Information about El Capitan State Beach Camping This campground is a relatively large one, with 142 campsites for tents, trailers and motor homes up to 42 feet long. Check availability and rates at El Capitan Canyon. If awesome paddling adventures down the Pacific Coast sounds like your idea of a weekend getaway, look no farther than El Capit...Read more. El Capitán’s peaceful setting, sandy shoreline and close proximity to Santa Barbara make it a popular spot for camping, picnicking, wildlife viewing and other outdoor activities. Campsites are located in clusters, all close enough to walk to the beach. El Capitan Camping. Of all the trails we took on in Yosemite, the El Capitan hike was the hardest, with a brutal start that is followed by a very long trail to the summit. Beaches are very rocky, check with Ranger about tides so you don't get stranded at high tide. In addition to the wide expanses of open water that beckon all explorers (and, with it, endless opportunities to blaze your own watery trail), we like this cruise from Refugio Beach in the protected waters of the channel. The 6 mile round trip El Capitan Beach Trail is perfect for a day trip up to Refugio State Beach. We think that a cruise down one of California’s most beautiful (and most popular) beaches sounds like a pretty great way to spe...Read more. The campground was about 2/3 full, and we had the most perfect weather imaginable. © 2020 Hipcamp, Inc. All rights reserved. Real-time Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watch Warnings help keep our community safe. Learn more, I would like to sign up to receive email updates from Hipcamp. Hipcamp is working closely with the government to allow bookings here asap. Would you recommend El Capitán Campground? In the morning you get up, throw on your swimsuit, and dive into the warm water. The lovely thing about all of the campgrounds in El Capitan is that they all have easy access to the beach. El Capitan State Beach Overview. Nine of the tent/rv/trailer sites are specifically set aside as RV sites. You can hike along the beach and enjoy all of the wildlife along the shore. Sharing is caring, y'all. Recreate responsibly during COVID-19. We have camped at El Cap state beach campground almost every summer for 35 years, so our experience and opinions of El Capitan Canyon is based on “roughing it” tent camping. Fastest trail (by far) Steepest. Named for the canyon in which it is nestled, El Capitan Canyon is a high-end camping and lodging retreat located 20 miles west of downtown Santa Barbara. Put away and safely store your food immediately before you leave your site. It is located about 20 miles (32 km) west of downtown Santa Barbara. Got into food bin we thought was animal proof. Showers are $0.25 for 2 mins. You can sleep right on the beach. All Hipcampers should review and adhere to these standards for safety, trip preparation, and respect in order to uphold Hipcamp’s most important value: “leave it better.”. Word on the street is that 85 is the best, but 82-84 are also good, as are 101, 103, 105 and 107. The vast majority of visitors to Guadalupe Mountains National Park will arrive by vehicle. You don't even need an airbed underneath you because the sand is so soft. Natural features you'll find at El Capitán Campground. Experience RV and tent camping in this spectacular setting on the Santa Barbara coast where the Pacific Ocean and Santa Ynez Mountains provide a stunning backdrop for activities and adventure. Paddlers are often treated to visits from sea lions, seals, and all kinds of sea creatures. CAMPING IS AVAILABLE: To make a reservation, visit www.ReserveCalifornia.com or call 800-444-7275. Family Camping. El Capitan Campground is located near the gorgeous California town of Santa Barbara, and is the ideal camping spot for anyone who loves stellar foods, museums, shops and natural terrain. Campground address: 2 El Capitan State Beach Road, Goleta, CA 93117 Campground coordinates: 34.460105 , -120.023608 (34° 27′ 36.37″N 120° 01′ 24.98″W) Use the map below to view the campground and get directions: We stayed at El Capitan for 3 weeknights in the beginning of October. Together, they offer a broad array of activities and amenities. El Cap is a popular viewing spot for the precious pollinators due to an abundance of Eucalyptus trees. Reminder — You can select the order of your own photos in your Host Dashboard so that they will show up exactly where you want them to on your listing. El Capitán Campground is not operated by Hipcamp and can only be booked externally. For better views, try to grab a site on closest to the cliff edge. Real-time Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watch Warnings help keep our community safe. In addition to the 123 tent/rv/trailer/van sites, there are also 5 group sites (Portola, Ortego, Cabrillo, Drake and De Anza), one of which is handicap accessible. Bring your own tents, vans and truck campers, trailers, RVs. El Capitan is an oceanfront State Park about 25 miles west of Santa Barbara. The lovely thing about all of the campgrounds in El Capitan is that they all have easy access to the beach. Check out the current surfing conditions, grab your board, and hit those beautiful waters! Surfers keep a weather eye on those waters, because some of the best to be had can be found here at El Capitan. Plus, campers at the park can expect warm weather and clear skies for sunset viewing and … We've created a coalition with REI, Sierra Club and dozens of other organizations called Access Land which successfully advocated for California State Parks and the Federal Government to require open data in their future contracts. Ocean Mesa Campground at El Capitan in Santa Barbara, California: 92 reviews, 24 photos, & 8 tips from fellow RVers. Ocean Mesa RV Park & Campground sits right next to El Capitan Canyon. That endless horizon calls sailors of all kinds, and while you may not be able to launch motorized boats here, those under the ...Read more. Here are some additional guidelines for people visiting El Capitan State Beach: What is open now? Due to recent rain area A & C closed. Towering trees create an oasis that seems worlds away from the hustle and bustle of Santa Barbara. it's also a great place to store your paddle board and scuba gear. Put water and cast iron cookery on bins and coolers and seemed to work OK. Had a great time. All 3 days we had excellent views of 3 of the 4 Channel Islands. Nestled on the bluff above El Capitan Canyon, Ocean Mesa offers RV and tent campers magnificent views with all of the modern camping facilities. Bueller? 4 mins. Glorious, private, nature retreat in Santa Barbara. If you are looking for something a little less intensive, try visiting in the summertime and going on a ranger-led interpretive bike ride (call 805-968-1033 for info). In addition to the 123 tent/rv/trailer/van sites, there are also 5 group sites (Portola, Ortego, Cabrillo, Drake and De Anza), one of which is handicap accessible. The campsites at El Capitan Beach are well spaced out among the trees on bluffs overlooking the beach. Sleeping and Spending the Night Actually, that’s crazy; scra...Read more. No one? The ocean water can be a little bit chilly, but dedicated marine lovers will have no problem plunging into the protected waters off El Capitan. Discover and book tent camping, RV parks, cabins, treehouses, and glamping—everywhere from national parks to blueberry farms. El Capitan State Beach Campground is nestled along the the picturesque stretch of coastline lying between Goleta and Point Conception known as the Gaviota Coast. These beautiful campsites are among the nicest along the California coast. Nine of the tent/rv/trailer sites are specifically set aside as RV sites. How does that work? It does tend to get crowded along the point when the waves are up, but you’ll be camping there and have a nice early head start on the day! You can sleep right on the beach. The rhythmic waves of the Pacific are like the world's best white noise machine. (For now!) Abundant wildlife around. Hipcamp is created with ❤️ and hope for our future. Nine of the tent/rv/trailer sites are specifically set aside as RV sites. We have a zero-tolerance policy against discrimination at Hipcamp and are committed to helping our Host and Hipcamper community be inclusive. Campsites can be reserved from April 1 through November 30. The lush forests that surround the shoreline make for some truly excellent wildlife watching, as the observant will see band-ta...Read more, The lush forests that surround the shoreline make for some truly excellent wildlife watching, as the observant will see band-tailed pigeons, flickers, scrub jays as well as raccoons, western gray squirrels and mule deer. Please help us make your stay safe and comfortable by participating in the guidelines. While there is no camping at El Capitan Reservoir there are several nice campgrounds available nearby as well as some RV parks.. Our sister website, California's Best Camping, has full coverage of San Diego area campgrounds, including Lake Jennings, Santee Lakes, and Kumeyaay Lake Campground in Mission Trails Regional Park. If you're looking for a group-friendly campground with an ocean view, you've found it.