Two Harbors Campground on Catalina: Sites, Tent Cabins and Gear Haul

Two Harbors Campground is the biggest campground on Catalina outside Avalon, a quarter-mile walk from the village of Two Harbors. A ferry from San Pedro lands right in the village, gear haul from the pier costs $10, and it's the base for Parsons Landing, Little Harbor and the last stretch of the Trans-Catalina Trail.

Two Harbors at a glance

Booking

• Online booking opens January 5 at 8 a.m. Pacific for the whole coming year.
• January and February stays can be booked by phone from December 1: Two Harbors Visitor Services, 310-510-4205, daily 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Groups of 50 or more book from October 15 at 310-510-4242.
• Fees are charged per person, per night, and change with the season. A tent cabin's full rate reserves it for up to six people, on top of the per-person camp fees.
• There's a minimum stay, except for Trans-Catalina Trail hikers passing through.
• No day use: you can't use a site without an overnight reservation.

Tent sites and tent cabins

You can bring your own tent or book a tent cabin. Catalina's tent cabins come with 3 to 6 cots, a lantern, a propane stove and a propane canister; at Two Harbors each also has a picnic table and fire pit.

If you'd rather not carry a tent across the water, Two Harbors rents gear (limited supply):

• 4-person tent $40 a night ($50 deposit)
• Sleeping pad $7 a night
• 2-burner stove $25 a night (propane extra)

The camp sells firewood ($14 a bundle), charcoal ($18 for 7 lb), 16 oz propane ($16), fire starters ($3) and sleeping bags ($60), all plus tax, and the Two Harbors General Store sells other supplies.

Amenities and rules

• Drinking water and cold outdoor showers. No electricity.
• Lockers, about 1 foot wide and 2½ feet deep.
• Live-in rangers in summer.
• Campfires in the designated fire rings. Campfire fuel isn't allowed on the ferries, so buy wood on the island.
• No pets.
• Keep your tent inside your own site, store food away from ravens, and give bison at least 125 feet.

Getting there and gear haul

• Catalina Express runs from San Pedro to Two Harbors.
• From May to October, the Cyclone boat connects Avalon and Two Harbors.
• High winds can cancel ferries.
• The campground is about a quarter mile from the village on foot.
• Gear haul takes your bags between the pier and the campground for $10 round trip. Each bag or item can be up to 50 lb, no bungee cords, and wagons must be empty and folded. Large groups can hire a truck ($438 one way).

From Two Harbors

• Parsons Landing: about 8 miles on the coastal route or 6.5 on the mountain route. Two Harbors is the last drinking water before it, at mile 24.2 of the Trans-Catalina Trail.
• Little Harbor: about a 5-mile hike (the operator puts it 7 miles east), a beach campground with water, showers and fire rings. See Little Harbor Campground.
• Black Jack: 13 to 14.5 miles on the Trans-Catalina Trail, depending on the source.
• Boat-in sites: Ripper's Cove is 4 nautical miles from Two Harbors by kayak; kayaks can be rented at the Two Harbors Dive & Recreation Center.

Starting the trail from Avalon instead? See Hermit Gulch Campground. All campgrounds, rules and the trail are in our Catalina Island camping guide.