About Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
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?
Plan a Visit
Core visitor information on this page is sourced from the National Park Service. NPD proximity sections use NPS reference coordinates and straight-line distance. Local source bundle updated Sep 27, 2026. View the official NPS page.
Weather & Conditions
Summers are hot and dry while winters are cool and wet.
NPS Reference Location
Park state / territory membership: California. This map uses the National Park Service reference coordinate. It may represent an administrative or reference point rather than a park entrance, trailhead, visitor center, or the nearest access point. Use the official NPS directions below when planning travel.
Operating Hours
The park sites are open year-round. Our parking lots are open from 8 am to sunset.
Activities
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.
View Official DirectionsContact & Address
The NPS-listed address may be an administrative office, visitor center, mailing/contact location, or other park facility rather than a park entrance.
Topics & Themes
Things To Do
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…
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.
Visitor Centers
Santa Monica Mountains Anthony C. Beilenson Interagency Visitor Center
The Anthony C. Beilenson Interagency Visitor Center features a bookstore managed by Western National Parks Association. You can purchase memorabilia, guidebooks, puppets and more. It…
Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center
Located at the southern end of the community of Newbury Park, this site reflects the heritage of both Native Americans and local ranching. The Satwiwa…
Campgrounds
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 reservations for…
Nearby National Park Service Sites
These sites are ordered by straight-line distance between NPS reference coordinates. This is useful for comparison, but it is not road mileage. Trails, parkways, rivers, and distributed units may extend far from their reference point.
