How to Get a Kayak Group Permit
One group campsite on the west side of the largest natural island in San Francisco Bay, reachable under your own power when the last ferry has already gone.
Check Kayak Group permit availabilityCamping rates are set in ReserveCalifornia at booking. Ferry fares are charged separately by the ferry operator; paddlers arriving by kayak pay no fare.
Permit Cost
1-7 nights
Duration
moderate
Difficulty
About Kayak Group
The kayak-accessible group campsite at West Garrison is a single group tent site on the western shore of Angel Island State Park, the largest natural island in San Francisco Bay. ReserveCalifornia carries it as one unit with a maximum stay of seven nights, which means one group per night and no overflow. Reservations go through ReserveCalifornia. California State Parks says visitors can reserve campsites six months in advance from the current date, and bookings may extend from the arrival date to the desired departure date based on availability and the park's maximum stay rules. Reserve online or on 1-800-444-7275 - this is a California State Park and Recreation.gov does not carry it. Water on the island is not a given. As of 9 August 2026 the park had an active advisory: due to water system repairs, water was not available in the Camp Reynolds area or at water sources along Perimeter between Camp Reynolds and Four Corners through approximately 15 August, with affected campsites in the Camp Reynolds area supplied with water containers daily and portable restrooms placed next to both Camp Reynolds restroom buildings. Camp Reynolds is West Garrison. Check the park's current restrictions page before you launch and plan to carry your own water. Dogs are not allowed anywhere on Angel Island, and the park is open sunrise to sunset for day use.
Angel Island has a handful of campsites and a ferry timetable wrapped around them. Every other camping option on the island puts you on someone else's schedule. The kayak group site at West Garrison is the one that does not: paddle across, land, camp, and leave when you choose. ReserveCalifornia carries it as a single unit, so exactly one group has it on any given night.
The Experience
You are two miles from downtown San Francisco and the skyline is right there across the water, lit up, while you are sitting on a dark island in the middle of the Bay. Container ships pass. The fog comes through the Golden Gate in the evening and takes the city away, then gives it back in the morning.
West Garrison sits on the island's western shore looking out toward the Golden Gate and the Marin Headlands. ReserveCalifornia books this as a single group tent campsite with a maximum stay of seven nights. The island's Perimeter Trail links the campsites, Ayala Cove where the ferries land, and the Immigration Station on the east side, and the road and trail system climbs to Mount Livermore in the middle. Angel Island is open sunrise to sunset for day use, and dogs are not allowed anywhere on the island.
What to Expect
A single group tent campsite - one group has West Garrison on any given night
A maximum stay of seven nights
A crossing under your own power, which is what makes this site different from every other camp on the island
The San Francisco skyline directly across the water, and fog through the Golden Gate most evenings in summer
No dogs anywhere on the island
Water service that has been interrupted for repairs in this exact area - check the park's current restrictions before you go
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Permit Requirements
Reservations go through ReserveCalifornia, six months in advance from the current date, online or on 1-800-444-7275
Dogs are not allowed anywhere on Angel Island State Park
The park is open sunrise to sunset for day use; campers hold the site overnight
ReserveCalifornia sets a maximum stay of seven nights on this site
Bookings may extend from the arrival date to the desired departure date based on availability and the park's maximum stay rules
Gear & Preparation
Required Gear
- •Your own drinking water, and enough of it. The park has had water shut off in the Camp Reynolds area for system repairs, and supplies containers only when it does
- •A sea kayak and the skills to use it - this is an open-water Bay crossing with commercial traffic, tide and wind
- •Dry bags for everything, because gear gets loaded and unloaded on a beach
- •A wind-worthy tent. The west shore takes weather straight through the Golden Gate
- •Layers for fog and evening chill, even in July
- •Navigation lights and a whistle if there is any chance of paddling near dusk
Hazards & Safety
The crossing itself: San Francisco Bay has strong tidal currents, cold water, commercial shipping and afternoon wind
Fog through the Golden Gate, which can reduce visibility on the water quickly
Water availability. The park shut off water in the Camp Reynolds area for system repairs and supplied containers instead - do not assume a tap is running
Cold water year-round. Bay temperatures do not become forgiving in summer
Exposed west-shore camping with little shelter from wind
Best Time to Visit
Late summer and autumn, when the Bay Area's clearest weather arrives and afternoon wind through the Gate is more predictable. Spring and early summer bring the strongest afternoon westerlies, which matter far more when you are crossing under paddle than when you are on a ferry. Book six months ahead, and re-check the park's current restrictions page for water and access advisories before you launch.
Pro Tips
Check the park's current restrictions page before you launch. Water in the Camp Reynolds area has been shut off for system repairs, and that is exactly where this site is.
Carry all your drinking water anyway. Containers are a stopgap the park supplies during outages, not a guarantee.
Plan the crossing around tide and afternoon wind, not around your arrival time. The Bay picks up hard in the afternoon.
Book six months out through ReserveCalifornia. There is one site, so there is nothing to fall back to on the same night.
Pack everything in dry bags - you are loading and unloading on a beach.
Stay for sunset and blue hour. The city lights coming up across the water is the reason to sleep here rather than day-trip.
Leave the dog at home; the whole island is closed to them.
100+ wilderness permits, extensive backcountry experience
This guide is based on personal experience obtaining wilderness permits and is regularly updated to reflect current policies and strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a Kayak Group permit?
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Kayak Group permits require advance reservations. Book online as soon as reservations open for your desired dates.
When is the best time to visit Kayak Group?
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Late summer and autumn, when the Bay Area's clearest weather arrives and afternoon wind through the Gate is more predictable. Spring and early summer bring the strongest afternoon westerlies, which matter far more when you are crossing under paddle than when you are on a ferry. Book six months ahead, and re-check the park's current restrictions page for water and access advisories before you launch.
How difficult is Kayak Group?
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Experienced sea kayakers with Bay crossing experience, paddling as a group and comfortable with cold water, current and shipping traffic.
What gear do I need for Kayak Group?
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Essential gear includes: Your own drinking water, and enough of it. The park has had water shut off in the Camp Reynolds area for system repairs, and supplies containers only when it does, A sea kayak and the skills to use it - this is an open-water Bay crossing with commercial traffic, tide and wind, Dry bags for everything, because gear gets loaded and unloaded on a beach, A wind-worthy tent. The west shore takes weather straight through the Golden Gate, Layers for fog and evening chill, even in July. Additional specialized gear may be required based on conditions.
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