Best time to visit
Start your hike early to beat heat and wind, then settle in for golden-hour views. Sunsets are the money shot here. Reservations for both the campsite and boat transport should be made well in advance.
Overview
About Del Norte Campground
Del Norte is Santa Cruz Island’s lone backcountry campground—remote, minimal, and wonderfully quiet. Perched on a ridgetop roughly 700 feet above sea level, it trades amenities for solitude and sweeping Channel views. If you come prepared, it’s one of the most rewarding places to camp on the islands.
Why stop
- Four tent-only sites with picnic tables and food storage boxes
- Big ocean-and-island views with true backcountry solitude
Heads up
- No water; you must pack in everything
- Strenuous, exposed hike from Prisoners Harbor
Backpackers who value quiet, views, and a self-reliant experience will be in heaven. If you want easy access, shade, or creature comforts, this isn’t the spot.
Parkwolf’s verdictWho Will Love ItMap
Where it is
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Full mapLocal know-how
Tips for visiting Del Norte Campground
Carry at least 1 gallon of water per person per day; there is none on site.
Book both your campsite and your boat to Prisoners Harbor well in advance.
Bring your own toilet paper and pack out all trash.
Wind can be strong—stake tents securely and use a stove windscreen.
Watch for the signed turn off from the fire road on the hike in.
Plan your stop
Before you go
Best time to visit
Getting There
3 active Channel Islands alerts
- ClosureSanta Rosa Island wildfire-recovery closuresAvoid closed routes and shorelines on Santa Rosa Island during recovery from the 2026 wildfire.Official details
- ClosureSanta Barbara Island dock closed; landings restrictedThe Santa Barbara Island dock is closed; landings are restricted to the adjacent rocky ledge. - Severe winter storm damage caused the closure, and repairs are not expected in the near future.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Channel Islands Tour Guide
Your drive to Del Norte Campground, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Channel Islands National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Channel Islands audio tourRecorded for this place
Del Norte: A Remote Backcountry CampgroundListen
“Just ahead is the Del Norte Campground, the only true backcountry campsite on this part of the island.”
Plays as you drive up to Del Norte Campground in the Parkwolf Channel Islands Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Prisoners Harbor: Solitude, History, and Island Wildlife
- Guided Hike to Pelican Bay
- The View at Potato Harbor Overlook
- A Challenging Hike to Montañon Peak
- 47 audio storiesacross Channel Islands’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Island Fox, Humpback Whale, Blue Whale, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 31 trails, 49 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
More about Del Norte Campground
Camp Setup & FacilitiesThere are four primitive, tent-only sites (up to four people per site).
There are four primitive, tent-only sites (up to four people per site). Each site has a picnic table and a metal food storage box to keep foxes and ravens out of your gear. Facilities are bare-bones: a pit toilet and no potable water. Bring all the water you’ll need for drinking, cooking, and cleaning. No campfires or charcoal—use an enclosed backpacking stove only.
What You’ll SeeThe hike and campground sit among island oak woodlands and coastal sage scrub, with far-ranging…
The hike and campground sit among island oak woodlands and coastal sage scrub, with far-ranging island-and-ocean vistas that light up at sunset. Expect regular encounters with the endemic island fox, plus birdlife like scrub jays and raptors. Keep your food locked up and your campsite tidy.
Need-to-KnowNo water on site—carry in everything you need.
- No water on site—carry in everything you need.
- Pit toilet only; pack out all trash.
- Reserve your campsite and boat seats ahead of time.
- Expect wind exposure; stake tents well and use a windscreen for your stove.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Channel Islands
2,232 sightingsIsland FoxMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
282 sightingsHumpback WhaleMost seen around 9 AMSighting map
79 sightingsBlue WhaleMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
101 sightingsGrey WhaleMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
364 sightingsCalifornia Sea LionMost seen around noonSighting map
105 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 5 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Channel Islands. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
