Fees & Passes

Free

No entrance pass required

An entrance pass is not required to access Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

Other National Park Service sites may require an entrance pass or fee. Depending on your trip plans, an interagency pass may save you money.

2025 Free Entrance Days in the National Parks

Come experience the national parks! All National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone (other fees, including timed entry or reservation fees, may apply). Mark your calendar for these entrance fee-free dates:

• Thursday, January 9 — National Day of Mourning for President James Earl Carter Jr.
• Monday, January 20 — Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• Saturday, April 19 — First Day of National Park Week
• Thursday, June 19 — Juneteenth National Independence Day
• Monday, August 4 — Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
• Saturday, September 27 — National Public Lands Day
• Tuesday, November 11 — Veterans Day

 

There is no entrance fee for National Park Service sites in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. However, there is a charge for camping in the park and special park use permits.

Note that the park does not sell or issue any of the federal recreation land passes at its visitor centers. For more information and to see a listing of where the passes are sold, visit the main National Park Service's Fees section.

 

 

Offices with America the Beautiful passes available for purchase in the Los Angeles area.

Park Passes

America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes are not available to purchase at this park. The following US Forest Service locations around Southern California sell passes:

Los Angeles County
Los Angeles River Ranger District Office, Angeles National Forest Headquarters, San Gabriel River Ranger District Office

Ventura County
Mount Pinos Ranger District Office

Santa Barbara County
Los Padres National Forest Headquarters

San Bernardino County
Front Country Ranger District Office, San Bernardino National Forest Headquarters, Mill Creek Visitor Center, Big Bear Discovery Center

Due to high demand, we highly recommend calling in advance to check that these locations still have passes available!

 

California State Parks, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, and other public parklands

Many of the other agencies that manage parklands in the Santa Monica Mountains do collect entrance fees. Visit the Places to Go section of our website to find details about specific locations.