Catalina has five campgrounds on land, plus nine boat-in beaches on the island's sheltered shore. All of them are booked through the Catalina Island Company's Two Harbors Visitor Services, and all are reservation-only: you can't turn up and camp, and you can't use a campsite for the day without an overnight booking. Prices are per person, per night, and change with demand.
Catalina campgrounds at a glance
| Campground | Where | Getting there | Water | Showers | Fires | Pets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hermit Gulch | Avalon Canyon, ~1 mi from Avalon | Ferry to Avalon, walk | Yes | Coin-op | No | No |
| Two Harbors | 1/4 mi from Two Harbors village | Ferry to Two Harbors, walk | Yes | Cold, outdoor | Fire rings | No |
| Little Harbor | Beach, about 5 mi hike from Two Harbors | Hike, Wildlands Express shuttle, or anchor a boat | Yes | Cold, outdoor | Fire rings | Yes |
| Black Jack | 1,600 ft, near Mt. Orizaba | Hike, or shuttle to Black Jack Junction | Yes | Cold, outdoor | No | Yes |
| Parsons Landing | Beach, about 7 mi from Two Harbors | Hike or kayak | No | No | Fire rings | Yes |
| Boat-in beaches (9) | Leeward shore | Boat or kayak only | No | No | No | Yes |
No campground has electricity.
How Catalina camping reservations work
- Booking opens January 5 at 8 a.m. Pacific for the whole coming year, online. The Conservancy recommends booking as early as possible, ideally in January.
- January and February stays can be booked by phone starting December 1.
- Groups of 50 or more open October 15, by phone at 310-510-4242.
- Midweek Hermit Gulch stays from November to March are booked by phone: 310-510-4205.
- Fees are per person, per night, and dynamic. Conservancy members get 50% off at the Conservancy's campgrounds on the Trans-Catalina Trail (Black Jack, Little Harbor and Parsons Landing), for the number of people their membership covers.
- Minimum stays apply at the campgrounds, except for hikers moving along the Trans-Catalina Trail.
- Two Harbors Visitor Services is open daily 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 310-510-4205.
Getting there
Passenger ferries run to the island from Newport Beach, Dana Point, Long Beach and San Pedro. Avalon, the island's town, is the gateway to Hermit Gulch. For the west end, the Catalina Express runs from San Pedro to Two Harbors, and from May to October the Cyclone boat links Avalon and Two Harbors. Wind can cancel ferries, so leave slack in your plans.
On the island you get around on foot, by bike or by golf cart. The Catalina Island Company runs no transport to the interior campgrounds, but the Conservancy's Wildlands Express shuttle stops at the Airport in the Sky, Black Jack Junction and Little Harbor. It must be booked in advance, takes one large backpack per person and no pets. Parsons Landing is hike or kayak only.
The campgrounds
Hermit Gulch
Avalon's only campground inside city limits, about a mile up Avalon Canyon from town. It has drinking water, coin-operated showers, three 3-person tent cabins with a picnic table and charcoal BBQ, and a live-in ranger. No campfires and no pets, and gear haul doesn't serve it. More in Hermit Gulch Campground.
Two Harbors
The largest campground outside Avalon, a quarter mile from Two Harbors village. Tent sites and tent cabins, drinking water, cold outdoor showers, fire rings, lockers and a $10 round-trip gear haul from the pier. No pets. See Two Harbors camping.
Little Harbor
A sandy beach campground about 7 miles east of Two Harbors (about a 5-mile hike, by the operator's count) and one of the main stops on the Trans-Catalina Trail. Drinking water, cold showers, fire rings and pets allowed. Hike in or book the Wildlands Express shuttle; gear haul can bring your bags. See Little Harbor Campground.
Black Jack
11 sites among pine and eucalyptus at 1,600 feet near 2,097-foot Mt. Orizaba, with views over the hills to the ocean. It has drinking water and cold showers but no fires. It's 13 to 14.5 miles from Two Harbors on the Trans-Catalina Trail, depending on the source. The Catalina Island Company offers no gear haul there; a private service, Catalina Backcountry (310-913-9036), drops off packs.
Parsons Landing
The most remote campground: 8 primitive beach sites for up to 8 people each, about 7 miles west of Two Harbors' Isthmus Cove. Hike it (about 8 miles on the coastal route or 6.5 on the mountain route) or kayak. There's no running water and no shade structures. You can buy a locker stocked with water, a firewood bundle and a fire starter; arrange it at Two Harbors Visitor Services. Fires in the rings only. The Catalina Island Company offers no gear haul there.
Boat-in sites
Nine primitive beaches reachable only by boat or kayak on the leeward shore, from Willow Cove near Avalon to Ripper's Cove near Two Harbors: Ripper's Cove, Paradise Cove, Lava Wall, Gibraltar, Cabrillo, Goat Harbor, Italian Gardens, Long Point Beach and Willow Cove. Each has 1 to 4 sites, 22 in all. There's no water, shade, moorings or toilets: bring a portable toilet and use WAG bags (never bury them). No fires; cook on a stove or self-contained BBQ. A ranger checks each site daily. Kayaks can be rented in Avalon or Two Harbors, and you sign a liability waiver.
Rules on every campground
- Fires only in designated rings at Two Harbors, Little Harbor and Parsons Landing. Campfire fuel isn't allowed on the ferries, so buy it on the island.
- Pets only at the Conservancy campgrounds: Black Jack, Little Harbor, Parsons Landing and boat-in.
- Wildlife: stay at least 125 feet from bison, never approach wildlife, and store food away from ravens. Watch for ticks, rattlesnakes and poison oak.
- Tents must stay within your own site. Tent cabins hold 3 to 6 people.
- Pack out all trash.
Gear rental and gear haul
At Hermit Gulch, Two Harbors and Little Harbor you can rent (supply is limited):
- 4-person tent: $40 a night plus a $50 deposit
- Sleeping pad: $7 a night
- 2-burner stove: $25 a night (propane extra)
For sale (plus tax): sleeping bag $60, firewood bundle $14, 7 lb of charcoal $18, 16 oz propane $16, fire starter $3.
Gear haul carries your bags from the pier to Two Harbors ($10 round trip) or Little Harbor ($42 round trip, $21 one way). Each bag or item can weigh up to 50 lb, and wagons must be empty and folded.
The Trans-Catalina Trail
The Trans-Catalina Trail is 38.5 miles from Avalon to the island's west end, linking Hermit Gulch, Black Jack, Little Harbor, Two Harbors and Parsons Landing. Every hiker needs a free Conservancy hiking permit, and each campsite must be reserved. The Conservancy suggests 3 to 5 days, carrying 3 liters of water; water is at Haypress Reservoir (mile 5.6), Black Jack (10.7), the Airport in the Sky (12.75), a water station around Little Harbor (18.9) and Two Harbors (24.2). Cell service is patchy. Spring and fall are the most comfortable; summer is hot and winter nights can drop to 40°F.
For more of California, see Death Valley camping.
