox boxes are easy to use and helpful storage spaces. Had a fox approach our gear on the picnic table when we were setting up the tent so they are pretty bold. We read a review about spiders but didn’t see any until late at night. When the light was on in the tent we saw several daddy long leg looking spider crawling on the outside walls. Only saw one in the morning. They may have been coming out be sure of the rain though.
Thomas B
VerifiedNovember 26, 2023 • Stayed at: 023, Loop: Upper Loop
Scorpion Island campground is well kept and easily accessible from the boat ramp. Be prepared to stay longer than you plan, as winds extended our trip an extra night.
Lorraine B
VerifiedNovember 24, 2023 • Stayed at: 002, Loop: Lower Loop
Great experience. Felt very isolated despite being at an established campground - like backpacking with a few extra conveniences. Just a short walk to the pier. Site 2 was the best, with a little tree coverage and the smell of eucalyptus trees.
Julia L
VerifiedNovember 13, 2023 • Stayed at: 015, Loop: Lower Loop
We enjoyed a 12-mile hike on our first out to Montañon Peak, coming back through Smuggler's Cove. Stunning views and beautiful, warm weather. On our second day, we did a 5-mile hike out to Potato Harbor. We were pleasantly surprised with how much we fit in with only a weekend trip (left on the first ferry on Saturday morning and arrived back on the last ferry on Sunday afternoon).
Shanon S
VerifiedNovember 9, 2023 • Stayed at: 020, Loop: Lower Loop
This was a beautiful campground. One needs to take into consideration that nature rules here. And the bullies for ravens, screaming foxes at night and swarm of yellow jackets around the only water source really remind you of this. But the tips to get water from the menacing yellow jacket spigot worked. Move slow. Don’t panic. And don’t splash the water. It was a true character building exercise so that you don’t want to miss out on.
Dumeni Mattias D
VerifiedNovember 3, 2023 • Stayed at: 017, Loop: Lower Loop
Site is great, sadly generator hours are not enforced. Bring earplugs to sleep.
Rasmus N
VerifiedNovember 3, 2023 • Stayed at: 019, Loop: Lower Loop
Awesome campsite. Endless fun watching the foxes. Superior nature experience. The toilets were rather stanky.
Matthew M
VerifiedOctober 27, 2023 • Stayed at: 023, Loop: Upper Loop
Santa Cruz really is a paradise. Marine wildlife, island flora and fauna, caves, cliffs, ocean views. The hiking is fantastic and, if you are up for it, do yourself a favor and hike up to Montañan Ridge. Bring plenty of water, but the views are the absolute best on the eastern part of Santa Cruz.
Location Santa Cruz Scorpion
Address:
1901 Spinnaker Drive
Ventura, CA, 93001
United States
Boat transportation can be arranged with Island Packers from Ventura Harbor.
To park headquarters in Ventura, Ca: exit Highway 101, at Victoria or Seaward to Ventura Harbor.
The campground is accessible via Highway 101, with interchanges at Victoria or Seaward providing access to Ventura Harbor.
Latitude & Longitude: 34.0482 / -119.562
Elevation: 7 feet
Policies & Rules
Arrival & departure
Check in time
11AM
Check out time
11AM
General
- Santa Cruz Island may only be reached by boat. Visitors are required to arrange boat transportation to the island before reserving a campsite. Contact the park's authorized concessioner Island Packers or use your own private boat.
- Camping reservations are required prior to arriving on the island. There are NO walk-ups at this facility.
- There are 25 individual campsites. Max 6 people per site. Max 3 tents per site. A party or group of 12 or less may reserve a maximum of 2 individual sites per visit.
- A party or group of 13 or more are not allowed in individual sites and must use the group sites (A-F) in the upper campground.
- There are 6 group sites. Minimum 13 people per site. Max 15 people per site. No more than 3 group sites per party or group.
- A party or group of 46 or more may not reserve any sites through recreation.gov and must contact the park to obtain a special use permit: https://www.nps.gov/chis/learn/management/special-use-permits.htm.
- Upon arrival, meet ranger at beach, landing dock or campground. However, park staff is not always available on the island. Please have confirmation letter, receipt, or campsite number with you.
- 1/2 mile to 1 mile hike to campground. Visitors must carry all their own gear.
- Primitive camping. Tent camping only, no electricity/water/sewer site hook-ups at this campground. Bring low profile tents and extra food for weather delays. Partial shade from trees. Picnic table, food storage box, and drinking water provided. No stores or services.
- Proper food and trash storage is required. Food/trash storage lockers are provided at each site. Recommend hard-sided container (i.e., action packer) to further protect food/garbage from animals.
- Visitors are required to pack out what they pack in, including garbage.
- No campfires or charcoal fires. Only enclosed gas camp stoves are allowed. Smoking is only allowed on beach areas at Scorpion, Smugglers, and Prisoners Harbors.
- Visitors who have known allergies to yellow jacket venom should consider going to an alternate location other than Scorpion Ranch campground during the summer and early fall. Since yellow jackets are attracted to the water at the Scorpion Ranch campground water spigots, visitors that are allergic to yellow jacket stings may want to consider bringing their own water to the island.
- Avoid contact with deer mice. Hantavirus has been found in island deer mice. For more information visit: https://www.nps.gov/chis/planyourvisit/hantavirus.htm.
- To help prevent the introduction of nonnative species the following items may not be brought to the park: pets; live or potted plants; soil; cut flowers; firewood or any untreated, unfinished wood (including hiking sticks); corrugated boxes; tools or equipment with attached soil; motorized vehicles; bicycles; and single-use plastic grocery bags. Prior to departure, visitors are required to use pest-proof packing materials, inspect and clean their gear and shoes of all soil, seeds, and insects. Learn more about biosecurity and watch the required video at Protect Your Park Through Biosecurity.
- No fishing in marine reserves. California fishing license and ocean enhancement sticker required to fish outside marine reserves.
- Kayakers: ocean conditions can rapidly change, requiring expert abilities. Ocean kayaking is an inherently dangerous activity. Always check weather and do not kayak beyond your experience level.
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Last updated: June 4, 2026
