• Afternoon clouds cover the distance peaks of the iconic Boney Mountain

    Santa Monica Mountains

    National Recreation Area California

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  • Partial Park Closure Due to Hazardous Conditions

    Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa re-opens 5/14/13, with restrictions (sunrise to sunset, not all trails). Sandstone Peak & Mishe Mokwa trails will also open, as will Backbone Trail east of Point Mugu State Park boundary. Point Mugu backcountry remains closed. More »

  • Trucks on Cheeseboro Canyon Trail

    Occasional truck traffic (approx 6 trips per day) will take place on Cheeseboro Cyn Trail weekdays between 8am & 4pm for demolition and removal of Cheeseboro Tank. Should be completed by 5/24/13. Check back for updates or call 818-889-8996. More »

From the Mountains to the Sea

Stretching from the Oxnard Plain to the Hollywood Hills and located to the west of the Los Angeles basin, the Santa Monica Mountains offer myriad recreation and education opportunities.

Experience famous beaches of Malibu or explore any of the 500 miles of trails. The park abounds with historical & cultural sites from old movie ranches to Native American culture centers. What will you discover?

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Features

  • Backfire at Rancho Sierra Vista

    3 Things You Can Do to Help Nature Recover

    Officials from the National Park Service and California State Parks have a few suggestions on how you can help nature recover from the Springs Fire.

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    Join Our Online Community

    Have a question or a cool photo to share? Want to know the latest news? Find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

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  • Backbone Trail Hikers at Castro Crest

    Follow the 2013 Backbone Trail Hikers

    Follow Ranger Razsa as she chronicles the story of the 2013 Backbone Trail hikers in the BBT Ranger’s Blog.

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  • A ranger talks to three visitors at Solstice Canyon near the amphitheater.

    Upcoming Events!

    For the latest information on upcoming events, visit our Outdoors - Calendar of Events page and find a new way to explore your national park!

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  • National Park Service interns and volunteers contribute thousands of hours of time to the benefit our parklands while gaining valuable experience.

    Volunteer Opportunities in the Park

    You can make a difference in your national parks! Learn how you can volunteer: College Internships High School Internships Volunteer Opportunities

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Did You Know?

The need for plants used in restoration projects loomed large for many years, but volunteers made it happen.

A core group of dedicated National Park volunteers, often laboring in the hot sun, built a native plant nursery from the ground up in 2002. Native plants, from the common Ceanothus to the endangered Lyons pygmy daisy germinated in this volunteer-run nursery will help restore disturbed habitat.