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Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area Using these maps, you can find some inspirational views at Circle X and many other National Park Sites.
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Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
Map and Site Information: Circle X Ranch
The deep canyons of Circle X Ranch change from dark reds to light tans to even vibrant oranges depending on the time of day you hike in them.

Tucked in the canyons above Malibu and nestled below majestic Boney Mountain, you will find Circle X Ranch. This former Boy Scout camp offers many opportunities for exploration and adventure. Journey to Sandstone Peak, the highest point in the Santa Monica Mountains, and see several of the Channel Islands on a clear day. Enjoy a visit to the Grotto or a creekside picnic. Reserve the Group Camp and listen to coyote songs at night.

Travel one of the many trails that wind through this rare coastal Mediterranean ecosystem. The plants you see here, such as coastal sage scrub and mixed chaparral, are adapted to hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. Keep an eye out for red shank chaparral, a tree-like shrub with reddish-brown bark, clusters of thread-like leaves, and small bunches of white flowers in July and August.

From the dry, rocky slopes near Sandstone Peak to the lush fern-studded Grotto, Circle X Ranch provides a wide variety of recreational possibilities. Linger here for a while, and experience the ambiance of this secluded mountain retreat.

Trail Map and Current Weather

Circle X Trail Map (PDF-140K)
Current Weather

The Circle X Ranch contact station at Circle X Ranch is a great place to ask about hiking and spending time in the backcountry.

Directions

12896 Yerba Buena Road, Malibu, CA, 90265

Pacific Coast Highway to Yerba Buena Road. Turn inland; go 5.4 miles to Circle X Ranch contact station.

GPS Coordinates: N 34.1100 W -118.9374

Circle X Ranch Contact Station ==>

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Marker shows the location of the driveway for the Circle X Ranch Contact Station.

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Sue Nelson, Jill Swift, and Margo Feurer were instrumental in the movement to create a national recreation area near Los Angeles.

Did You Know?
Four state parks were the triumph of a grassroots movement to protect open spaces minutes from Los Angeles in the 1950s & 60s. Three women, Sue Nelson, Jill Swift, and Margo Feuer further galvanized the movement that helped make Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area a reality in 1978.
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Last Updated: September 18, 2011 at 17:43 MST