Catalina Camping

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Vasler

 
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Catalina Camping

by Vasler » Wed Mar 30, 2011 7:36 am

I was interested in a two day camping trip to Catalina Island in August, but have never been. Does anyone have any feedback on campsites who's been there? What's the most scenic? most secluded? Closest to Avalon? We'd be taking a ferry over, so any boat camping would most likely be out, but it looks like there's another beach camp too.

Or is this place a bust? It's going to be for an anniversary, so I wanted something easy going and beautiful.

Thanks!
vasler

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HeyItsBen

 
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Re: Catalina Camping

by HeyItsBen » Wed Mar 30, 2011 10:30 am

I used to spend July 4th weekends there with an ex-girlfriend and her family who owned a house on the main drag in Avalon, I’ve been there a few non-holiday weekends as well. I personally find Avalon to be crowded, touristy, and expensive without too much going on.

Over July 4th weekend in 2009 though, I went back and did a through hike of the island (with a new girlfriend :D ), which was awesome. It was relaxing and the sights were great.

Our itinerary was like so:

Day 1 - ferry to Two Harbors, hike to Little Harbor, snorkel and rent kayaks, camp at the established campground
Day 2 - sleep in, swim in the harbor, hike to Blackjack campground
Day 3 - hike to the top of Orizaba (island high point), hike to Avalaon, eat good seafood, introduce new girlfriend to old girlfriends family :shock: (who were there for the 4th weekend), ferry out from Avalon

If you’re interested in hiking, I can comment more on that but here are a few notes that I remember from the campgrounds where we stayed on the island:

Blackjack campground - In the center of the island. 360 degree views nearby, but not necesarily from the campground. Secluded campsites available, hidden in pockets of trees. Feels more like a forest campground.

Little Harbor campground - a minutes walk from the beach, basically beach camping. Secluded sites available, but most are not. Great views within a short walk and a westerly view - think sunsets.

Safari busses can take you to places around the island if you don’t want to hike – we had a non hiking couple join us via bus at Little Harbor

Kayaks were available for rent at the Little Harbor campground

Both campgrounds were crowded but not full (it was the 4th weekend though)

You can reserve firewood and have it waiting for you at the camps, its pricey though

The campgrounds were also pricey, reservation recommended

You cannot bring camp fuel over on the ferry, but canisters were available at Two Harbors. I didn't check for white gas. Avalon is the more established area and would have anything you could need.

Lots of wildlife, including Buffalo


Overall, this was a great trip, and probably one of my favorite non-summit related trips. Honestly I wouldn't go to Catalina for just the camping though. Alright its late, fading, fading, gone…


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Vasler

 
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Re: Catalina Camping

by Vasler » Thu Mar 31, 2011 8:49 pm

Fantastic advice! I hadn't even thought about the possible snorkeling, but that's right up our alley and really sweetens the idea of pulling together this Catalina trip. A sunset on the beach at Little Harbor and then a day of hiking sounds perfect. I think I'll try and still see Avalon as touristy as it probably is, but ferrying into or out of Two Harbors will probably work well.

THANK YOU for all the help! I'm going to try for early August - it can't be hotter than Vegas that time of year :).

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Scott M.

 
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Re: Catalina Camping

by Scott M. » Thu Mar 31, 2011 9:21 pm

I'd just go direct to Two Harbors from San Pedro and skip Avalon. Tent camping at Isthmus Cove is OK with a tent and there are also the little dry cabins at Two Harbors. Bathrooms on site. Not bad. I stay there the night before the marathon. Good hiking on the road toward the west end out for as much as a 30k loop (Starlight/Silver Peak) or a shorter out and back. Most scenic - Parsons maybe. Most secluded - Parsons probably. With Two Harbors as a base you could day hike toward the west end one day and to Little Harbor another. Great island with so much to do. Been diving, running, mtn. biking and exploring there for years.

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LionIndex

 
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Re: Catalina Camping

by LionIndex » Fri Apr 01, 2011 4:47 am

Little Harbor is pretty nice, and moderately developed. There's chemical toilets, shade ramadas, fire pits, and water spigots. If you're nice to the ranger on duty, he or she may pick stuff up for you in Two Harbors when they go to town. When I stayed there, we rented kayaks from WetSpot, and even got a ride to Little Harbor from Avalon in the van of the owner (that we paid for, but we had a party of 6). Only thing about that side of the island is that other than the secluded part of Little Harbor, there isn't really any place to put in or pull out with a kayak without taking a serious risk of capsizing or flipping in the surf. I think WetSpot also rents surfboards.

I camped at Parsons Landing, west of Two Harbors, when I was a Boy Scout 20 years ago. It was pretty undeveloped back then; that may have changed.

If you're looking for a different sort of experience, you could try the boat-in campgrounds on the east side of the island. There's a chain of them stretching from Long Point out to within a couple miles of Two Harbors (Goat Harbor and Italian Gardens are labeled on the map benjamingray posted, but there's a bunch more). When I did it, we rented kayaks and supplies (including camp stoves) from Descanso Beach Rentals, which is just around Casino Point from Avalon. Their kayaks are sit-on-top, but have storage bins in the hulls. The east side of the island is sheltered from the ocean, so the sea is pretty calm, and you can paddle around to all kinds of coves, pull your kayak on the rocks and go snorkeling. Only catch is that camping is leave-no-trace, so you need to bring WAG bags over from the mainland or buy them at Descanso Beach. Goat Harbor, where I stayed, is the only campsite with a chemical toilet, but it's not for the faint of heart. Nice view if you leave the door open though!


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