Openings · last 7 days
7
Booking reality
Campsite Sniper detected 7 site openings here in the last 7 days
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-232497
When Santa Rosa Island reopens
Santa Rosa Island's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
12
Openings · last 90 days
12
Only 12 openings in the last 90 days: not enough recent activity for a reliable pattern. A free Campsite Sniper alert watches around the clock instead, and pings you the moment one opens.
02 · Availability Outlook · Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027 · of 15 monitored sites
Of the 2,745 tracked site-nights (Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027): 1,849 open for online reservation · 332 reserved · 564 closed.
Where the open windows are
32.6% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation. 1,849 of 2,745 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027Not open online32.6%
Open site-nights1,849 / 2,745
Reserved (of online inventory)332 / 2,181
Weekday openings1,112
Weekend openings737
Of the open site-nights on mapped sites, 1,112 fall on weekdays and 737 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Mar 2027September shows no online availability. 0 of 195 tracked site-nights are open there — 195 closed.
Holiday windows
Sites open per night · of 15 sites| Window | Night | Sites open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day | SAT Sep 5 | 0 | None open |
| SUN Sep 6 | 0 | None open | |
| MON Sep 7 | 0 | None open | |
| Thanksgiving | THU Nov 26 | 12 | Open |
| FRI Nov 27 | 9 | Open | |
| SAT Nov 28 | 8 | Open | |
| Christmas | THU Dec 24 | 12 | Open |
| FRI Dec 25 | 12 | Open | |
| New Year | THU Dec 31 | 12 | Open |
| FRI Jan 1 | 15 | Open |
Labor Day: no online availability on any tracked night. Thanksgiving: 8 sites are available for the complete three-night stay. Christmas: 12 sites are available for the complete two-night stay. New Year: 12 sites are available for the complete two-night stay.
Best-availability sites
Most open site-nights · tracked window| Site | Open site-nights |
|---|---|
| 008 | 145 |
| 004 | 142 |
| 009 | 140 |
| 003 | 139 |
| 005 | 139 |
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 Sep 18, 2026 snapshotNext open dateTue · Oct 13
Next open weekendFri · Oct 23
September0 of 195 · closed
The next bookable night is Oct 13; the first open weekend starts Oct 23. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Stays and site detail
1,849 open site-nights across 15 sites at Santa Rosa Island, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
Multi-night stays. 68 2-night, 59 3-night, 24 7-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Oct 13 at site 001.
All 15 sites with current availability
| Site | Max RV | Hookups | Open site-nights | Longest run | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 008 | Not recorded | None | 145 | 125 nights | Oct 13, Oct 14, Oct 15, Oct 21, Oct 22, Oct 25, Oct 26, Oct 27, Oct 28, Oct 29, Oct 30, Nov 1 +133 more |
| 004 | Not recorded | None | 142 | 125 nights | Oct 13, Oct 21, Oct 22, Oct 23, Oct 26, Oct 27, Oct 28, Oct 29, Nov 1, Nov 2, Nov 3, Nov 4 +130 more |
| 009 | Not recorded | None | 140 | 125 nights | Oct 25, Oct 26, Oct 27, Oct 28, Oct 29, Oct 30, Oct 31, Nov 1, Nov 2, Nov 3, Nov 4, Nov 5 +128 more |
| 003 | Not recorded | None | 139 | 82 nights | Oct 13, Oct 14, Oct 15, Oct 21, Oct 22, Oct 26, Oct 27, Oct 28, Oct 29, Nov 1, Nov 2, Nov 3 +127 more |
| 005 | Not recorded | None | 139 | 111 nights | Oct 13, Oct 21, Oct 22, Oct 23, Oct 26, Oct 27, Oct 28, Oct 29, Nov 1, Nov 2, Nov 3, Nov 4 +127 more |
| 007 | Not recorded | None | 139 | 125 nights | Oct 13, Oct 14, Oct 15, Oct 18, Oct 26, Oct 27, Oct 28, Oct 29, Nov 1, Nov 2, Nov 3, Nov 4 +127 more |
| 006 | Not recorded | None | 138 | 119 nights | Oct 13, Oct 18, Oct 21, Oct 22, Oct 23, Oct 25, Oct 26, Oct 27, Oct 28, Oct 29, Nov 1, Nov 2 +126 more |
| 001 | Not recorded | None | 137 | 111 nights | Oct 13, Oct 14, Oct 15, Oct 26, Oct 27, Oct 28, Oct 29, Nov 1, Nov 2, Nov 3, Nov 4, Nov 5 +125 more |
| 013 | Not recorded | None | 137 | 125 nights | Oct 18, Oct 22, Nov 1, Nov 2, Nov 3, Nov 4, Nov 5, Nov 8, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12 +125 more |
| 011 | Not recorded | None | 134 | 117 nights | Oct 18, Oct 26, Oct 27, Oct 28, Oct 29, Nov 1, Nov 2, Nov 3, Nov 4, Nov 5, Nov 9, Nov 10 +122 more |
| 002 | Not recorded | None | 126 | 75 nights | Oct 13, Nov 1, Nov 2, Nov 3, Nov 4, Nov 5, Nov 9, Nov 10, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18 +114 more |
| 015 | Not recorded | None | 107 | 76 nights | Oct 21, Oct 22, Nov 25, Nov 26, Nov 29, Nov 30, Dec 1, Dec 2, Dec 3, Dec 4, Dec 5, Dec 6 +95 more |
| 012 | Not recorded | None | 78 | 78 nights | Jan 1, 2027, Jan 2, 2027, Jan 3, 2027, Jan 4, 2027, Jan 5, 2027, Jan 6, 2027, Jan 7, 2027, Jan 8, 2027, Jan 9, 2027, Jan 10, 2027, Jan 11, 2027, Jan 12, 2027 +66 more |
| 010 | Not recorded | None | 76 | 70 nights | Jan 1, 2027, Jan 2, 2027, Jan 3, 2027, Jan 4, 2027, Jan 5, 2027, Jan 6, 2027, Jan 7, 2027, Jan 8, 2027, Jan 9, 2027, Jan 10, 2027, Jan 11, 2027, Jan 12, 2027 +64 more |
| 014 | Not recorded | None | 72 | 65 nights | Jan 1, 2027, Jan 2, 2027, Jan 3, 2027, Jan 4, 2027, Jan 5, 2027, Jan 6, 2027, Jan 7, 2027, Jan 8, 2027, Jan 9, 2027, Jan 10, 2027, Jan 11, 2027, Jan 12, 2027 +60 more |
About Santa Rosa Island
Overview
Tucked away in a canyon to protect visitors from strong northwest winds, Water Canyon Campground offers exceptional island views, access to spectacular hiking opportunities and a nearby white sand beach.
Located 40 nautical miles from the Channel Islands National Park visitor center in Ventura, Santa Rosa is the second largest island in California at approximately 53,000 acres in size. The island landforms support a diverse array of plant and animal species including six plant species found nowhere on earth but Santa Rosa Island. The island also hosts over 100 bird and three land mammal species, including the endemic island fox.
Recreation
Several trails and roads traverse the island, providing visitors with spectacular hiking opportunities, including the relatively flat route to Water Canyon Beach to the rugged, mountainous path to Black Mountain.
Due to the strong, persistent wind, swimming, snorkeling, diving and kayaking are limited and recommended for the experienced visitor only. Despite the wind, Santa Rosa Island offers exceptional beach walking on white sand beaches. Access to one of the best beaches, Water Canyon Beach, is just over a mile from the pier in Bechers Bay and just down canyon from the campground. Beach access is also available near the pier.
No fishing is allowed within the marine reserves located around the island. Fishing is allowed outside of these areas.
For more information about recreational activities in the park, visit https://www.nps.gov/chis/planyourvisit/index.htm .
Facilities
Primitive camping is available at Water Canyon Campground (15 sites; 5 persons per site). Picnic table, food storage box, windbreak (8' tall, 10' deep, 14' wide at front, 8' wide at back), restroom and water are provided. The campground is a flat 1.5-mile hike from the pier and a 0.25-mile from the airstrip and Water Canyon Beach. Due to the boat schedule, minimum stay is generally three days.
Natural Features
Santa Rosa has a landscape of remarkable contrasts. High mountains with deeply cut canyons give way to gently rolling grass-covered hills, extensive beaches and coastal wetlands. The altitude ranges from sea level to 1,589 feet.
Nearby Attractions
Good tidepooling spots are located within Bechers Bay, including just east of the pier, the east end of Southeast Anchorage, and near East Point.
A short hike from the campground is the Santa Rosa Island Torrey pine grove. This pine is considered one of the rarest pines in the world-the last enduring members of a once widespread Pleistocene forest. Near the pier, visitors can see buildings and equipment of the historic Vail and Vickers ranch.
Access to a highly recommended beach, Water Canyon Beach, is just over a mile from the Bechers Bay pier. The sandy beach lies on the northeastern shore of the island. Bechers Bay is a destination in itself, with buildings and equipment at the historic Vail and Vickers ranch.
15 monitored sitesNo hookupsIslandMax party 5
Getting there
Boat transportation can be arranged with Island Packers from Ventura Harbor. Air transportation can be arranged with Channel Islands Aviation from Camarillo airport. To park headquarters in Ventura, California: Highway 101, exit Victoria or Seaward to Ventura Harbor.
1901 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, CA 93001805-658-5730
BirdingBoatingCampingFishingGuided Interpretive WalksHikingHistoric & Cultural SiteInformation SiteInterpretive ProgramsPhotographyPicnickingRanger StationSailingSea KayakingSnorkelingSwimmingWater AccessWater SportsWildernessWildlife Viewing
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-232497 · facility + sites
Photo gallery
Roll CS-232497 · Santa Rosa Island · Ventura CA12 frames · facility + sites
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Santa Rosa Island?
Reservations for Santa Rosa Island are made through Recreation.gov. 1,849 of 2,745 tracked site-nights are currently open (67.4%). Campsite Sniper has also detected 12 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 Sep 18, 2026 15:19 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 Rosa Island?
Campsite Sniper detected 7 site-date openings at Santa Rosa Island in the last 7 days, 12 over 30 days and 12 over the last 90.
Can I get a multi-night stay at Santa Rosa Island?
59 three-night openings are showing, counting only runs where the SAME site is free for all three nights. The soonest starts Oct 13 at site 001. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.
Which month has the most availability at Santa Rosa Island?
January 2027, with 465 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 465.
When is the next open date at Santa Rosa Island?
As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Tue, Oct 13 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Oct 23. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.
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