Camping

Point Mugu State Park

Location: 9000 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265

Distance from campus: 25 Miles

Located in the Santa Monica Mountains, Point Mugu State Park features five miles of ocean shoreline with rocky bluffs, sandy beaches, rugged hills, two major river canyons, and wide grassy valleys dotted with small forests. You will find more than 70 miles of hiking trails and several beaches great for swimming, body surfing, or surf fishing.

One of several premiere camping spots within the park is the Sycamore Canyon Campground. You will find several amenities at this campground including running water, showers, fire pits, and maintained campsites. For more information on Point Mugu State Park, visit their website.

Looking for more State-managed land? Check out Leo Carrillo State Park or Malibu Creek State Park.

Channel Islands National Park

Location: 1901 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura, CA 93001

Distance from campus: 27 Miles

Close to the California mainland yet worlds apart, Channel Islands National Park encompasses five remarkable islands and their ocean environment--protecting a wealth of natural and cultural resources. Isolation over thousands of years has preserved unique animals and plants found nowhere else on Earth and helped maintain a place where visitors can experience coastal southern California as it once was.

Tent camping is available year-round on all five islands in the park, though the Scorpion Canyon campground on Santa Cruz island is by far the most accessible. The easiest method of transport to the islands is through an Island Packers cruise. In addition to Park Ranger programs, Channel Islands Adventure Company also leads recreation activities on Santa Cruz island.

Check out the National Park Service website for information on camping and transportation to the islands.

Los Padres National Forest

Location: 1190 E. Ojai Ave, Ojai, CA 93023

Distance from campus: 43 Miles

Los Padres National Forest encompasses almost two million acres of central California's scenic coast and transverse mountain ranges. The southern portion lies within the nearby Santa Ynez Mountains. The Ojai Ranger District is closest to Cal Lutheran and includes the Matilija Wilderness and the Sespe Wilderness. There are five campgrounds in the Ojai portion of the Los Padres Forest, including reservable campsites at Wheeler Gorge and first-come, first-served campgrounds at Middle Lion, Pine Mountain, Reyes Peak and Rose Valley.

For more camping opportunities in U.S. Forest Service land nearby Cal Lutheran, check out the rugged mountains of the Angeles National Forest or the alpine forests of the San Bernardino National Forest.

Beach Camping

With easy access to miles of California's south and central coast, camping along the shoreline couldn't be easier! Want to catch some early morning waves? There's no better way than grabbing a beachfront campsite at one of California's State Parks. Use their reservation system and look for openings at McGrath State Beach, Emma Wood State Beach, Carpinteria State Beach, El Capitan State Beach, or Refugio State Beach.