Santa Cruz Del Norte Backcountry
Santa Cruz Del Norte Backcountry is a national park campground in California. Hookups: no hookups.
- Type
- National park campground
- Location
- California
- Coordinates
- 34.01083, -119.66028
- Hookups
- No hookups
- Activities
- Backpacking, Birding, Camping, Hiking, Photography, Wilderness, Wildlife Viewing
- Map
- Open in OpenStreetMap
- Phone
- 805-658-5730
Amenities
- Reservable sites
Only amenities a source confirms are listed; an amenity missing here is unknown, not absent.
About Santa Cruz Del Norte Backcountry
Overview For a truly remote getaway full of backpacking and breathtaking scenery, take a backcountry trip to Santa Cruz Island's Del Norte Campground. Del Norte is currently the only backcountry campground on Santa Cruz Island. The National Park Service opened this backcountry site in recognition of its rare wilderness values. As you explore these wild areas, please take the responsibility to help us protect and preserve these delicate natural resources for future generations. While backcountry camping is an incredible experience, it is not for the inexperienced backpacker. Due to difficult weather, rugged terrain, and off-trail hiking, backcountry camping is an arduous endeavor and should be undertaken only by experienced, well-conditioned backpackers. To reach this backcountry site, visitors will backpack along a historic ranch road/trail through a series of canyons and ridges, to a vista about 700 feet above sea level. This moderate to strenuous 3.5-mile hike from Prisoners Harbor travels through island oak woodlands and coastal sage scrub plant communities. Recreation From Prisoners Harbor, the shortest route to the Del Norte Campground is 3.5 miles via the Del Norte Trail. Follow the Navy Road out of Prisoners Harbor for 1.5 miles (600-foot elevation gain; strenuous). This gravel road is still used daily by vehicles, so please use caution while hiking along it. During winter and spring, visitors need to be prepared for a wet creek crossing at Canada del Puerto in Pr
Cell coverage
No coverage data for this location yet.
Nearby RV services
- Dump station
- Carpinteria State Beach · 27 mi
- Water fill
- None mapped within 50 mi
- Propane
- None mapped within 50 mi
- Low clearances
- None mapped within 10 mi
Other places to stay nearby
| Name | Type | Distance | Fee | Hookups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz Island Del Norte Backcountry Campground | National park campground | under 0.1 mi | $15 | — |
| Upper Scorpion Campground | Private campground | 5.9 mi | — | — |
| Lower Scorpion Campground | Private campground | 6.2 mi | — | — |
| Santa Cruz Scorpion | National park campground | 6.2 mi | — | No hookups |
| Santa Cruz Island Scorpion Canyon Campground | National park campground | 6.2 mi | $15 | — |
| Anacapa Island | National park campground | 17 mi | — | No hookups |
Open Santa Cruz Del Norte Backcountry in DryRig
Save it offline, check your rig's clearance on the drive in, and see what's nearby on the map.
Sources. Recreation.gov (RIDB). Updated June 2026. Facility facts only; DryRig does not publish ratings or reviews on this page.