The Ultimate Channel Islands Camping Guide

When I mentioned to my friends that I was going to spend the weekend at Channel Islands National Park, the response I received from everyone was “Where is that?”. Channel Islands is one of the least known U.S. National Parks in California, which is strange because the park is relatively close to the well-known city of Los Angeles. Since I was dying to try out sea kayaking and it did seem pretty cool to say I went island camping, I decided to give this national park a try. Let me warn you, planning this trip can be a pain, but luckily for you, I have made that process super easy! I listed how to get to the Islands, which Island to pick, and what to do on the Channel Islands. So keep reading on for my excellent Channel Islands Camping Guide.

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Where Are The Channel Islands California

Channel Islands National Park is located off the shores of Southern California. The park consists of five islands and can only be accessed through a ferry or a boat. With only 30,000 visitors per year, it is one of the best places to get away from the crowds.

To visit Channel Islands National Park, you need to get to Ventura California first. Ventura is located about an hour and a half northwest of Los Angeles, as illustrated in the Channel Islands California map above. When you get to Ventura, you can then take a ferry to one of the islands. I will explain the fairy process in more detail below.

Channel Islands History

As mentioned previously, Channel Islands National Park consists of five islands located off the coast of Southern California. The islands’ names are Santa Cruz Island, Santa Miguel Island, Santa Rosa Island, Santa Barbara Island, and Anacapa Island. The best Channel Island to visit for first timers is Santa Cruz Island which is the largest. Santa Cruz Island has many activities to-do such as kayak, snorkel, hike, and camp.

The Chumash people inhabited the national park for thousands of years. They relied on fish to sustain their small population and would travel between the islands by canoes. Eventually, the islands were claimed by Spain for the sole purpose of raising livestock for Mexico. The grass on the island was planted by the Spaniards to provide food for the livestock.

In 1932 the USA constructed a lighthouse in Anacapa Island where it is still is used to this day. In 1938 President Roosevelt turned Anacapa and Santa Barbara as a national monument due to nature conservancy. In 1980 is when all five islands finally became the national park we all know and love today. There are no longer any livestock grazing the islands.

As of right now, the principal inhabitants of the islands are the cute channel islands fox. They are so tiny and sweet, and we ran into quite a few during our stay.

Channel Islands Weather

You can visit Channel Islands in California all year long. But visiting the islands during all seasons has its pros and cons. I went during early fall, and while it was perfect for kayaking, I wish I could have seen the bright colors of spring.

• Summer Time
  • Whale Watching starts (humpback and blue whales),
  • More crowds,
  • Great time for sailing, snorkeling, diving, kayaking, and swimming,
  • Vegetation dries out,
  • Sea Lions give birth to their pups.
• Fall Time
  • Whale watching ends,
  • Fall bird migration is happening.
• Winter Time
  • Best sunsets,
  • This is the rainy season,
  • Brown pelicans begin nesting,
  • Not the best time to kayak, sail, etc.
  • Gray whale watching starts.
• Spring Time
  • The islands are green, and the flowers are blooming,
  • The birds start nesting,
  • Island fox pups are born

How To Get To Channel Islands National Park

Getting to Channel Islands National Park can be done by a ferry/boat. Islands Packers is the official Channel Islands National Park Ferry. It is located in Ventura Harbor, California. >You can buy the tickets here. 

If it is your first time to Channel Islands National Park, I suggest you buy the  Ventura – East Santa Cruz (Scorpion) tickets. Santa Cruz Channel Island is the largest and most popular island. If you are camping, make sure to choose the Scorpion Bay option because it is the closest point of arrival in relation to the campsites.

Arrive one hour before the boat departure. Honestly, when we arrived, it felt pretty overwhelming. If you can, come even earlier then what the company suggests. The whole place seemed chaotic and disorganized. At times we didn’t know where to line up, and there were so many people. In the end, we got to our final destination, but that was after asking a few people where to line up.

The Channel Islands Ferry has some food and drinks (even alcohol). Don’t forget to bring your Dramamine as the boat can get you feeling pretty queasy. If you are lucky enough, you will spot dolphins on the way to the islands or back. We were so happy when we spotted the cutest dolphins. There were so many of them. Every once in a great while, whales will escort you to the islands.

One last highly important items is to arrive at the ferry on time when returning to Ventura. If you are not there on time, the ferry will leave without you. It is very possible to stay on the island one more night until the next ferry arrives the following morning. It might not be terrible for people that have camping gear, but if you don’t, then it is a pretty scary thought having nowhere to sleep for the night. So be responsible and get to your ferry on time! Let me note that we didn’t follow my advice and we almost did not make it on the ferry back to Ventura. My heart was pounding the whole time thinking of what to do if we missed the flight back home. Not a fun feeling.

Channel Islands Ventura – Accommodation

Channel Islands National Park does not have any hotels located on the island. If you are trying to do a Channel Islands day trip, then I recommend staying in the city of Ventura.

• Crown Plaza Hotel Ventura Beach: The hotel with the best view in Ventura, California! The hotel comes with an outdoor pool, restaurant, and a furnished terrace. >Book Your Stay Here
• Amanzi Hotel: Modern hotel with a heated pool and it is located just two blocks away from Pierpont Bay. >Check Prices Here
• Waypoint Ventura: This hotel is one of the most interesting hotels I have ever seen! It is an actual trailer park close to the beach. It is the top-rated hotel in Ventura and for a good reason. The staff is fantastic, there are complimentary smores and bikes, and the beds are super comfy. If you want to get away from a traditional hotel, then stay here. >Book This Crazy Fun Experience Here

Channel Islands Snorkeling

One of the best things to do during your Channel Islands trip is to go snorkeling. Some of the best snorkeling can be done at the islands. The best islands for snorkeling are Santa Barbara, Anacapa, and eastern Santa Cruz Islands. It is not recommended to go snorkeling in Santa Rosa and San Miguel due to high winds.

You can either bring your snorkeling equipment or rent the equipment from the Santa Barbara Adventure company. They also provide snorkeling tours. The waters do get pretty frigid so do not skimp out on wearing a wetsuit while snorkeling.

Channel Islands Hiking

I love hiking around the island. It isn’t as crowded as most national parks, and sometimes it honestly felt like we had the place all to ourselves. We sadly only had time for two hikes, but I recommend doing both of these as they had great views. Here is the official map of Santa Cruz Hikes.

Potato Harbor

• Miles: 5 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Elevation Gain: 620 ft
• Trail Guide: Link

Potato Harbor was my favorite hike. The trail was along the coast, and the views were so beautiful. The best time to visit is during sunset! If you are camping on Santa Cruz Island make sure to add this to your list. There was no one there with us. Just us enjoying the stunning colors of the sun. Oh, and elephant seals were in the cove trying to talk to us but other then them, we were alone.

Smugglers Cove

• Miles: 7.5 miles round trip
• Difficulty: Strenuous
• Elevation Gain: 1,414 ft
• Trail Guide: Link

We did this hike on the second day. Sadly we didn’t get to enjoy the beach because we had to get to the ferry. If I were to do it again, I would have made sure I had the whole day to enjoy the beach instead of getting there and just taking a picture of it. Largely because the beach was completely empty.

Other Hikes

Other well-known hikes like Scorpion Canyon Loop, Prisoners Harbor, and Chinese Harbor are good alternatives. You can learn all about the hikes here.

Channel Islands Kayaking

One of the main reasons I wanted to visit Channel Islands was to experience sea kayaking for the first time! The Channel Islands kayak tour was probably my favorite part of the national park. You get to explore the Channel Islands sea caves and explore the shores of Santa Cruz Island.

When you get off the ferry, you can make your way towards the Channel Islands kayak center. Just follow the path towards Scorpion Ranch Campground. There you can drop off your stuff inside a bin that they somewhat keep an eye on. They don’t have any individual lockers which I wasn’t a fan of since I was carrying my expensive camera with me, but oh well.

Once we checked in and put on our gear, we walked towards the Channel Islands beach. There we had to pick up our kayaks and drag them to the sea. They have options of two-seaters and one seater kayaks. I really enjoyed going through the sea caves and learning how to kayak out in the ocean. The only times I have kayaked had been in a lake so doing this out in the open sea was pretty thrilling but much more difficult.

We were honestly exhausted after kayaking and ate lunch right after. It was a great experience. I will say a couple of negatives things I noticed during this tour. The first negative is that it felt a bit rushed. There were times that I wanted to stop to take pictures, but we kept on getting corralled to the next sea cave. I was able to sneak in a few pictures in between, but they were a little challenging to get.

The second negative was that they didn’t have individual lockers as I mentioned above. I carry expensive equipment with me on my trips, so it makes me uneasy just leaving my camera in a pile of everyone’s stuff. But, other than that it was a great experience and I would do it all over again. Also, note that you can not rent kayaks from the Adventure Company. You can only take tours. >Book a tour right here.

Channel Islands Packing List

For a Day Trip

1. Sunscreen: This is a no brainer. You need this if you are kayaking or snorkeling. I recommend getting one that is reef safe.  >Buy Sunscreen
2. Hiking Boots/Shoes: If you use tennis shoes you can easily hurt your toes hitting a rock by accident (Trust me I have done it so many times before). >Check Out My Hiking Shoes
3. Hiking socks: Having the correct socks helps you prevent getting blisters. Smart Wool is probably my favorite brand out there. I also love how they now have pink socks too 🙂 >Buy Hiking Socks
4. Refillable water bottle: I always bring a Hydroflask on all my adventures. They are on the heavier side, but I know for a fact they will not break. I have had a few cheap water bottles break on me before. >Check Prices Now
5. Water: Bring all the water you will need. Buying any drinks on the island is pretty limited.
6. Sunglasses: It is the beach so make sure to pack some sunglasses. >Check Out These Sunglasses
7. Snacks: The best snacks are jerky, nuts, energy bars. Clif Bars are great for hiking.
8. Camera: I have linked the camera I used to take pictures of the Channel Islands. The Sony A6000 is an excellent camera for people that want to start improving at travel photography.  >Buy Sony Camera Here
9. Go Pro: If you’re going to Kayak or Snorkel, a Go Pro is the perfect way to capture the moments without worrying about getting your gear wet. >Buy Your New Go Pro Here!
10. First Aid Kit: This is one of the first things I bought when I first started going on adventures. It is super portable. >Buy This Awesome First Aid Kit Here
11. Day Pack to carry all your things: The REI bag I have linked, we have had for seven years now, and it is still going strong! >Buy This Great Quality Backpack
12. Lightweight, breathable pants or shorts >I love these leggings!
13. Breathable sweat-wicking shirts >Check This Out Here
14. Sports Bra: For women.
15. Jacket: I went in September, and I was chilly at times. Bring a Jacket! >Buy My Favorite Jacket
16. Swimsuit: You are on an island so bring a swimsuit! >Buy your cute swimsuit here
17. Snorkel Gear: I recommend bringing your snorkel gear to explore the waters. There are many people that go snorkeling in the Channel Islands. >Buy Your Awesome Gear Here

If  Camping On Channel Islands

1. Everything in the Day trip List Above and,
2. Backpack (50 – 65 Liters): The Osprey (which I have linked) is known to be one of the best makers of backpacks out there. >Buy my Awesome Backpack
3. Tent: The tent can be one of the heaviest items you will be carrying. I just bought this new Nemo 2 Person tent, and it is so small and light! >Buy The Nemo Backpacking Tent
4. Jet Boil: This is a portable mini stove that will boil water for you. This is great if you are bringing dry food >Buy My Jet Boil
5. Propane for Jet Boiler: This can be bought at Walmart on the way to the Channel Islands.
6. Sleeping Pad: A sleeping pad is pretty much a small, packable inflatable mattress. I have tried many types of sleeping pads (cheap ones, light ones, comfortable ones), and the one I have linked is probably the best one I have tried. It is my husband’s sleeping pad. >Check Out My All-Time Favorite Sleeping Pad
7. Dry Food: Dry food is the perfect food for when you are backpacking. All you have to do is add boiling water. Let me warn you that most dry food doesn’t taste amazing, but it is good enough after a long day of hiking. >Check Out Some Of My Favorite Dry Food
8. Spork: A spoon and fork in one. >Buy A Spork Now
9. Headlamp: A headlamp is an absolute must! It is a lot more portable and easier to use than a flashlight. >Buy A Headlamp Now
10. Pillows: Pillows can take a lot of room, so I recommend buying an inflatable one. The one I have linked, I have had for five years now, and it is STILL going strong. >Buy The EXTREMELY Packable Inflatable Pillows
11. Sleeping Bag: One of the most critical aspects of getting a good night’s sleep! Bringing a sleeping bag is a must. >Look At Prices
12. Compression Pack: This compresses your sleeping bag, so it is easier to pack! >Buy a Compression Pack
13. Sandals: I hate wearing my hiking shoes when I am hanging around the campsite, so bringing some sandals for leisure is a must for me. >Check Out These Sandals
14. Trash Bags: Everything you pack in, you must pack out. Bring a few trash bags with you.
15. Printed Campsite Reservation: Just in case anyone asks for it.
16. Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Medicine & Toiletries >Check This One Out
17. Hammock: Hammocks are a great way to lounge around. They are perfect to nap in. >Buy A Packable Hammock
18. Tripod: This is an optional item, but it is excellent for getting the ideal sunset pictures. >Check out this

Channel Islands Camping

If you are camping on Channel Islands, I recommend planning your trip as if it was a backpacking trip. There is only a limited amount of weight you can carry on the ferry. Plus, it is somewhat annoying having to haul all your stuff up to the Santa Cruz Scorpion campground. The Santa Cruz Campgrounds are a little close but not THAT close (1/2 a mile to a mile).

You can make reservations for Santa Cruz Camping here. There are 25 individual sites and six group sites. There is a Picnic table, food storage box, pit toilets, and water. We still brought our water. Remember always to hide your food because the island fox will grab it.

If you want to be hardcore and experience a real Channel Islands backpacking experience, then stay at one of the other campgrounds in Santa Cruz. You can book a backcountry camping experience here.

Conclusion: Channel Islands of California

Channel Islands National Park was one of the hardest national park vacations I ever had to plan. The remoteness and limited information on the Channel Islands park, made it difficult to prepare. But, after spending time at the park, I noticed just how underrated this national park is. Hope you liked this post and make sure to check out some of my other California Posts:

• The Ultimate Guide on Death Valley In One Day
• Things To Do In Joshua Tree National Park
• Best Things To Do In Mammoth Lakes, California
• Where To Find Fall Colors In Mammoth Lakes
• The Perfect 5 Day Maui Itinerary
• The Perfect Big Sur Road Trip Itinerary
• 8 Fun Things To Do In Visalia, California

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