Camping on Anacapa Island: How to Book, the 157 Stairs and What to Bring
Anacapa has one small campground, seven sites, booked through recreation.gov up to six months ahead. There is no drinking water on the island, so you carry in everything you will drink. The campground sits half a mile from the boat landing, including 157 stairs up from Landing Cove. Western gulls nest on the island from April to August and can be aggressive near the trail. Getting there is by Island Packers boat from Ventura, and landing depends on sea conditions the day of your trip. Our Channel Islands kayaking itinerary covers the Santa Cruz Island version of an island camping trip.
Booking a Site
Camping on Anacapa Island requires a reservation, made through recreation.gov and available up to six months in advance. The campground has seven sites total, which is small even by Channel Islands standards, and sites do go on popular weekends, especially in spring and fall when the weather is mildest. There is no walk-up camping and no way to reserve a site once you are already on the boat.
The 157 Stairs
Every camper reaches the campground the same way: off the Island Packers boat at Landing Cove, then a half mile walk that includes 157 stairs up the cliff to the top of East Anacapa. There is no other route and no way around it. Pack light and plan for one trip up with everything you need, since making two trips with gear means climbing the stairs twice. A rolling cooler will not help you here; a duffel or a pack you can carry does.
No Water, and What That Means
There is no drinking water anywhere on Anacapa Island. Every drop you use, for drinking, cooking or washing, has to come up those stairs with you. Plan on a gallon per person per day at minimum, more if you are cooking or the weather is warm, and bring a bit extra in case a boat delay stretches your stay by a few hours.
Food Storage and Camp Rules
The park provides animal-proof food storage boxes at each campsite, and campers are required to use them; gulls and deer mice will get into anything left out. There is no trash collection on the island, so everything you carry in, you carry back out, including food scraps. The campground has vault toilets, which do not flush, and no showers or running water of any kind.
Gull Nesting Season, April to August
Western gulls nest on Anacapa from April through August, and during those months the birds defend their nests aggressively, including diving at hikers who get close to a nest near the trail. Stay on the marked path, keep your distance from any bird sitting still on the ground, and expect some noise and swooping if you are visiting in peak nesting season. It is loud, not usually dangerous, but it changes the character of the trip compared to a quiet fall visit.
Snorkeling and the Landing Cove
Landing Cove, right where the boat drops you off, has some of the best snorkeling access on the island: good underwater visibility and abundant marine life inside the surrounding marine reserve. It is worth bringing a mask and fins if you have room in your pack, since it is a short walk from the campground back down to the water rather than a separate excursion.
Getting There, and the One Thing You Cannot Control
Island Packers sails to Anacapa from Ventura Harbor, and the crossing is the shortest of any Channel Islands run. Landing is not guaranteed. Island Packers decides on weather and sea conditions the morning of departure, and even once the boat is underway, whether it can land at Anacapa's cove is the captain's call, made on site. If you cannot land, the trip becomes a wildlife cruise instead. Build a buffer day into your plans if you can, rather than booking a camping trip on a schedule with no room to shift.
What to Pack
- All your water, at least a gallon per person per day
- A pack or duffel you can carry up 157 stairs in one trip
- A trash bag for everything you bring in, since there is no collection on the island
- Layers; the island is exposed to wind and fog even when the mainland is warm
- A mask and fins if you want to snorkel Landing Cove
Plan Your Island Camping Trip With Us
Tell us your dates and we will check the boat schedule and help you time the crossing. Planning is free, and we earn only if you book through us.
Keep planning with Channel Islands Day Trip.
Camping on Anacapa Island: How to Book, the 157 Stairs and What to Bring FAQs
Through recreation.gov, up to six months in advance. The campground has only seven sites, so weekends in spring and fall book up.
No drinking water is available anywhere on the island. Campers carry in everything they will drink and cook with, at least a gallon per person per day.
By Island Packers boat from Ventura Harbor to Landing Cove, then a half mile walk that includes 157 stairs up to the campground on top of East Anacapa.
Yes, at Landing Cove right by the boat drop-off. The water has good visibility and is part of a marine reserve, so it is worth bringing a mask and fins.
April through August. Western gulls nest close to the trail during these months and can dive at hikers who get too close, so stay on the marked path.
A boat cruise around the island without landing, run by Island Packers as an alternative when sea conditions do not allow a landing at Landing Cove, or as a standalone trip for anyone who wants to see the island without the stairs.
Yes. The worked day-by-day plan is Channel Islands Kayaking: 3-Day Santa Cruz Island Trip (3 Days), with the permits, the stays and the drive times already sorted. Tell us your dates and we will put it together for you and confirm what is genuinely open on those days. Asking is free: no card, no deposit, and nothing is held until you say yes.
