Campground

Anacapa Island Campground

Campground
Within a field of yellow flowers lie tents that overlook historic buildings and the ocean.

Anacapa Island Campground is primitive camping the way I like to teach it: seven tent-only sites reached by boat, then a half-mile carry up 157 stairs with everything on your back. There's no water, no fires, and no shade — you bring your own water, cook on an enclosed gas stove, and stake your tent low against the wind. Each site comes with a picnic table, a food storage box, and a pit toilet nearby, and the whole place runs on reservations through Recreation.gov at $15 a night. It's a real skills trip, and the reward is a night on an island most park visitors only see from the boat rail.

Quick facts

Reservation System
Recreation.gov — advance reservations are required for all of the park's campgrounds. You can also call (877) 444-6777.
Reservation Window
Book your campsite first, then your boat. Reservations are required in advance for every night — there are no walk-up sites here.
Reservation Tips
Reserve at Recreation.gov (campground 232502) or call (877) 444-6777 before booking your boat. With only 7 sites and no first-come availability, lock in the campsite first, then match your boat dates to it.
Season Dates
Open year round. Heads up: western gulls nest on the island from April through mid-August, which means noise, odor, and protective birds during nesting season.

Reservations & season

Reservation System
Recreation.gov — advance reservations are required for all of the park's campgrounds. You can also call (877) 444-6777.
Reservation Window
Book your campsite first, then your boat. Reservations are required in advance for every night — there are no walk-up sites here.
Reservation Tips
Reserve at Recreation.gov (campground 232502) or call (877) 444-6777 before booking your boat. With only 7 sites and no first-come availability, lock in the campsite first, then match your boat dates to it.
Season Dates
Open year round. Heads up: western gulls nest on the island from April through mid-August, which means noise, odor, and protective birds during nesting season.
Fills Up Speed
With only 7 reservable sites on the whole island, plan ahead — every site is reservation-only and there are zero first-come, first-served spots.
Per Night Cost
$15.00 per night per site. For six of the sites that fee covers up to four people; for one site it covers up to six.
Extra Vehicle Fees
None — there are no vehicles on the island. It's boat access only.
Day Use Fees
There are no entrance fees to visit Channel Islands National Park. The $15 fee applies only to camping reservations.
Passes Accepted
There are no entrance fees at Channel Islands, so no pass is needed to visit; the $15 camping reservation fee still applies.

Sites & RV fit

Sites Total
7
Site Types
Tent only — all 7 sites are walk-in/boat-to designated primitive campsites.
Site Type Breakdown
7 tent-only sites (all walk/boat-to); 1 of them is a group site. 0 RV sites, 0 electrical hookups.
RV Max Length
No RVs. The island is only accessible by boat, so there is no vehicle access of any kind.
Group Sites Available
1
Group Site Capacity
One of the seven sites covers up to six people; the other six sites cover up to four people each.
Hookups
None. This is dry, primitive camping — no electrical hookups exist on the island.
Site Features
Each site provides a picnic table and a food storage box. A pit toilet serves the campground. That's the full kit — everything else you carry in.
Site Privacy
Seven primitive sites in an open, treeless setting — no vegetation screening between you and your neighbors, but with so few sites the island never feels crowded.

Facilities

Bathroom Types
Pit toilet (vault toilets, available year round). Old-school outhouse setup — bring your own hand sanitizer.
Showers Available
None. No showers on the island — plan on staying salty until you're back on the mainland.
Potable Water
No water is available on the island. Carry in every drop you'll drink and cook with, plus extra in case the boat can't pick you up on schedule.
Dump Station
No dump station — and no RVs to need one. All waste packs out with you.
Trash Service
No trash or recycling collection. Pack it in, pack it out — everything you carry up those 157 stairs comes back down with you.
Camp Store
No camp store, no ice for sale, no firewood for sale. Your resupply point is the mainland before you board the boat.
Firewood Availability
No firewood for sale and no fires permitted anywhere. Cooking is by enclosed gas camp stove only.
Cell Service
No cell phone reception and no internet. Download maps, tides, and boat schedules before you leave the harbor.
Nearby Facilities
None on the island. The park's mainland base is at 1901 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, CA 93001 — handle supplies, fuel, and any medical needs before you board the boat.

Access

Road Type
No roads. Access is by boat landing, then a half-mile trail with a 157-stair climb to the campground.
Road Conditions
There is no drive-in. From the boat landing it's 157 stairs and a half-mile carry to camp — pack in loads you can actually haul up a ladder-steep staircase.
Vehicle Restrictions
No vehicles, RVs, or trailers of any kind — the island is only accessible via boat, and no on-island transportation is provided.
Clearance Needed
Not applicable — no roads and no vehicles. Your 'clearance check' is whether you can carry your gear up 157 stairs.
Gate Hours
The campground is open all day, year round — no gates. Your real schedule is the boat schedule, so build your trip around pickup times.
Distance From Entrance
The campground is one-half mile from the boat landing, including a 157-stair climb. See the park's island transportation page for boat options.
Nearest Gas Services
Fuel up and buy supplies on the mainland before departure — the park's mailing address is 1901 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, CA, and there are no services on the island.
Accessibility
Not wheelchair accessible. The island's isolation, steep cliffs, and boat transportation requirements make this campground unsuitable for visitors with limited mobility, and campers must carry all gear a half-mile up 157 stairs.
ADA Accessible Sites
None. Due to the island's isolation, steep cliffs, and boat transportation requirements, this campground is not accessible for individuals in wheelchairs or those with limited mobility.

Rules & safety

Food Storage Requirements
Food storage boxes are provided at the sites (available year round). Use them — island wildlife and nesting gulls will find unattended food fast.
Fire Restrictions
No fires are permitted, period. Use only enclosed, gas camp stoves. There are no fire rings and no wood burning of any kind.
Alcohol Permitted
0

What it is like

Onsite Activities
This is a basecamp for island exploring — the landing-area trail network, seabird watching (western gulls nest April through mid-August), and watching the channel from camp. A staff or volunteer host is on-site year round.
Trailheads Nearby
The campground sits a half-mile up from the boat landing, so island trails are reached on foot straight from camp.
Wildlife Viewing
Seabirds are the show here — western gulls nest across Anacapa from April through mid-August, so expect rookery conditions in season: constant noise, strong odor, and birds defending territory.
Stargazing Quality
You're on an island in the channel with no cell service and no development around camp — but fog can roll in during any season, so clear-sky nights aren't guaranteed.
Shade Coverage
None. There are no trees or shade on Anacapa, and overexposure to sun and wind can be a serious problem. Bring sun protection and a shade tarp you can rig low.
Scenic Views
Open ocean and channel views in an exposed island setting — nothing between your tent and the horizon.
Noise Level
During gull nesting season (April through mid-August) expect constant bird noise around the clock. Outside nesting season it's wind, surf, and not much else.
Best Time To Visit
If gull rookery conditions aren't your thing, avoid April through mid-August when western gulls nest island-wide. The campground itself is open year round.
Vibe Check
Primitive and exposed — seven tent sites on a treeless island shelf with ocean on every side. No generators humming, no headlights, no highway drone; just wind, surf, and (in spring and summer) a whole lot of nesting gulls. If you want hookups and hot showers, this is the wrong island.
Camp Here If Skip If
CAMP HERE IF: you want a genuine pack-it-in island night, you're comfortable hauling water and gear up 157 stairs, and you like campgrounds measured in single digits. SKIP IF: you need water, shade, showers, or vehicle access — or you're visiting April through mid-August and can't handle nesting-gull noise and odor.
Tips Advice
  • Pack water for your whole stay plus an extra day — boats sometimes can't land in rough seas, and there is zero water on the island.
  • Bring a sturdy, low-profile tent with stakes and line; the NPS says to secure tents to the ground or the picnic table.
  • No fires — carry an enclosed gas camp stove and enough fuel.
  • Load your packs so you can carry everything up 157 stairs in one or two trips.
  • Use the food storage box at your site from the moment you arrive.
  • Download offline maps and the boat schedule before departure — no cell service out here.

More details

Park Area
Anacapa Island
Sites Tent Only
7
Sites Group
1
Family Friendly Notes
Doable with older kids who can carry a pack up 157 stairs and stay clear of cliff edges — but with no water, no shade, and boat-only access, this isn't a toddler trip. Great skills-building outing for capable school-age campers.
Amphitheater
No amphitheater on the island.
Boat Launch
The island is only accessible by boat, with a designated landing area — see the park's island transportation page for concessionaire boat options.
Nearby Attractions
The boat landing area is a half-mile from camp. Everything else worth seeing is reached on foot from the island's trail network or by the boat that brought you.
Terrain Type
Exposed island terrain above steep cliffs — no trees, reached by a 157-stair climb from the landing.
Temperature Ranges
Be ready for a range of conditions in every season — fog can occur any time of year, producing cool, damp conditions, while sun and wind exposure can be serious on clear days.
Wind Exposure
Fully exposed — no trees or shelter. The NPS specifically recommends sturdy, low-profile tents with stakes and line for securing tents to the ground or picnic table.
Setup Strategy
There's no driving here — your 'setup' starts at the boat landing with a half-mile carry up 157 stairs. Stage your gear in haulable loads, get the tent up first, and rig it low: stake it and tie it off to the ground or the picnic table, because there's no windbreak anywhere on the island.
Bath Laundry Recon
Keep expectations simple: a pit toilet, no showers, no laundry, no water. Bring wipes, hand sanitizer, and a pack-out plan for trash. The nearest real bathroom is back on the mainland.
Review Summary
The word on the trail: campers treat Anacapa as an earn-it island night — the 157-stair haul, the no-water rule, and the exposed sites filter out the casual crowd. Those who come prepared talk about having a near-empty island after the day boats leave; those who come in gull season talk about the noise and the smell.

Location

Frequently asked questions

Is Anacapa Island Campground worth the effort to reach?

If you want a night on a Channel Island with only six other parties possible, yes. It's a real primitive trip — boat access, a half-mile carry up 157 stairs, no water — but that's exactly what keeps it quiet after the day boats leave.

Do I need a reservation, and how much does it cost?

Yes — advance reservations are required for all of the park's campgrounds. It's $15.00 per night per site through Recreation.gov or by calling (877) 444-6777. Six sites cover up to four people; one covers up to six.

Is there water at the campground?

No. No water is available on Anacapa. Carry in everything you'll drink and cook with, plus supplies for an extra day in case sea conditions delay your pickup boat.

Can I have a campfire?

No fires are permitted anywhere on the island. Cook on an enclosed gas camp stove only — and pack enough fuel, because there's no camp store.

Can I bring my RV or car?

No. The island is only accessible by boat — no vehicles, RVs, or trailers, and no on-island transportation. Everything you bring gets carried a half-mile from the landing, including that 157-stair climb.

Should I avoid gull nesting season?

Know what you're signing up for: western gulls nest on Anacapa from April through mid-August, and the NPS warns of rookery conditions — guano, strong odor, constant noise, and birds protecting territory. If that's a dealbreaker, aim for fall or winter.

What amenities are actually at the sites?

Each site has a picnic table and a food storage box, with a pit toilet serving the campground. No showers, no trash service, no store, no cell reception — this is designated primitive camping.

San Miguel Island Campground

Remote island primitive: pit toilet, zero water, boat access only. Wind shelter & bear box provided. Hardcore backpackers only.

Sources

Information is compiled from official sources, verified traveler reviews, and editorial research. Learn how YourNPGuide works.

Last updated July 2026. Report an issue.