Sites & Rates
Average nightly rates15 total sites
Tent Sites
15 sites
About Santa Rosa Island
Number of accommodations: 15
Activities & Attractions
Nearby
Birding
Hiking
Kayaking
Swimming
Year-round
Birding
Hiking
Spring
Kayaking
Summer
Kayaking
Swimming
Fall
Kayaking
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Open year round
This campground is open year round, providing flexibility for your stay.
Campground Amenities
Most popular amenities
General Store
Pet friendly
Picnic Table
Restrooms
Water and Hygiene
- Potable Water
- Restrooms
Cooking and Fire
- Picnic Table
On Site Services
- General Store
- Fish Cleaning Station
Water Access
- Boat Ramp / Launch
Pets and Policies
- Pet friendly
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Rates, Sites & Availability
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Site Details
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15 Sites Available
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Reviews (239)
What Guests Are Saying
Santa Rosa Island offers a stunning natural experience with well-maintained campgrounds, including clean restrooms and modern amenities like flush toilets and running water. Visitors rave about the breathtaking hikes, beautiful beaches, and incredible wildlife sightings, such as dolphins and blue whales. While the island can be quite windy, with some trails in need of maintenance, the overall experience is rewarding for those seeking adventure and tranquility away from technology.
What Guests Are Saying
Santa Rosa Island offers a stunning natural experience with well-maintained campgrounds, including clean restrooms and modern amenities like flush toilets and running water. Visitors rave about the breathtaking hikes, beautiful beaches, and incredible wildlife sightings, such as dolphins and blue whales. While the island can be quite windy, with some trails in need of maintenance, the overall experience is rewarding for those seeking adventure and tranquility away from technology.
Review Summary
Joseph E
VerifiedMay 12, 2021 • Stayed at: 001, Loop: Sites 001-015
Joseph E
VerifiedMay 12, 2021 • Stayed at: 001, Loop: Sites 001-015
lindsay c
VerifiedApril 24, 2021 • Stayed at: 015, Loop: Sites 001-015
If you want to camp on a windy island with great views and cute foxes this is the one.
Dennis A
VerifiedApril 21, 2021 • Stayed at: 004, Loop: Sites 001-015
The Water Canyon campground is always a great experience. Be prepared for high winds, especially earlier in the year, and the 1.5 mike trek to the site can be challenging, but worth the effort.
Saroja M
VerifiedApril 20, 2021 • Stayed at: 003, Loop: Sites 001-015
Well maintained campsite
Bryan D
VerifiedApril 15, 2021 • Stayed at: 015, Loop: Sites 001-015
Santa Rosa Island is truly magical. If I could find a way to live here and work for the park I would, just to stay. The campground is brilliantly laid out. The island has a network of roads that allows access to some wild areas. If planning to go past lobo canyon and Green Canyon, bring an extra pair of shoes as the road is in 12” water here and barefoot is not an option. In two days I hiked 48 miles. I would need a week of 20 mile days to really see the island.
The wildness, the flowers, the varying topography and winds and big seas combined to give me more than I expected. And the park staff here are fantastic. Thanks!
John N
VerifiedApril 12, 2021 • Stayed at: 015, Loop: Sites 001-015
Someone told us that the bathrooms on Santa Rosa are, "...the finest in all the National Parks." And I can now confirm that is accurate. We visited in April and our first night at the campsite was lovely, but the next two were incredibly windy. That's not the campsite's fault, obviously, just the natural state of a Pacific Island in April. The windbreaks at the campsite helped, but not much they could do about swirling 30mph winds. Everything inside the tent (including us) was covered in sand in the mornings.
steve j
VerifiedApril 9, 2021 • Stayed at: 007, Loop: Sites 001-015
Absolutely beautiful. Starting with the whale and dolphin viewing on the ride over and back, to one of the most beautiful stretches of beach rivaling beach destinations around the world. The campground and bathrooms were spotless.
Thomas S
VerifiedApril 9, 2021 • Stayed at: 002, Loop: Sites 001-015
The weather was warmer and less windy in April than it had been when we tried over the summer, perhaps because we enjoyed the less typical Easterly winds which are warmer than the Westerly ocean winds. This was unexpected, but shows that the weather is more variable day-to-day than month-to-month. Also unexpected was the dryness and hotness. The creek by the camp site was quite low, and there were few fish. Wildflowers bloomed everywhere we went in the spring and the hiking was glorious. The sand dunes and the cliffs along the beach remain impressive, even if the water is too cold to enjoy swimming. In whatever season, the island remains stunningly beautiful, but a difficult place to be comfortable. It is either too hot or too cold, and most of the time too windy. This is not a casual hang-out place to party. It is a tough and rugged landscape for adventurers and scientists to explore.
Mark S
VerifiedApril 9, 2021 • Stayed at: 008, Loop: Sites 001-015
My second camping trip recommendations, be prepared for wind.
Location Santa Rosa Island
Address:
1901 Spinnaker Drive
Ventura, CA, 93001
United States
Santa Rosa Campground is accessible via US Highway 101, located approximately 20 miles to the east.
Elevation: 36 feet
Policies & Rules
Arrival & departure
Check in time
11AM
Check out time
11AM
General
- Santa Rosa Island may only be reached by boat. Visitors are required to arrange transportation to the island before reserving a campsite. Contact Island Packers the park's authorized concessioner or bring your own private boat.
- Camping reservations are required prior to arriving on the island. There are NO walk-ups at this facility.
- One party or group may reserve a maximum of 2 individual sites per visit. There are 15 individual campsites. Max 5 people per site.
- 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-permit.htm.
- Upon arrival, meet ranger at beach, landing dock or campground. However, park staff is not always immediately available on the island. Please have confirmation letter, receipt, or campsite number with you.
- 1.5 mile from the pier 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 wind shelter (8' tall, 10' deep, 14' wide at front, 8' wide at back). 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 area at Bechers Bay.
- 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 required to fish within Channel Islands National Park.
- Watersports: Due to the strong, persistent wind, swimming, snorkeling, diving, and kayaking are limited and recommended for the experienced visitor only. 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: September 7, 2026
