Survey protocols that maximize species detection are critical to successful wildlife inventories and monitoring. We surveyed riparian scrub habitats along the Santa Margarita River on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California; with emphasis on suitable habitat for two rare snake species, the California glossy snake and California red-sided garter snake. We monitored 14 specialized active-infrared cameras in 7 paired arrays from May – October 2023. Although we only detected 1 California glossy snake and 0 California red-sided garter snakes, the cameras were successful at detecting 32 reptile, amphibian, and small mammal species. Time-to-detection occupancy models for the small animal community revealed high variability in community detection rates, with species falling into 3 broad categories: Readily detectable and common, moderately detectable and moderately common, and poorly detectable and rare. Using data-augmentation, the cumulative detection probability for California red-sided garter snakes was 0.44, indicating longer camera surveys are required to indicate absence across their area of inference. Overall, we found the cameras documented more species than active searches, road surveys, and coverboard surveys, however, a combination of techniques for rare species is warranted. Time-to-detection occupancy models inform the duration needed for camera surveys and enhance our understanding of probability that rare species persist.