About Santa Rosa Island
Number of accommodations: 15
Nearby Activities & Attractions
Birding
Hiking
Kayaking
Swimming
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Open year round
This campground is open year round, providing flexibility for your stay.
Rates, Sites & Availability
15 Sites Available
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Site Details
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15 Sites Available
No available sites
All sites are booked for your selected dates. Try showing all sites to see booked options, create an alert to be notified when something opens up, or adjust your dates.
Reviews (223)
What Guests Are Saying
Santa Rosa Island offers a stunning natural environment with exceptional views, diverse hiking trails, and well-maintained campgrounds featuring clean facilities, including flush toilets and potable water. Many visitors appreciate the tranquility and beauty of the island, noting the abundance of wildlife and wildflowers. While there are challenges such as windy conditions and some trail maintenance issues, the overall experience is highly regarded, making it a memorable destination for camping and outdoor activities.
What Guests Are Saying
Santa Rosa Island offers a stunning natural environment with exceptional views, diverse hiking trails, and well-maintained campgrounds featuring clean facilities, including flush toilets and potable water. Many visitors appreciate the tranquility and beauty of the island, noting the abundance of wildlife and wildflowers. While there are challenges such as windy conditions and some trail maintenance issues, the overall experience is highly regarded, making it a memorable destination for camping and outdoor activities.
Review Summary
Jackson W
VerifiedDecember 7, 2025 • Stayed at: 009, Loop: Sites 001-015
Beautiful beaches, great hikes, good campground, tiny foxes, dolphins, and whales. Amazing!
Kim Phung O
VerifiedDecember 7, 2025 • Stayed at: 010, Loop: Sites 001-015
We stayed for two nights at the end of November and it was wonderful. The windbreaks did a great job, the restrooms were clean and even had light and running water! We really loved the whole trip to Santa Rosa and the hikes on the island!
JEFFREY H
VerifiedNovember 19, 2025 • Stayed at: 005, Loop: Sites 001-015
This is such a remote and beautiful gem of a park and campground. Very quiet at night and sheltered from wind.
David D
VerifiedNovember 19, 2025 • Stayed at: 005, Loop: Sites 001-015
The island is undeniably amazing, but it can be uncomfortable: a rough channel crossing, relentless wind for days, minimal shade, rough surf, etc. Please consider the conditions carefully before bringing young children. One group brought infants and toddlers. They were miserable the entire time -- crying almost nonstop until the boat arrived days later.
Michelle L
VerifiedNovember 17, 2025 • Stayed at: 001, Loop: Sites 001-015
Rangers were very knowledgable, water campground had actual bathrooms- what a treat on such a remote island! Even while sticking with the front country, it was rare to see other people, which was perfect. Beautiful island.
Philip I
VerifiedOctober 24, 2025 • Stayed at: 004, Loop: Sites 001-015
The foxes in Waterton Campground are obnoxious. There is nothing natural about their interaction with humans. Clearly people are feeding the foxes, because they have no fear of humans. This is neither natural nor healthy for the foxes. The NPS needs to find a way to put the fear of man in the foxes. This could easily be done by a group of high school kids with BB guns. You may not like/approve of such a suggestion, but SOMETHING needs to be done to correct this abnormal situation. Find a way, and do it.
Carl P
VerifiedOctober 20, 2025 • Stayed at: 010, Loop: Sites 001-015
I reserved for backcountry camping at remote beaches that require over 10 miles of hiking to reach. Outstanding backpacking experience! Be prepared for windy or breezy conditions, that is normal on Santa Rosa Island. Also, water is scarce, and you will need to carry, as there is only one reliable source along the route.
Emily S
VerifiedOctober 13, 2025 • Stayed at: 001, Loop: Sites 001-015
Great campground! The wind block structures were great, and the campground had flush toilets! Amazing to see the rare torrey pines growing in the grove.
Michael G
VerifiedOctober 12, 2025 • Stayed at: 005, Loop: Sites 001-015
Ranger and crew were fantastic.
Michelle T
VerifiedOctober 11, 2025 • Stayed at: 013, Loop: Sites 001-015
As a backpacker, I don't expect bathroom facilities at all, let alone decent ones. The facilities at this campsite were backpacker luxury - flush toilets, running water in a sink, and they were clean! We appreciated the picnic tables at each wind shelter as well as the large fox boxes. There were also two potable water spigots, and a raven asked us to run him some water at one (he clearly knows how to communicate with campers!). It was one of the nicest camping experiences we've had.
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.
Latitude & Longitude: 33.9911 / -120.048
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: June 4, 2026
