Openings · last 7 days
11
Booking reality
Campsite Sniper detected 11 site openings here in the last 7 days
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-10190967
When Santa Cruz Island Prisoners Harbor reopens
Santa Cruz Island Prisoners Harbor's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
67
Openings · last 90 days
89
Weekday pattern
Detected openings by day of week · 90dWednesday accounted for the largest share of the openings Campsite Sniper detected. 24 of 89 openings detected in the last 90 days occurred on a Wednesday (27.0%), with Thursday (17) and Tuesday (15) next in line.
Hour-of-day pattern
First detected by hour · local time · last 90 daysThe largest concentrations of detected openings were first detected during the 04:00 and 11:00 local-time hours. Those hours contained 39 of 89 detected openings (43.8%). Hours show when Campsite Sniper first detected each opening, in Pacific Time, not when the change was made upstream.
Lead-time profile
Days before stay date · percentilesHalf of the openings Campsite Sniper detected appeared at least 9 days before the stay date; the middle 50% land 4–31 days out. Set an alert if you want Campsite Sniper to monitor future openings.
Highest-churn sites
Most openings · 90d| Site | Openings | Share of all openings |
|---|---|---|
| 007 | 23 | 25.8% |
| 005 | 20 | 22.5% |
| 006 | 16 | 18.0% |
| 003 | 15 | 16.9% |
| 004 | 8 | 9.0% |
Site 007 had the most detected openings in the last 90 days: 23. One free watch covers every site here.
02 · Availability Outlook · Oct 13 – Oct 31, 2026 · of 6 monitored sites
Of the 114 tracked site-nights (Oct 13 – Oct 31, 2026): 10 open for online reservation · 104 reserved.
Where the open windows are
91.2% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation. 10 of 114 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Oct 13 – Oct 31, 2026Not open online91.2%
Open site-nights10 / 114
Reserved (of online inventory)104 / 114
Weekday openings9
Weekend openings1
Of the open site-nights on mapped sites, 9 fall on weekdays and 1 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Oct 2026 – Oct 2026October holds the most room. 10 of 114 site-nights are still open there.
Best-availability sites
Most open site-nights · tracked window| Site | Open site-nights |
|---|---|
| 004 | 3 |
| 005 | 3 |
| 007 | 2 |
| 003 | 1 |
| 006 | 1 |
The 5 sites with the most open site-nights in the current snapshot. Pair a bookable date with a free alert to cover everything else.
Next windows
As of Oct 13, 2026 snapshotNext open dateWed · Oct 14
Next open weekendFri · Oct 16
The next bookable night is Oct 14; the first open weekend starts Oct 16. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Stays and site detail
10 open site-nights across 5 sites at Santa Cruz Island Prisoners Harbor, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
Multi-night stays. 1 2-night opening where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Oct 14 at site 005.
All 5 sites with current availability
| Site | Max RV | Hookups | Open site-nights | Longest run | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 004 | Not recorded | None | 3 | 1 night | Oct 16, Oct 20, Oct 29 |
| 005 | Not recorded | None | 3 | 2 nights | Oct 14, Oct 15, Oct 22 |
| 007 | Not recorded | None | 2 | 1 night | Oct 20, Oct 29 |
| 003 | Not recorded | None | 1 | 1 night | Oct 20 |
| 006 | Not recorded | None | 1 | 1 night | Oct 14 |
About Santa Cruz Island Prisoners Harbor
Overview
The Prisoners Harbor Campground is located near the shoreline, and with a maximum capacity of 24 people, it offers a quieter experience than the larger campground at Scorpion. The campground is a short hike from the pier and is sheltered from harsh ocean winds. As you explore this area, please respect the property boundary and help protect and preserve these delicate resources for future generations.
Santa Cruz Island, the largest of California’s Channel Islands, is one of the five islands that make up Channel Islands National Park. The island is rich in cultural history, magnificent landscapes, and unique flora and fauna. Native American peoples inhabited the island for over 10,000 years, and Europeans explored and ranched on the island for more than 150 years. More than 600 plant species, 140 land birds, 11 land mammals, and a variety of amphibians and reptiles call the island home. The island fox and island scrub‑jay are especially exciting finds, as they are unique to Santa Cruz Island and found nowhere else in the world.
Recreation
From Prisoners Harbor, the campground is only 0.3 miles from the pier. The road does follow a road which passes through a seasonal creek. While the campground has an accessible site and an accessible toilet, transportation to the campground requires use of a ladder and on an uneven road. This road is still used daily by vehicles, so please use caution while hiking along it. During winter and spring, visitors need to be prepared for a wet creek crossing at Canada del Puerto in Prisoner's Harbor. From Scorpion Anchorage, the campground is approximately 14 miles via the Navy Road. Beach access is at Prisoners Harbor. Recreational activities on Santa Cruz Island include hiking, swimming, snorkeling, diving, kayaking and wildlife/wildflower viewing. There are no services on the island, so all gear has to be brought to the island. For more information about recreational activities in the park, visit https://www.nps.gov/chis/planyourvisit/index.htm .
Facilities
The Prisoners Harbor Campground has six primitive campsites (four persons per site) and users must camp within these designated sites. Each site is 8 feet by 20 feet; smaller tents are appropriate for this location. A picnic table, food storage, and vault toilet are provided. Visitors are encouraged to pack as light as possible as they will need to carry all of their gear, food and water to the campsite. Water is not available. Access to the island is by Island Packers Cruises or by private boat.
Natural Features
The Prisoners Harbor Campground is nestled in a shaded oak grove.
The largest of California's Channel Islands, Santa Cruz Island is one of the five islands that make up the Channel Islands National Park. The island is rich in cultural history, magnificent landscapes, and unique flora and fauna. Native American Indians inhabited the island for over 10,000 years and Europeans explored and ranched on the island for over 150 years.
Over 600 plant species, 140 land birds, 11 land mammals and a handful of amphibians and reptiles call the island their home. The island fox and island scrub-jay are exciting finds, as they're unique to the island, found nowhere else in the world.
6 monitored sitesNo hookups1 shadedMax party 4
Getting there
Prisoner's Harbor on Santa Island may only be reached by boat. Visitors are required to arrange transportation to the island before reserving a campsite. Contact Island Packers the park's authorized concessioner or bring your own private boat.
1901 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, CA 93001805-658-5730
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-10190967 · facility + sites
Photo gallery
Roll CS-10190967 · Santa Cruz Island Prisoners Harbor · Ventura CA9 frames · facility + sites
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Santa Cruz Island Prisoners Harbor?
Reservations for Santa Cruz Island Prisoners Harbor are made through Recreation.gov. 91.2% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation; 10 of 114 remain open. Campsite Sniper has also detected 89 site openings here in the last 90 days, so further dates may appear. Pick a site on the map to see its calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this campground for me?
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
How current is this availability data?
Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Oct 13, 2026 11:20 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.
How often do new openings appear at Santa Cruz Island Prisoners Harbor?
Campsite Sniper detected 11 site-date openings at Santa Cruz Island Prisoners Harbor in the last 7 days, 67 over 30 days and 89 over the last 90.
Which day of the week had the most detected openings at Santa Cruz Island Prisoners Harbor?
Wednesday accounted for the largest share of the openings Campsite Sniper detected in the last 90 days: 24 of 89 (27%). Days reflect when Campsite Sniper first detected each opening, not when the change occurred upstream.
Which month has the most availability at Santa Cruz Island Prisoners Harbor?
October 2026, with 10 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 114.
How far ahead of a stay do openings appear at Santa Cruz Island Prisoners Harbor?
Half of the openings Campsite Sniper detected appeared at least 9 days before the stay date; the middle 50% landed 4-31 days out. Campsite Sniper can monitor future changes for dates you select.
When is the next open date at Santa Cruz Island Prisoners Harbor?
As of the Oct 13, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Wed, Oct 14 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Oct 16. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.
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