The most popular and accessible campground in Channel Islands National Park, Scorpion Canyon sits about a half-mile inland from the Scorpion Anchorage ferry landing on Santa Cruz Island — meaning you’ll need to carry your gear that distance on foot from the boat, since there’s no vehicle access anywhere on the islands. Sites are primitive, with pit toilets and picnic tables but no potable water, so everything you need must come with you on the ferry. What you get in exchange is genuine island solitude after the last day-boat departs, easy access to the Cavern Point and Potato Harbor hiking trails right from camp, and some of the best stargazing and whale-watching-adjacent scenery in Southern California. Reservations are required well in advance, and given the ferry schedule and gear-carrying logistics, this is a trip that takes real planning rather than a spontaneous overnight.