• 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 »

Traffic & Travel Tips

The Santa Monica Mountains are traversed by one of the world's busiest freeways, the 405, on the east side; crowned by the 101 Freeway on the north and west side; and you'll find Highway 1 also called the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) on the southern ocean border.

Mulholland Scenic Corridor (Mulholland Highway) winds its way through the recreation area offering views of canyons, valleys, and the ocean. The route is legendary among motorcyclists and other driving enthusiasts who enjoy the challenge of the curvy roadway, so exercise extreme caution on blind turns.

Here are some ways you can get to the Santa Monica Mountains!

Plane

The two closest major airports are the Los Angeles International Airport and the Burbank / Bob Hope Airport.

Trains

Amtrak has multiple stops outside of the Santa Monica Mountains. Here are the closest stations to the park:

Burbank, CA - Airport (BUR)
Camarillo, CA (CML)
Chatsworth, CA (CWT)
Los Angeles, CA - Union Station (LAX)
Moorpark, CA (MPK)
Oxnard (OXN)
Van Nuys, CA (VNC)

Car

The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is located west of Griffith Park in Los Angeles County and to the east of the Oxnard Plain in Ventura County.

U.S. Highway 101 (Ventura Freeway) borders the mountains on the north, and State Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) and the Pacific Ocean form the southern boundary.

Access to most park areas is available via many roads that cross the mountains between these two major highways. A portion of the park also stretches into the Simi Hills, north of U.S. Highway 101.

TANN Traffic provides information about real time traffic in the Los Angeles area.

California's Department of Transportation (CALTRANS) has information on road closures and conditions.

 

Public Transportation

Thousand Oaks Transit

(800) 438-1112 in Thousand Oaks and Vista in Ventura County.

Los Angeles Metropolitan Tranportation Authority

  • The MTA Route 534 takes visitors from Los Angeles (Fairfax/Washington) to park sites along the Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1) in Malibu.
  • The MTA 302 takes visitors from Downtown LA to Pacific Palasades via Sunset Blvd.

Santa Monica's Big Blue Bus

This bus connects LAX with park sites in Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades.

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.