California's newest campground costs just $15 a night — but 'Prisoners Harbor' in the state's least-visited national park has a dark history

The six-site campground is the first new campground added to Santa Cruz Island in decades, according to the National Park Service. Channel Islands National Park is also one of the least-visited national parks in the country, in part because the islands can only be reached by boat or small plane.

The price is hard to beat: Campsites cost just $15 per night, with each site accommodating up to four people. Reservations opened on August 18 through Recreation.gov.

Camping for a fraction of the cost

Prisoners Harbor Campground is designed to offer something between the island’s other two camping experiences. Scorpion Campground is the larger, more accessible option, while Del Norte Campground offers a more remote backcountry experience. The new campground sits somewhere in the middle, offering passers-through relatively easy access while providing a quieter setting.

The campground is located a short walk from the Prisoners Harbor Pier, meaning visitors arriving by boat won’t have to haul their gear for miles before reaching their campsite. It’s tucked into an oak woodland below Eagle Ridge and the park says the design was intentionally kept small and low-impact to protect the island’s natural and cultural resources.

The $15 price tag also comes with a decidedly no-frills camping experience. This isn’t a luxury glamping setup with comfy beds, hot showers or complimentary breakfast waiting in the morning. Campers are responsible for carrying in their own supplies and provisions, and campfires and smoking are prohibited.

Still, the bargain price buys access to a rather remarkable setting. Visitors can explore Santa Cruz Island’s oak woodlands and coastline, hike between Scorpion Anchorage and Prisoners Harbor for a point-to-point backpacking trip or, for experienced kayakers, paddle between the two harbors as part of a multiday adventure.

Private campgrounds in the state typically cost around $35 to $90 per night, with an average of about $60, according to KOA. That makes the Prisoners Harbor site roughly one-quarter of that typical average.

That price difference can become especially significant for travelers trying to see California on a budget. The state’s average rent is currently $2,700 a month, according to Zillow. California’s overall rental price is also about 33% higher than the national average, according to Zillow’s latest data. As for short-term rentals, the average Airbnb price in California is roughly $258 per night, and the average price of a double room in the Sunshine State is not much better at $226 per night, according to Kayak.

While a campsite obviously isn’t a direct replacement for an apartment or hotel, camping can offer travelers a much cheaper way to stay overnight near some of the state’s most expensive destinations. And demand is there. California State Parks warns that many campgrounds fill up quickly, with reservations available as far as six months ahead.

Why is it called Prisoners Harbor?

The Prisoners Harbor campground has been years in the making. The National Park Service completed planning for the project in 2022, when it estimated the construction cost at $140,000 and described plans for a small primitive campground near the harbor.

The project was funded with support from the Channel Islands Park Foundation and the Fund for People in Parks, with additional support from park partners helping bring it to completion. But if you’re wondering why this peaceful campground has such an unsettling name, you have to go back nearly 200 years.

The name dates back to 1830, when California was under Mexican rule. The Mexican government had been using Alta California as a place to exile convicted criminals and in February of that year, a ship called the Maria Ester arrived carrying roughly 80 prisoners from Acapulco. Authorities in San Diego and Santa Barbara refused to accept them.