Santa Cruz Scorpion

Channel Islands National Park — ocean access, fishing, hiking

Location: ventura, CA, CA

Price: From $15 per night

Price range: $15–$40 per night

Rating: 4.8 out of 5 (682 reviews)

Season: May through October

Fantastic ocean views and relaxing beach time is practically guaranteed at Scorpion Canyon Campground, the most family-friendly campsite on Santa Cruz Island. Set on the eastern part of the island, the campground is a short hike from the pier and is sheltered from harsh ocean winds. The largest of California’s Channel Islands, Santa Cruz Island is one of the five islands that make up the Channel Islands National Park.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Fishing

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/santa-cruz-scorpion to be notified when sites open up.

Scorpion Canyon Campground offers fantastic ocean views and family-friendly beach access on Santa Cruz Island with a short hike to the pier, sheltered from harsh ocean winds. Google reviewers praise it as great value with excellent amenities including water spigots, toilets, and shaded sites with eucalyptus trees.

Wildlife alert: Northern Elephant Seal, Santa Cruz Island Fox, Island Loggerhead Shrike, Common Raven, Island Scrub-Jay, and Urocyon littoralis santacruzae present within 8km

Insider tips for Santa Cruz Scorpion: Book early — this is a federal campground with high demand Boat transportation arranged through Island Packers from Ventura Harbor Lower campground offers shaded sites with eucalyptus trees

Skip Santa Cruz Scorpion if: You need hookups — no hookups available at most sites. You're visiting outside May-October — seasonal operations only.

Best time to visit Santa Cruz Scorpion: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Santa Cruz Del Norte Backcountry (Ventura, CA), Anacapa Island (Ventura, CA), Santa Rosa Island (Ventura, CA), Santa Rosa Island Backcountry Beach Camping (Ventura, CA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Santa Cruz Scorpion

Cell signal at Santa Cruz Scorpion (ventura, CA): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›CA›Santa Cruz Scorpion
Santa Cruz Scorpion — photo 1
Santa Cruz Scorpion — photo 2
Santa Cruz Scorpion — photo 3
See all photos
Channel Islands National Park — ocean access, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Santa Cruz Scorpion

Share:
ventura, CA, CA★ 4.8 (682 reviews)From $15/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Fantastic ocean views and relaxing beach time is practically guaranteed at Scorpion Canyon Campground, the most family-friendly campsite on Santa Cruz Island. Set on the eastern part of the island, the campground is a short hike from the pier and is sheltered from harsh ocean winds. The largest of California’s Channel Islands, Santa Cruz Island is one of the five islands that make up the Channel Islands National Park.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
Bear boxesYes — at every site
ToiletsVault toilets
PetsNot allowed
CampfiresNot permitted
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Fishing

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need hookups — no hookups available at most sites✕ You're visiting outside May-October — seasonal operations only

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with high demand

Boat transportation arranged through Island Packers from Ventura Harbor

Lower campground offers shaded sites with eucalyptus trees

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Northern Elephant Seal, Santa Cruz Island Fox, Island Loggerhead Shrike, Common Raven, Island Scrub-Jay, and Urocyon littoralis santacruzae present within 8km

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
805-658-5730· Channel Islands National Park
Getting there →

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.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Channel Islands National Park fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Channel Islands National Park before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Santa Cruz Scorpion cost per night?+
Santa Cruz Scorpion costs $15–$40 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Santa Cruz Scorpion open?+
Santa Cruz Scorpion is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Santa Cruz Scorpion have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Santa Cruz Scorpion?+
Santa Cruz Scorpion is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Santa Cruz Scorpion?+
Santa Cruz Scorpion is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Santa Cruz Scorpion?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Santa Cruz Scorpion is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Santa Cruz Scorpion open, and what are check-in times?+
Santa Cruz Scorpion is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

National Park Services Concessionaire
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$15 /night★ 4.8 (682)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Santa Cruz Scorpion cost per night?+
What season is Santa Cruz Scorpion open?+
Does Santa Cruz Scorpion have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Santa Cruz Del Norte Backcountry

Ventura, CA

From $15/night

Anacapa Island

Ventura, CA

From $15/night

Santa Rosa Island

Ventura, CA

From $15/night

Santa Rosa Island Backcountry Beach Camping

Ventura, CA

From $10/night

Own a campground nearby?

List free on CamperWatch — we take 5% only on bookings we send. No monthly fee.

List your campground →
$15–40 /nightNo booking fees
+TRIPCheck availability