0
Pull-thru
NPSChannel Islands National Park · California
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.
Sites94 reservable
Elev.630ft
Comf.Jan-Dec12 months
Max rigtents
Electricnonesites
From Los Angeles2h21real road time
The honest read
Synthesized from
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27
RIDB · Open-Meteo
OSM · OSRM
Updated 2026-05-27
At 630 ft, Santa Cruz Del Norte Backcountry has a 12-month comfortable window (Jan-Dec). Winter nights average around 50°F, so the shoulder seasons turn cold fast. 9 sites total: 4 reservable and 5 first-come, first-served. Of the sites, 5 walk-in. This is bear country, and food-storage lockers are provided. Within about 4 miles: 2 peaks, lake or river access.
The campground at a glance
01 · CHARACTER
Reads strongest on reservability and cool nights. Softest on shade.
Six axes, each scored relative to every other federal campground in the region: quiet (miles to a major road), cool (elevation), roomy (average site spacing), shade, RV-fit (longest rig), and how reservable it is. All six come from data, nothing hand-tuned.
When to go
02 · CLIMATE
avg highavg lowfrost-freedriest · Jul
Jan-Dec
Comfortable window: nights stay above 35°F, days below 90°F.
99%
Of summer weekend-days are dry.
57°F
Average July low.
Getting there
03 · ACCESS
01
Los Angeles
106 mi
2h21
02
San Diego
221 mi
4h55
03
Fresno
245 mi
5h27
04
San Francisco
393 mi
8h44
05
Sacramento
431 mi
9h35
By drive time
Picking your site
04 · 9 SITES
Color byShow only
4 mapped sites · dot color = seclusion · click a dot for details. Basemap © OpenStreetMap.
5
Walk-in
0
50-amp
0
Accessible
0
Prime
9
Sites
★ The standout
Site 004
BACKCOUNTRY AREA · walk-in.
To neighbor
83 ft
Type
Walk-in
What's within four miles
05 · TRAILS · PEAKS · WATER
Trails & Peaks
Trail segments
14
Peaks
2
Water & Access
Lake / river access
yes
Method
We synthesize public data layers: RIDB and Recreation.gov facility and site records, Open-Meteo climate normals, OpenStreetMap roads, trails, and water, OSRM drive times, and USGS elevation. We take no bookings, no ads, and no paid placements. Independence is the entire point.