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

    Santa Monica Mountains

    National Recreation Area California

Plan Your Visit

Volunteer assista a visitor with directions in the Headquarters Visitor Center located in Thousand Oaks, CA.

NPS Photo

Volunteer Frank Greenway assists a visitor with information in the Headquarters Visitor Center.

How will you plan your visit?

Together, government agencies, landowners, and the people who use this land are working to provide places for people to live, work, and play while protecting the mountains and seashore for future generations.

Check out the links to your left to get directions, find out about our operating hours & seasons, learn about fees and reservations, or discover things to do.

You can even download brochures of our park before you visit.

 
Ranger Ken leads a program at Rocky Oaks.

Hikes, Walks, Talks, Tours, Rides, and so much more...

There are so many things to do and see in the Santa Monica Mountains. Below are just a few.

OUTDOORS Calendar of Events is your main guide to activities can enjoy throughout the park.Click here to visit the Calendar of Events Page.

The Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center hosts cultural programs and workshops throughout the year. Click here to visit the Rancho Sierra Vista / Satwiwa page.

Camping in the Santa Monica Mountains is a great to experience the park from the mountains to the sea. Click here to visit the camping information page.

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.