A Night on a California Island for $15: New Campground Opens at Channel Islands

On August 27, 2026, a new campground called Prisoners Harbor opened at Channel Islands National Park. It is located on Santa Cruz Island, in a shady oak grove below Eagle Ridge and only a short walk from the ocean. This is the first new campground created on the island in several decades.

There is one important detail behind the attractive price. The $15 covers only the campsite. Transportation to the island costs extra, and visitors can reach it only by boat. Before making a reservation, it helps to understand the real cost of the trip, the ferry schedule, and what You need to bring.

Prisoners Harbor is very different from the popular Scorpion Campground. It has only six campsites, and each one can accommodate up to four people. No more than 24 guests can stay at the campground at the same time. This makes it one of the smallest and quietest camping options at Channel Islands National Park.

Each campsite measures about 8 by 20 feet. That space includes a picnic table, so park officials recommend bringing a smaller tent. Each site also has a secure container for food and trash. This is important for more than keeping the campground clean. Island foxes and ravens can open bags and even unzip zippers.

The campground is about 0.3 miles from the Prisoners Harbor pier. That is roughly 500 meters. The walk is relatively short, but visitors must carry all their food, water, and camping equipment. There is no transportation for luggage between the boat and the campground.

The campground has a vault toilet. There are no showers, electricity, electrical outlets, sewer connections, stores, restaurants, or drinking water. Cell service may also be weak or completely unavailable. This is a primitive campground where visitors must prepare for everything they may need during their stay.

A campsite costs $15 per night, not per person. If four people share one site, the camping cost comes to only $3.75 per person. Admission to Channel Islands National Park is free. Visitors do not need to purchase a separate park entrance pass.

The main expense is the boat operated by Island Packers, the official transportation provider for the national park. At the time of publication, round trip tickets for overnight campers cost:

Adults ages 13 through 54: $96 round trip.

Passengers ages 55 and older: $91 round trip.

Children ages 3 through 12: $71 round trip.

Children younger than 3: Free, but a ticket must still be reserved for the child.

A one night trip for one adult will therefore cost at least $111. Two adults will pay at least $207. A family with two adults and two children will spend at least $349. These totals do not include food, water, camping equipment, possible reservation fees, parking, or transportation to Ventura Harbor.

This is why the claim about spending a night on an island for $15 is accurate only when it refers to the campsite itself. The complete trip costs considerably more. Still, it remains a relatively affordable way to experience a California island, especially since the boat ride is part of the adventure.

Boats depart from Ventura Harbor. The Island Packers office is located at:
1691 Spinnaker Drive
Ventura, CA 93001

A direct trip to Prisoners Harbor takes about one and a half hours. Some boats stop first at Scorpion Anchorage to unload passengers and equipment. When that happens, the trip to Prisoners Harbor can take two hours or slightly longer.

The schedule changes according to the date, season, weather, and number of passengers. Current Prisoners Harbor trips often show an 8:30 a.m. departure. Island Packers asks passengers with camping equipment to arrive one full hour early, which means arriving around 7:30 a.m. Equipment that arrives late may not be loaded onto the boat.

The exact time of the return boat is selected during the reservation process. There is no single daily return time. Before purchasing tickets, visitors should open the Island Packers calendar, select the Camper category rather than Day Visitor, and check the available departure and return dates.

The company warns that all travel times are approximate. Boats can be delayed by waves, weather, equipment loading, or stops to watch dolphins and whales. On the morning of the trip, visitors should call (805) 642-1393 after 5:30 a.m., select option 4, and listen to the recorded message about the status of the trip. The company may cancel a trip or change the departure time if ocean conditions become unsafe.

Two separate reservations are required. First, visitors should check boat availability through Island Packers. Then they must reserve a Prisoners Harbor campsite through Recreation.gov. A campground reservation does not include transportation, and a boat ticket does not guarantee that a campsite will be available.

Visitors cannot arrive on the island without a reservation. Campsites are not offered to walk up visitors. One party or group may reserve no more than two individual sites during one visit. Campground reservations can be made up to six months before the selected date.

Campground check in and check out are set for approximately 11:00 a.m. Quiet hours are enforced from 10:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. Actual arrival and departure times still depend on the boat schedule.

All drinking water must be brought from the mainland. The recommended amount is one gallon, or approximately 3.8 liters, per person per day. It is wise to carry enough water for at least one additional day. Weather in the channel can change quickly, and a return trip may be delayed.

Visitors must also bring all their food. Campfires and charcoal fires are prohibited. Cooking is allowed only on an enclosed gas camping stove. All trash must be carried back to the mainland.

Each bag or container loaded onto the boat must weigh no more than 45 pounds, or approximately 20 kilograms. Equipment should be packed in backpacks, duffel bags, or sturdy containers with handles. Corrugated cardboard boxes are not allowed on the island.

The packing list should include a small sturdy tent, sleeping bags, warm clothing, a windbreaker, flashlight, gas stove, first aid kit, sunscreen, hat, strong walking shoes, drinking water, food, and secure containers. Motion sickness medicine may also be helpful. Clothing and important supplies should be packed in waterproof bags.

Visitors cannot bring an RV, car, or trailer to Prisoners Harbor. This campground is for tents only. Motorized vehicles and bicycles are prohibited on the island. RV owners must leave their vehicle on the mainland and confirm long term parking rules directly with Island Packers before the trip.

Pets, firewood, untreated wood, plants, soil, cut flowers, and single use plastic grocery bags are not allowed. Before departure, visitors must clean dirt, seeds, and insects from shoes, tents, and other equipment. These rules help protect the island’s unique ecosystem from invasive species.

Extra caution is necessary during winter and spring. The road from the pier crosses the seasonal Cañada del Puerto creek. After heavy rain, visitors may need to walk through moving water as deep as two feet. One campsite and the toilet are considered accessible, but getting off the boat may require using a ladder, and the road remains uneven. Visitors with limited mobility should discuss the conditions with the park and boat operator before making reservations.

From Prisoners Harbor, visitors can walk to the beach, explore open trails, watch island foxes, and look for the rare Island Scrub Jay. This bird is found naturally only on Santa Cruz Island. However, part of the surrounding land belongs to The Nature Conservancy. The Pelican Bay Trail, for example, is open only to Island Packers passengers who sign the required waiver and hike while an Island Packers naturalist is present.

The hike from Prisoners Harbor to Scorpion Anchorage is about 14 miles, depending on the chosen route. This is a serious hike for experienced visitors who are prepared to carry their own water and equipment. Skilled sea kayakers can also travel between the two harbors. The park recommends this route only for experienced paddlers because wind, waves, and currents can change quickly. It is not a casual kayaking trip for beginners.

Prisoners Harbor offers something between the island’s two other camping experiences. Scorpion Canyon is better suited to families and people camping on the island for the first time. Del Norte requires a hike of several miles with a heavy backpack. The new campground provides more privacy than Scorpion while remaining much closer to the pier than Del Norte.

With only six campsites, available dates may disappear quickly. But the limited number of guests is exactly what makes this place special. There will be no large tent village. Instead, visitors will find oak trees, hills, ocean air, and the nighttime sound of waves rolling stones along the shore.