National Recreation Area
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
- West
About Santa Monica Mountains
The Santa Monica Mountains offer easy access to surprisingly wild places. Experience the famous beaches of Malibu or explore more than 500 miles of trails. The park abounds with historical and cultural sites, from old movie ranches to Native American centers. What will you and your family discover?
From the National Park Service.
- Region
- West
- State
- California
- Designation
- National Recreation Area
- Entrance fee
- None listed
- Trail data for this park is still being added.
- Places for this park are still being added.
Know before you go
Fees, hours, weather and getting to Santa Monica Mountains.
Entrance fees
The National Park Service lists no entrance fee for this park.
Hours
Park Sites
Open 24 hours a day, every day.
The park sites are open year-round. Our parking lots are open from 8 am to sunset.
Weather and when to go
Summers are hot and dry while winters are cool and wet.
Getting there
There are multiple trailheads around the park, so there is not one main entrance. You can begin your visit at the visitor center, located off Mulholland Highway in Calabasas. The Santa Monica Mountains are traversed by the 405 Freeway on the east side; crowned by the 101 Freeway on the north and west side; and Highway 1, the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), on the southern ocean border.
Contact the park
- Address
- 26876 Mulholland Highway, Calabasas, CA 91302
- Phone
- (805) 370-2301
- Official site
- nps.gov/samo
From the National Park Service, checked weekly. Fees, hours and road conditions change: confirm with the park before you go.
Trip planner
A day-by-day plan for Santa Monica Mountains
Tell us your dates and what you are into. We group the stops by where they are, so each day is one part of the park, not a zigzag.
The trails and places you save below go into your plan as must-sees.
Plan your park trip Free. No account needed.
Things to do in Santa Monica Mountains
The park service's own list, with how long each takes.
-
Mishe Mokwa Trail to Split Rock
Traversing riparian, coastal sage scrub, and chaparral, this trail offers wonderful views of Carlisle Canyon and Balanced Rock. Split Rock’s oak grove offers a shaded spot for pic…
-
Solstice Canyon Trail
Travel through a beautiful, shaded riparian environment on the Solstice Canyon Trail alongside a year-round creek.
-
Satwiwa Loop Trail
This area was set aside for the preservation and celebration of Native American cultures.
Campgrounds in Santa Monica Mountains
Run by the park service. Reservable sites book on Recreation.gov; first-come sites do not.
-
Circle X Ranch Campground - CLOSED
Circle X Ranch Group Campground is the only campground the National Park Service operates in the Santa Monica Mountains. Visit recreation.gov to make reservati…
What to pack for Santa Monica Mountains
Gear & Essentials
Tell us about your trip and we will add what else you will want:
The basics
Worth having in the car whatever the park.
For this trip
Traveling with kids
Bringing a pet
RVing
Backcountry
Winter conditions
On the water
Photography
Accessibility
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
