Scorpion Ranch — Attraction in Santa Cruz Island

Spent a week camping here and had a great time. Island packers gets you to the pier. Then a 1/2 mile walk to the campsite. Shade covers the site and table most of the day. All sites have a bear box to protect your food from the foxes. There is water at the campsite and pit toilets. Unfortunately, there are flies, bees and wasps which hover around you constantly. The foxes do provide some distraction.

The hikes are fantastic, but no shade along the trails as none of the native trees grow that high. Bring lots of sunscreen and wear a wide brimmed hat.

The kayak trip was fantastic and the caves were wonderful. They provide an optional wet suit and splash jacket in addition to the required helmet and life jacket. Definitely wear both as it can get quite cold on the water and with this protection you feel great.

The visitors center has a massive amount of information from how the islands got to here and the history of human habitation. The historic oven was closed to humans so the bats can roost. It is open the few months they do not roost, so call ahead if you...

It's a one hour boat ride to get out there. Contact Island Packer cruises for pricing and all the juicy details. The hikes are what you make of them. You won't gain more than a couple hundred feet of elevation on any of them. Some are just steeper than others. The views are spectacular from everywhere. Camping is an option here, but you have to hike all your gear to camp. I am not sure if campfires are allowed but there are no fire pits at any of the camp sites, so I'm leaning towards no campfires. Don't hold me to that though. There is also a shack near the campgrounds that you can rent snorkeling gear from. Fins, masks and snorkels and...

Trails pretty well maintained. Free to come to this park if you can provide your own transportation by boat. Got to see some foxes that only exist on this island. You need to bring back with you everything that you brought to the island. There is no trash can service here. There are few toilets so plan your bathroom breaks based on how long your hikes are going to be.

Someone told us that the water spigot to refill your water container was covered with wasps so they could not refill their water container. This wasn't a problem for us because we brought all of our...