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

    Santa Monica Mountains

    National Recreation Area California

Things To Do

Ranger stands next to trail and talks to two equestrians.

Oh! There are so many things to do.

The Santa Monica Mountains rise above Los Angeles, widen to meet the curve of Santa Monica Bay, and reach their highest peaks facing the open ocean. The land is beautiful and diverse. The rugged coastline offers narrow sandy beaches and rocky shores. Dense chaparral and fragrant sages cover the canyon walls. Inland, lone valley oaks accentuate the grassy hillsides.

There are many things to do from hiking, camping, mountain bike riding, and anything and everything in between.

Whether you are a visitor from out of town or life-long local, explore this one of a kind national park.

Spring 2012 Cover of the Outdoors Calendar of Events featuring a close up of a cactus flower.

Make the most of your OUTDOORS experience in the Santa Monica Mountains:

Use the events calendar below to search for National Park Service programs in the recreation area. Download your own pdf copy:

April, May, June 2012 (2.4 MB)

The Santa Monica Mountains Fund sponsors the development of the OUTDOORS. You can request a printed version by contacting our visitor center at 805-370-2301.

You can also request to be on the mailing list here.

Did You Know?

The city of Los Angeles can be seen from many scenic view points in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Comprising 153,075 acres, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is the world's largest urban national park. It has more area codes (5) and zip codes (26), including the notable 90210 zip code of Beverly Hills, than any other unit in the National Park System.