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El Capitan State Beach  ·  Goleta, CA

Beachfront camping on
Santa Barbara's wildest stretch.

El Capitan sits on the last undeveloped stretch of the Santa Barbara coast. Its 130 beachfront sites book months ahead. CampWatch catches every cancellation the instant it posts.

No password  ·  No spam  ·  Cancel anytime
130
Campsites
Equestrian
Sites available
18mi
From Santa Barbara
8 am
Cancellations post
Why it's hard to book

The last undeveloped stretch of Santa Barbara's coast — 130 sites that book instantly

El Capitan State Beach occupies one of the last undeveloped canyons on the Santa Barbara coast, where sycamore and oak trees line a creek that flows to a rocky beach. The 130 sites are a mix of canyon and bluff-top spots, with some of the most sought-after oceanfront camping in Central California.

El Capitan is 18 miles from Santa Barbara proper and 2 miles from Refugio State Beach — many campers try to book both. Equestrian sites are a niche draw for horse campers.

All frontcountry sites book fast. CampWatch monitors continuously.

How it works

Three steps to your campsite

01
Enter your email
We send a one-time login link. No password needed — ever.
02
Set your dates
Pick El Capitan, enter your check-in and check-out dates, and choose your match preference.
03
Get alerted instantly
We monitor ReserveCalifornia around the clock. You get an email the moment a site opens.
Park details

El Capitan State Beach at a glance

Location
Goleta, CA
Sites
130 campsites
Nightly fee
$35 – $65
Best months
Apr – Oct
Hookups
Some hookup sites
Equestrian
Horse camping available
Nearby
Refugio SB (2 miles west)
Reservations
ReserveCalifornia

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