Hermit Gulch Campground: A Full Review and Experience

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Hermit Gulch Campground on Catalina Island is a must for everyone.

Ever think of going backpacking with your family, but don’t want to commit to being in the “middle of nowhere” with your kids without the luxuries of car camping (being able to pack your car full of stuff and parking it right next to your site as you camp in a tent)? Camping with your kids in Hermit Gulch Campground on Catalina Island is the perfect solution!

It’s the right mix of hiking to the site with modern luxuries close by including a golf cart shuttle system if you really need it. There is no need to continue hiking the entire Trans Catalina Trail if you are just wanting to enjoy Catalina Island Camping

Honestly, if we hadn’t had Hermit Gulch Campground on Catalina Island as our first backpacking experience with the girls, I may not have been so gung-ho to go backpacking again so soon…

How to Get to Catalina Island

The Catalina Express

Let’s back up a little bit. Catalina is an island that is part of Los Angeles County in Southern California. The most popular way to get there is by boat. The most common, efficient boat to use is the Catalina Express.

The Catalina Express is a ferry ride from the coast of Southern California to Catalina Island. There are 2 main ports on Catalina: Avalon and Two Harbors. This post will focus on how to get to Avalon since that is where we went for the Hermit Gulch campground, but the process will be very similar for Two Harbors.

Catalina Express Ferry Tickets

First things first would be to reserve and book your Ferry Tickets. It is about $78 for adults, $62.50 for kids (ages 2-11), and $6 for toddlers/infants (under 2 years old) from the Dana Point harbor. Long Beach and San Pedro are slightly cheaper, and if you book from our partners at Get Away it saves you about $5 per ticket. Newport Beach is a smaller Catalina Express port but is another option.

Catalina Express Cost Comparison*

Ticket Type	Dana Point	Get Away Today Dana Point	Long Beach/San Pedro	Get Away Today Long Beach/San Pedro
Adults	$78	$73	$76	$71
Kids (ages 2-11)	$62.50	$59	$60.50	$58
Babies (under 2)	$6	$6

*Tickets are based on posted prices from August 2021

Once you have your tickets reserved, check in at the port on the day of. If you need long-term parking, they will let you know which lot is currently being used for long term parking when you pick up your tickets at the window (which is also when you’ll pay). Long term parking fees range from $14-$20 at the time this post was written.

The Catalina Express Ferry Ride

I absolutely love the boat ride to Catalina. It’s enough time to really enjoy being on a boat in the ocean with the wind in your face and potential animal sightings. Almost every time we ride on the Catalina Express, we see dolphins, whales, or some sort of ocean life on our way to Santa Catalina Island.

This trip was no exception. Although I didn’t see my dolphins, we did see a blue whale which was absolutely amazing! It didn’t breach (jump out of the water), but we did see it swim along the surface and spout from its blowhole as it took breaths. The whale was hanging out by another boat we were passing.

A sea lion also swam right by us- I saw its head pop right out of the water.

Any questions about how well a toddler and young kid do on a boat ride? Here are our notes with our girls. Keep in mind they are used to traveling, but not used to being on a boat.

Our 4-year-old did not like the noise of the boat at all. I’m sure the sound would have been less on the inside, but I love the wind in my face for 2 reasons:

1. The wind in your face can help with any sea sickness
2. Sitting outside the boat’s cabin gives you the smell of the ocean and the fun of having the wind in your hair

Plus, I think it’s easier to look for animals while out on the deck.

It would have been smart to bring her a pair of noise-canceling headphones, but we didn’t think of it. I am not sure we would have packed them anyway since we were backpacking and needed to carry everything with us to the campsite…

A starburst and the whale sighting helped her quickly adjust to being on the boat, and the return ride had no problems at all with the sound. Our 2-year-old fussed because it was time for her to take a nap. She started crying because she was tired and not being held by mommy then quickly fell asleep in my arms for the rest of the boat ride.

An important note: even if it’s summer, bring a jacket on the ferry. The wind gets cold, and it takes a bit of time to get to the island. Here is the breakdown of how long it takes to get to Santa Catalina Island depending on what port you leave from:

• Dana Point to Avalon: 1.5 Hours
• Long Beach to Avalon: 1 Hour
• San Pedro to Avalon: 1 Hour 15 Minutes

Once you unload from the ferry, it’s as simple as just starting to walk towards where you need to go.

Camping at Hermit Gulch Campground in Avalon

When thinking of Catalina Island camping, you think you might have a great view of the ocean or be on the beach. While Catalina does offer other campsites that have these perks, Hermit Gulch isn’t one of them.

We could not see the ocean as we were a couple of miles inland, BUT…

It was beautiful!

Honestly, even without the ocean view, I would camp here again in a heartbeat.

• We saw deer and Catalina foxes every night.
• It was a beautiful, quiet campground.
• The hike right by the campground led to an amazing view of the ocean on both sides of the island.
• The ranger was super sweet and helpful.
• The bathrooms had full plumbing.

When I say quiet campground I mean it. We even had some Hawaiian camping neighbors who played their ukulele throughout the day- way better than some previous campsites where we had camping neighbors blasting their Bluetooth radio party music starting at 10 pm.

How to Get from Avalon to Hermit Gulch Campground

It’s a 1.5-mile trek from the boats in Avalon along Avalon Canyon Rd to Hermit Gulch Campground, and you have 2 options. Walk it, or rent a Golf Cart shuttle ride.

Well, we opted to walk it. It had an uphill grade, but it wasn’t too steep.

The problem was that I wasn’t used to carrying so much weight. I had the carrier with our youngest on a handful of our last hikes to prep for this, but we had a few extra items stuffed into the carrier as well.

To be honest, it wasn’t much more weight added, plus my husband carried almost everything in his backpacking backpack. Our friend who came with us was able to add the 2 backpacking camping chairs to her backpack, and our 4-year-old did great carrying a few lighter things in her pack too.

Perhaps it was a combination of knowing everything was being carried on our backs and leaving after work and hiking after a 1.5-hour boat ride. In any case, here’s a journalistic point of view regarding our walk to the campsite.

I will preface it by saying munchkin found a lucky penny earlier in the day…

I don’t know why, but I was already so tired. Sure, my pack was heavier than it had been before, but the majority of the weight was still from Little Munchkin, and I was used to having her in the carrier almost every weekend. Still, I kept going- I knew this would be worth it, so I focused on just walking and tuning out everything else. Then a golf cart stopped.
“Do you want a ride?” The lady asked. It was the golf cart shuttle we had opted not to use. I looked at my husband, not wanting to leave him and our friend behind and not wanting to have to pay for the shuttle when we could walk, but also kind of wanting to hop in and get a golf cart lift to the campsite.
“Go for it,” he said as he read my quizzical look. We were about halfway through the 1.5-mile hike, he had no problem walking without the girls and me.
Don’t need to tell me twice. Munchkin, Little Munchkin, and I all hopped into the back seat.
“Water?” The lady asked.
Munchkin gladly accepted a water bottle (even though her water bladder in her backpack had plenty of water). She couldn’t stop grinning. “Aren’t we lucky, mommy? I’m so glad I found that lucky penny!”

So which way do you actually need to go to get to Hermit Gulch Campgrounds?

• Follow Pebbly Beach Road from the Boat Terminal and make a right on Crescent Avenue
• Turn left onto Catalina Avenue
• Turn right onto Tremont Street
• Turn left onto Avalon Canyon Road
• Hermit Gulch Campground will be on your right just before you would reach Wrigley Memorial and Botanical Gardens

There are multiple paths you can take, but this is the one we followed. Check out this map of Avalon on Catalina Island to see your preferred pathway. Whatever way you take to get to Avalon Canyon Road doesn’t matter, but that is the only road leading up to Hermit Gulch Campgrounds and the Wrigley Memorial and Botanical Garden.

Hermit Gulch Campground Amenities

There are a few things to note about Hermit Gulch Campground. One of the main differences here from other campgrounds we have stayed at is that no wood fires were allowed. You also can not take propane on the Catalina Express.

So what did we do? Bought a propane tank directly from the campsite. You can also purchase it in town, but then it’s extra weight to carry as you backpack your way up Avalon Canyon Road to the campgrounds. If you are taking a shuttle, this wouldn’t be a big deal.

List of amenities at Hermit Gulch Campground:

• BBQ Stand (propane, charcoal, and/or duraflame logs available for purchase)
• Picnic Table
• Flush Toilets & Lights in the Bathrooms
• Coin Showers
• Outdoor Sinks (for dishes)
• Potable Water (drinkable water, although we still filtered ours)
• Vending Machine (typical soft drink choices)

Our girls received Hermit Gulch Campground Honorary Ranger buttons which thrilled them to no end. Munchkin attributed this to her lucky penny she found earlier, but I’m sure your kids would get one too even if they didn’t find a penny first.

Not sold on pitching your own tent (or carrying a tent a couple of miles to the campgrounds)? Then stay at one of the canvas tents, or ” tent cabin,” complete with cots that can also be used as lounge chairs (we took a peek as we walked around Hermit Gulch).

The Wrigley Memorial and Botanical Garden are right next to the campsite. We didn’t actually enter as we were hiking during the day Saturday, then walked back to Avalon on Sunday. The Wrigley Memorial and Botanical Garden close at 5 pm, but we were able to walk up to the gate and see some deer inside foraging.

Walking around the campgrounds revealed a rock maze (just a flat one). The girls would have spent hours following the spirals if we hadn’t urged them on after a bit of playtime.

Just under a mile down the road is The Sandtrap, a Mexican & American Restaurant and Bar across from the golf course. After our hike, we walked down Avalon Canyon Rd (not too steep of a street, but it did have a grade to it) for some lemonade, nachos, and french fries. We hung out there for a bit, recovering from our hike, then headed back to camp and played some card games.

There is a Nature Center nearby, but it was closed during our visit. Check with park rangers for the Nature center’s hours of operation.

Hermit Gulch Trail

Of course, we hiked while on a camping trip!

That’s part of the fun, exploring your surroundings. This particular trail starts off the Trans Catalina Trail which is 38.5 miles in the Catalina backcountry and can take about 4 days to complete. We might do that full trail one day, but we aren’t quite ready for that yet. As I said, this was our first backpacking trip for ourselves and the girls.

Hermit Gulch Trail is 3.4 miles and has a pretty decent climb of 1,174 ft up to the Hermit Gulch Lookout. This took a bit (and by “bit” I mean huffing and puffing and sweating- I’m not that crazy in shape) of effort, but the higher up we went, the more beautiful the scenery was.

How did I convince a 4-year-old to keep hiking?

Eye Spy, Guess the Animal, and I introduced The Alphabet Picnic Game for the first time. I was amazed at how many words she could come up with for the letters of the alphabet. She still had her whining moments, but I can’t blame her when I was tired too. It was hot, and the trail didn’t have much shade.

Our 2-year-old was in the carrier the whole way. We took her out at the top to get her snack, stretch, and reapply sunscreen.

At the Hermit Gulch Lookout, there was a gazebo where you could sit on some benches in the shade. I was thrilled that the gazebo, the view, and the “watch for animals” sign completely renewed her energy. The snacks and more water helped us all as well.

It really showed me that even though kids may gripe and complain on a hike, they can receive that same proud, accomplished feeling that makes it all worth it. The awe and amazement at the world around us get soaked into their little minds.

Looking down on Avalon Harbor from up so high on Santa Catalina Island was incredible. Once we made it to the top, you could actually see down into Avalon canyon and all the way to the ocean on the other side of the island as well. It was such a stunning view!

Going down the gulch trail was much easier than going up, but munchkin tripped on a rock and scraped her knee. It was bleeding, but not much (just a surface scrape), so I had to pull out all the stops on distraction methods for her to keep walking down the trail.

“What kind of band-aid do you want?” “Wait until we tell Grandma about this hike!” “Ok, so we’ll put the snack on your knee and eat the band-aid.”

She laughed it off and now tells the story as if it was no big deal when in reality it was a very big deal to her at that moment.

How Much Does it Cost to Camp at Hermit Gulch?

OK, now for some logistics. After all, you’ll want to have a general idea for when you book your own trip, right? Right.

There are different rates for summer, winter, and holidays.

Cost of Hermit Gulch Campgrounds (as of July 2021):

• $27-$30 per night per adult
• $18-$21 per night per child (ages 2-11)
• Tent Cabin: additional $65-$80 per night

Weekends require booking at least 2 nights, and holidays require at least 3 nights.

Reservations must be made ahead of time (no walk-ins).

• Check-in: 2 pm-5pm
• Check-out: 11 am

As campsites go, this is a pretty pricey one, but you are on an island and the views and experiences are totally worth it. We can’t wait to go check out the other campsites on the island!

Best Things to Do in Avalon

Well, our boat didn’t leave until later on Sunday (5 pm I believe), but as we checked out of our campsite first thing in the morning, we needed to stay occupied.

We stopped at a couple of parks on the walk back to town- no golf cart shuttles this time! My husband went into the grocery store to buy some fresh fruit along the way and then walked along the coast to the old Catalina Island Casino.

It’s not an actual gambling casino, but a gathering place- which apparently is the original meaning of the word “casino.”You can tour the place or rent out the giant Ballroom for private events.

Per the recommendation of the Ranger, we ate at NDMK which was absolutely delicious.

After lunch? You guessed it: ice cream! We treated ourselves with ice cream from Lloyd’s of Avalon, an old-fashioned candy shop.

From there we walked to Lover’s Cove, a small rocky beach where you can snorkel and feed the Garibaldi (a bright orange fish that is California’s state saltwater fish).

You do have to be cautious of the tide and the boats passing by, but it’s a fun place to hang out, skip rocks, and see the fish. To get here just follow Pebbly Beach Road. You’ll run into Lover’s Cove well before arriving at Pebbly Beach.

Next up? Lining up at the Boat Terminal for the ride back to the mainland, our car, and home.

Thinking of staying longer or planning other activities? There are so many tours both on land, in the water, and in the air. Here’s a highlight list of things to do, although it doesn’t cover everything- there’s so much to do!

Best Things to do In Avalon on Catalina Island

• Glass Bottom Boat Tour
• Kayak
• Snorkel
• SCUBA Dive
• Mini-Golf
• Golf
• Zipline
• Hiking Trails
• Trans Catalina Island Trail
• Shop
• Eat
• Swim
• Parasail
• Helicopter Tour
• Museums
• Bison Tour
• Bike Ride
• Golf Cart
• Descanso Beach Club

Trans Catalina Trail and other Catalina Island Camping

The Trans Catalina Trail (TCT) crosses over 38.5 miles of hiking trails through the Catalina backcountry and scales over 10,000 feet of combined elevation. It’s not for beginners, but 2 of the campsites are easily accessible for families to enjoy: Hermit Gulch Campgrounds and Two Harbors Campground.

Catalina Island Conservancy maintains the hiking trails. If you become a donating member you can receive benefits such as admission to the Wrigley Memorial and Botanical Garden as well as other Santa Catalina tour discounts.

Start your trek at the Conservancy visitor center in Avalon then continue to the start of the Trans Catalina Island Trail by the Hermit Gulch Campgrounds. You’ll make your way up Hermit Gulch Trail to the Hermit Gulch Lookout then continue your trek to Black Jack Campground. From the Black Jack Campground, you can rest at the Airport in the Sky Restaurant and descend to Little Harbor Campground. Continue on to Two Harbors Campground then Parsons Landing Campground, pass by Lion Head, and circle back to Two Harbors Campground and the Catalina Express back to the main coast of Southern California.

Make sure you are prepared for backpacking and have essentials before obtaining a permit to hike the Catalina backcountry.

Catalina Island Campgrounds

• Hermit Gulch Campground (Access via Avalon Port, or TCT)
• Black Jack Campground (TCT)
• Little Harbor Campground (TCT)
• Two Harbors Campground (Access via Two Harbors Port, or TCT)
• Parsons Landing Campground (TCT)

Facts About the Trans Catalina Island Trail

• Ascend over 10,000 Feet (combined total)
• 38.5 Miles
• 3-5 Days of Backpacking
• Free Hiking Permit required
• No Hiking allowed after Dark
• Download a TCT Map

Is Catalina Island and Hermit Gulch Campground Worth Visiting?

Final thoughts- I might be biased because I’ve been able to visit Catalina Island a handful of times now. I stopped here during a cruise and also stayed in a hotel, a rental house, and a couple of campsites. Well, 3 campsites if you count Science Camp in high school on a different part of the Island…

I’ve gone ziplining, snorkeling, hiking, star gazing, kayaking, and mini-golfing. We rented a golf cart on one trip and stopped for ice cream almost every visit.

Backpacking was a new experience for me, but it was an absolutely amazing way to enjoy the island.

You are out in nature, surrounded by the ocean and wildlife, but still close enough to modern comforts, food, and amenities. You can “rough it” or blend the lines a bit like we did going for lemonade after our hike.

There is so much to do and see, we can not wait to go back as a family and explore more of what this island has to offer. Owned by the Catalina Island Company and the Catalina Island Conservancy, Santa Catalina preserved history while offering a safe haven for plants and animals, while providing a fun place for tourists to enjoy.

If you live in on near Los Angeles or San Diego county, I recommend becoming a donating member of the Catalina Island Conservancy. You will be supporting their efforts to preserve this island and upkeep the trails while also receiving some membership benefits for your visits to Santa Catalina.

Yes, Catalina Island is completely worth visiting, and Hermit Gulch Campground is a must on at least one of your trips to Catalina.

Even if you don’t want to rough it, there are so many options to make the experience so smooth and adaptable to your comfort zone.

Book your ferry ride to Catalina Island now for a great family weekend!

My favorite campsite so far? Hermit Gulch Campground. Followed closely by Thornhill Broome beach camping- what can I say? I love the ocean!

Have you been to Catalina? Where did you stay? What did you do? Hop on over to our Instagram and join in the conversation.