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

    Santa Monica Mountains

    National Recreation Area California

There are park alerts in effect.
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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 »

Backbone Trail from Stunt, Scheueren and Saddle Peak Roads to Topanga State Park

  • Mileage: 6.3 miles
  • Agencies: Mountains Restoration Trust, Topanga State Park
  • Flora: Chaparral, Steamside, Meadow, Oak Woodland, Bay Tree Woodland.
  • History: In Hondo Canyon you'll pass the burned ruins of a cabin surrounded by bay trees. This cabin was the vacation cabin of Paul C. Bragg who was a pioneer in the health food movement in California. His cabin was here until the early 1990s, and burned in the 1993 Topanga fire.
  • Cautions: From the intersection of Stunt, Scheueren and Saddle Peak Roads, walk east, behind the gate onto the Topanga Fireroad. Watch for a small trail behind the first telephone pole on the right. This is the Fossil Trail which will take you down info Hondo Canyon. Trail intersections on this segment will also be confusing so a GPS unit as well as hiking poles are useful. From Hondo Canyon, cross Old Topanga Rd, follow the trail up the drainage, then around the water tanks and around Topanga School. The trail comes down to the dumpsters at Greenlead Road. Follow Greenleaf to Topanga Canyon Blvd. Carefully cross Topanga and watch for the beaten path that takes you up to the Dead Horse parking lot. If you can not find the trail, walk down the road to Entrada Rd and up to the Dead Horse parking lot and pick up the trail to Topanga State Park (Trippet Ranch).
 

Did You Know?

A community project led by the National Park Service has restored Zuma Lagoon.

Many hands spanning different generations and agencies continue to turn back the clock on damage to the fragile environment at Zuma Lagoon. After the removal of debris and the restoration of native plants, beach visitors now find a living wetland with 108 species of birds and colorful wildflowers.