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Santa Cruz Island Scorpion: how hard is it to reserve?
Channel Islands National Park · National Park Service · Ventura, CA
As of Oct 10, 2026, 67% of Friday and Saturday site-nights at Santa Cruz Island Scorpion over the next 90 days are already reserved, compared with 39% of weeknights. Weekends are much harder than weekdays here — shifting a trip to Sunday–Thursday is the easiest way to get a site. In the next 30 days, 24 of 30 dates have at least one open site (185 open site-nights in total; 1,485 over 90 days).
Upcoming weekends
| Weekend (Fri–Sat) | Booked | Open sites Fri | Open sites Sat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 16, 2026 | 100% | 0 | 0 |
| Oct 23, 2026 | 98% | 1 | 0 |
| Oct 30, 2026 | 95% | 3 | 0 |
| Nov 6, 2026 | 98% | 1 | 0 |
| Nov 13, 2026 | 100% | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 20, 2026 | 98% | 1 | 0 |
Snapshot history
| Snapshot date | Score | Weekends booked | Weeknights booked | Open dates 30d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 10, 2026 | 53 | 67% | 39% | 24 |
About Santa Cruz Island Scorpion
- 31 campsites (31 listed in availability data)
- $15–$40 per night
- Recreation.gov rating 4.8/5 from 754 reviews
- Equipment: Tent
- Activities: Water Sports, Picnicking, Hiking, Interpretive Programs, Camping, Boating, Beachcombing, Birding, Evening Programs, Fishing
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. The island is rich in cultural history, magnificent landscapes, and unique flora and fauna. Native American Indians inhabited the island for over 10,000 years and Europeans explo…
Description excerpt from Recreation.gov.
Check live availability and book on Recreation.gov →
Other campgrounds in Channel Islands National Park
| Campground | Difficulty | Weekends booked | Open dates (30d) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa Island Channel Islands National Park | Not measured yet | n/a | n/a |
| Santa Cruz Island Del Norte Backcountry Channel Islands National Park | Not measured yet | n/a | n/a |
Nearby campgrounds
| Campground | State | Difficulty | Weekends booked | Open dates (30d) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeler Gorge Los Padres National Forest | CA | Not measured yet | n/a | n/a |
| Los Prietos Los Padres National Forest | CA | Not measured yet | n/a | n/a |
| Paradise Campground Los Padres National Forest | CA | Not measured yet | n/a | n/a |
| Reyes Creek Campground Los Padres National Forest | CA | Not measured yet | n/a | n/a |
| Mcgill Campground and Group Campground Los Padres National Forest | CA | Not measured yet | n/a | n/a |
| Pyramid Lake - Los Alamos Campground Angeles National Forest | CA | Not measured yet | n/a | n/a |