News Release

Planning Completed for New Campground at Prisoners Harbor

Date: April 4, 2022
Contact: Mark Hnat, 805-658-5717

Channel Islands National Park Superintendent Ethan McKinley announced that planning is complete for a small, primitive campground near Prisoners Harbor on Santa Cruz Island. While modest in size, the campground will enhance visitor opportunities to explore this portion of the park. “Visitors will be better able to explore the isthmus of Santa Cruz Island and the campground will provide options for hikers that venture over the Montañon Ridge from Scorpion Ranch,” said Park Superintendent Ethan McKinley.    

The campground in the Prisoners Harbor area is called for in the Park’s 2015 General Management Plan. It will consist of seven tent campsites with a maximum of 24 people able to spend the night and includes an accessible site and a vault toilet. The campground will be located along a pre-existing unimproved road approximately a quarter mile from the Prisoners Harbor Pier. The campground will not be visible from the ocean and is designed to minimize impact on the natural and cultural landscapes. Campers will need to carry all supplies and provisions to their reserved site.  Campfires and smoking are prohibited. Once completed, campsite can be reserved through the website https://www.recreation.gov/  

The National Park Service designed the campground and park staff will complete the work. The project cost is estimated at $140,000. The project is made possible by funding support from the Channel Islands Park Foundation and The Fund for People in Parks. "We are really excited to help the park and the Channel Islands Park Foundation make this new campground a reality,” said The Fund for People in Parks Executive Director Kevin Hendricks. “This exciting project will provide important new camping opportunities for future visitors to the island."   

"Channel Island Park Foundation is thrilled with the opportunity to create a new campground and further enhance visitor experiences to Channel Islands National Park,” said Vahagn Nahabedian, Channel Islands Park Foundation Director of Development. “We are hopeful that this will be the first of several joint projects with our friends at the Fund for People in Parks."  

Work is scheduled to begin during Summer 2022 with opening in late 2022. Updates on the project schedule and other documents related to project can be found on the park website at www.nps.gov/chis