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Arroyo Sequit
Accessed from Mulholland Highway, Arroyo Sequit Park is one of the most beautiful destinations in the western Santa Monica Mountains. Park features include a perennial stream, a loop trail, rocks, and meadows that are blanketed with wildflowers in the Spring. The Arroyo Sequit contains some of the best aquatic ecological resources of all the coastal streams in the Santa Monica Mountains.
Directions: The park is located at 34138 Mulholland Highway, Malibu. Take Pacific Coast Highway to Mulholland Highway. Turn inland on Mulholland Highway, six miles to park entrance on the right side of road. 34138 Mulholland Highway, Malibu. Phone: (818) 597-9192

Leo Carrillo state park

35000 W. Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 90265

The park is located 28 miles northwest of Santa Monica on the Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1.)

Robert H. Meyer Memorial

The area is 10 miles west (upcoast) of Malibu on Highway 1. Limited parking is available at the blufftop with paths leading down to the beach. Located between Leo Carrillo and Point Dume State Beaches,

There are many pocket beaches that hide between jetties and cliffs. Perfect off season get aways.

More info? Click http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=633 

Point Dume State Preserve

From Santa Monica follow Pacific Coast Highway 18-miles west to Westward Beach Road. Turn toward the ocean, go beyond the fee collection station to the very end of the road. trail leads to an ancient coastal bluff sand dune. Visitors are asked to stay on the trail in an effort to help reserve this unique sand accumulation. An incredible view encompassing the entire Santa Monica Bay, north Malibu Coast, inland Santa Monica Mountains and distant Catalina Island may be enjoyed from the top on a clear day. A boardwalk, just below the summit, leads to a viewing platform - it tends to be more sheltered on a windy day. A stairway from the east side of the bluff-top preserve allows access to a more isolated beach and fine tide- pooling opportunities.

More info? Click http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=623

Malibu Creek State Park

The park is located four miles south of Highway 101 on Las Virgenes/Malibu Canyon Road.

Just 25 miles from downtown Los Angeles, the park features hiking, fishing, bird watching and horseback riding opportunities. There are 15 miles of streamside trail through oak and sycamore woodlands an chaparral-covered slopes. Twenty-five-mile Malibu Creek in the park is the principal water-course of the Santa Monica Mountains - from Boney Mountain to Malibu Lagoon. The park was the center of Chumash Native American life for centuries.

More info? Click http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=614

Malibu Lagon State Beach / Adamson House

From Santa Monica, follow the Pacific Coast Highway 13 miles west. From the 101 Freeway, exit at Las Virgenes Road, proceed 10-miles west through Malibu Canyon, turn left at Pacific Coast Highway, travel 1.5-miles east. Entrance for parking and the nature area is at Cross Creek Road. Walk east across the bridge and follow the dirt lane to the Adamson House.
Operating Hours: The Adamson House grounds are open daily from 8:00 am to Sunset. The house is open Wed - Sat. 11am - 3pm. Adamson House Office:818-880-0350

More info? Click  http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=672 

Topanga State Park

From Pacific Coast Highway, travel north on Topanga Canyon Boulevard, pass the post office at the center of "town," then turn right on Entrada Road. A good place to start a visit to Topanga State Park is Trippet Ranch, once a "gentleman's ranch" for a weekend getaway from the city.
Located in the cliffs and canyons of the Santa Monica Mountains, Topanga State Park features 36 miles of trails through open grassland, live oaks and spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean.
The park is located entirely within the Los Angeles city limits and is considered the world’s largest wildland within the boundaries of a major city. Excellent recreational opportunities for hikers as well as mountain bikers (restricted to fire roads) and equestrians. First come first serve camping!
The park is bound on the south by Pacific Palisades and Brentwood, on the west by Topanga Canyon, and on the east by Rustic Canyon. Numerous geologic formations can be found in the park, including earthquake faults, marine fossils, volcanic intrusions, and a wide variety of sedimentary formations.

More info? Click http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=629

Topanga State Beach
Topanga State Beach is located off the Pacific Coast Highway. This is a somewhat secluded beach setting and offers a bit of a point break for some great kayak surfing. Other activities include swimming, surfing, and fishing. There is a picnic area and catamaran storage. A general store is across the street. A short decent down easy stairs takes you to the beach. The beach has bathrooms and a freshwater shower rinse area, lifeguard building, and police sub-station. There is a sandy beach for bathers. The main surfing area has round smooth rocks at the waterline but further off the main breakers is great kayak surfing with sandy beach landings.
Directions: From the 405 S, exit Sunset Blvd. and travel west to Pacific Coast Highway, turn N on PCH approximately two miles. Topanga State Beach is on the west side of the road. Fee Parking.
Address: 18700 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, Phone: (310) 451-2906

Zuma/ Trancas Canyons
Zuma! It is derived from the Chumash word for “abundance.” Certainly, Zuma and neighboring Trancas Canyons satisfy this description. The perennial streams running through these canyons give rise to an abundance of animal and plant life. These same natural resources have influenced and given rise to a long and rich cultural history. While venturing through the canyons, look and listen for the signs of life around you. Walk carefully along the trails and discover tracks of deer, rabbit and coyote. Marvel at the delicate homes of funnel web spiders hiding in the earth’s tiny crevices. Listen for the shy wren-tit, the “voice of the chaparral.” Though rarely seen, its call sounds like a ping-pong ball echoing throughout the canyon. For more than 10,000 years, Zuma and Trancas Canyons have been home to animal, plant and human communities. Chumash ancestors walked here, gathering food and materials for tools and shelter. During the Spanish period (1769-1848), a Mexican Land Grant united the canyons for the first time under one name—Rancho Topanga Malibu Sequit. The 13,330 acre grant included coastal areas from Santa Monica to Point Mugu. Frederick and May Rindge bought the property in 1892 and renamed it Rancho Malibu. They adopted a policy of no through roads and no right-of-way granted to trespassers. May Rindge continued this policy after her husband’s death. As the legendary “Queen of Malibu,” she depleted her fortune while trying to maintain the integrity of her property. Still, after twenty years, the U.S. Supreme Court forced her to allow the Pacific Coast Highway through her ranch. This scenic highway made the area more accessible to a greater population, forever changing California’s coast. However, Zuma and Trancas Canyons remained minimally developed. Throughout their history, these canyons have had many names, many residents, and many owners. Preserved by the National Park Service, their "zuma" or their abundance of resources and beauty remain for you to experience.
Address: End of Busch Drive, N of Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, Phone: (818) 597-9192

Dan Blocker State Beach
Located on Pacific Coast Highway between Malibu Canyon and Kanan Dume Roads, Dan Blocker State Beach is accessible by car and by MTA bus lines. Conservancy-owned Corral Canyon Park is across Pacific Coast Highway. Activities include swimming, surfing, fishing, and diving. Portable restrooms are available. Lifeguards: Lifeguards are on the beach during daylight hours.
Address: 26224 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, Phone: (310) 457-9891

Corral Canyon Park 
Regionally significant 340-acre Corral Canyon Park in Malibu encompasses the last undeveloped coastal canyon in Los Angeles County that flows freely to the ocean. The park is easily accessed from a trailhead on Pacific Coast Highway between Malibu Canyon and Kanan Dume Roads. There is also an MTA bus stop at the entrance to the park. The trailhead provides parking, picnic areas, restrooms, educational displays, sitting benches, and a hiking trail. The 2.5 mile loop trail climbs through pristine wilderness to the Puerco Canyon watershed divide and provides spectacular ocean and mountain views. It then descends onto an ancient marine terrace with native bunch grasses. Along this route, the hiker will pass through coastal sage scrub, coastal bluff native grassland, and the riparian corridor of Corral Creek with its alder, coast live oak, California sycamore, and willow trees. A pocket of coastal salt marsh is located where the creek meets the Pacific Coast Highway bridge. Additionally, the new trailhead allows seasonal access to Los Angeles County-operated Dan Blocker State Beach.
Address: 25623 Pacific Coast Highway

Ramirez Canyon Park
Ramirez Canyon Park is located in a canyon off the Malibu coastline and is bordered by a National Park Service wilderness area. Within the site’s boundary lie both an exquisitely beautiful designed landscape and a rich coastal wilderness. Barbra Streisand donated this 22.5-acre estate to the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy in December 1993. At the request of local neighbors along Ramirez Canyon Road, the California Coastal Commission has required that this property be accessible to the public by appointment only. 

La Jolla Valley Natural Preserve
In 1966, La Jolla Valley was acquired by the State of California as part of Point Mugu State Park. To encourage native grassland, La Jolla Valley Natural Preserve was established in 1972.
The La Jolla Valley trail starts out along the relatively easy La Jolla Canyon, moving through a little canyon carved by the stream running down the canyon. After about a mile and a half, rolling hills and grasslands of La Jolla Valley spread out before you. You will see a lovely pond on your left, you will head west across the entire expanse of the valley. During the spring, this valley is covered with wildflowers. At about the four mile mark, the trail begins to swing around the north flank of Mugu Peak, eventually traversing along the steep hillside facing the ocean. This is a breathtaking section of trail with wonderful views of the ocean and the Navy base. At about six miles you will find a cutoff trail that take you up to the top of the 1,266 foot Mugu Peak. There are great views of both the ocean and La Jolla Valley. After enjoying the peak, rejoin the main trail for an easy two mile trek back to the car.
Trailhead: Drive up the coast north on Pacific Coast Highway from Malibu. About 1.5 miles north of Big Sycamore Canyon camp ground is the Ray Miller Trailhead, which is used to access La Jolla Valley. West on Pacific Coast Highway, 1 1/2 mi. north of Big Sycamore Canyon campground, Malibu
Phone: (818) 880-0350

El Pescador State Beach
El Pescador State Beach, which means "the fisherman" in Spanish, is a favorite location for surf-fishing and bodyboarding. The beach is long and crowds are minimal. On busy weekends the parking lot may be full, but there is still plenty of space on the beach. The good waves at El Pescador make it a favorite beach for surfers and bodyboarders who like to stay away from the crowds. Diving in the outer kelp beds can be good to excellent with an abundance of sea life. Hours: 8 a.m. to sunset.  Parking in the paved lot costs $2.00. Pay in meter box for an all day pass. There is limited free parking on P.C.H. 
Portable restrooms are located next to the parking lot. 32860 Pacific Coast Highway at Decker Canyon Phone: (310) 457-1324

 

El Matador State Beach
One of the most beautiful beaches in Malibu, with sea caves and large rocks on the beach, El Matador State Beach attracts many beach goers on hot weekend days. A steep dirt trail goes down to some stairs, which makes this location inaccessible for the handicapped. The views from the upper cliffs are incredible, looking down on large boulders and deep blue water filled with kelp forests. The beach is long and there is plenty of sand for sunbathers. Body boarders and bodysurfers come to El Matador year-round because it picks up summer and winter swells. Be careful because there are some scattered rocks in the water. There is no lifeguard tower, but on busy weekends, the beach will be manned with a lifeguard. Open 8 a.m. to sunset. The parking lot is open from 8 a.m.- sunset. It costs $2.00. Pay in meter box for an all day pass. There is also limited free parking on P.C.H.
Please bring your own food and drink in and out of the beach.  Portable restrooms are located at the trailhead. Address: 32215 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, Phone: (310) 377-0360
 

La Piedra State Beach
La Piedra State Beach has beautiful sandstone cliffs, and fine reefs and kelp forests for diving. The trail down to the beach is steep but well kept. If you enjoy surf-fishing, then cast out near the kelp beds and you may catch a large white sea bass. In October, lobster season opens so put on a mask and gloves and catch a few for the barbeque. When the wind is strong and the ocean is choppy, the thick kelp beds still provide glassy conditions for surfing. Hours are 8 a.m. to sunset.  The parking lot is open from 8 a.m.- Sunset. The fee is $2.00. Pay in the meter box for an all day pass.  You will pack your own food and drink in and out of the beach.  Portable restrooms are located at the trailhead.
Address: 32628 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, Phone: (310) 457-1324

Nicholas Canyon County Beach 
Fishing, Handicap Accessways, Picnicking, Restrooms, Showers, Surfing, Swimming. Food truck during most summer months. About 150 parking spaces (6 disabled); Electric Vehicle - 1 inductive, 1 conductive. ADA: accessways to beach!  33850 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, (310) 305-9546

Malibu Bluffs
This six-acre community park is conveniently located at the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Malibu Canyon Road. The park consists of two baseball diamonds, a soccer/multi-purpose field, an exercise par course, a jogging path, picnic tables, a whale watching station, and the Michael Landon Community Building.  24250 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu. Phone: (310) 317-1364

Zuma County Beach 
Zuma is a great choice. For starters, it's big, so there is plenty of room to run around. It's also well equipped with parking, volleyball courts, swing sets and a snack bar. A south swell makes for  surfing in the summer. The water tends to be colder than at the beaches further south, but it's also cleaner. Zuma has a scenic bike path, which runs northbound about 2.5 miles. Be aware that the wind sometimes howls at this beach, so the conditions aren't always ideal for sunbathing.  7 a.m. to 10p.m.  30000 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu. Phone: (310) 457-9891

Tuna Canyon Park
Stunning, 1,255-acre Tuna Canyon Park in the western Santa Monica Mountains above Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu parallels more than two miles of the Pacific Ocean, and provides dramatic, 360-degree views of the San Gabriel mountains to the Santa Monica Bay. Tuna Canyon Park links over 18,000 acres of contiguous protected open space from Topanga State Park west to Las Flores Canyon. More than half of the property lies within Los Angeles County Significant Ecological Area Number 10. Deep canyons and ridges support a rich mosaic of coastal Southern California plant communities including sycamore riparian woodland, coastal sage scrub and native grasslands. Tuna Creek, one of the most pristine aquatic habitats in the Santa Monica Mountains, courses through the eastern end of the property to the ocean. PCH to Topanga Cyn, rt at Fernwood Pacific Dr.From Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) in the City of Malibu, take Big Rock Drive. Head north for approximately two miles. Tuna Canyon Park is located at the junction of Big Rock Mountainway and Tuna Canyon Road.

 

Point Mugu State Park
Point Mugu State Park, located in the Santa Monica Mountains, features five miles of ocean shoreline, with rocky bluffs, sandy beaches, sand dunes, two major river canyons and wide grassy valleys dotted with sycamores, oaks and a few native walnuts. There are more than 70 miles of hiking trails. The beach also features swimming, body surfing and surf fishing. The 15,000-acre park includes part of the Boney Mountains State Wilderness Area. The beach is 15 miles south of Oxnard on Pacific Coast Highway.  9000 W. Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, Phone: (818) 880-0350
 

Summit Valley Edmund D. Edelman Park
Accessed from Topanga Canyon Boulevard south of Mulholland Drive, 652-acre Edmund D. Edelman Park provides hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians access to a network of trails into the gently rolling hills of the Summit Valley and upper Topanga Canyon. The trailhead is equipped with parking, restrooms and picnic benches. The stately oak woodlands, native grasslands, and mixed chaparral communities of upper Topanga Canyon provide excellent wildlife habitat and serve as a key link in the east-west wildlife corridor. The park encompasses the headwaters of Topanga Creek as well as the steep cliffs of Santa Maria Canyon. Edelman Park is located .6 mile south of Viewridge Road on the west side of Topanga Canyon Boulevard. From Pacific Coast Highway, Edelman park is located on Topanga Canyon Boulevard four miles north of the intersection of Topanga Canyon and Old Topanga Canyon Boulevard. A dirt parking area is available at the trailhead. Topanga, CA, 90290

Accessed from Topanga Canyon Boulevard south of Mulholland Drive, 652-acre Edmund D. Edelman Park provides hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians access to a network of trails into the gently rolling hills of the Summit Valley and upper Topanga Canyon.

Rocky Oaks
As you drive along Mulholland Highway or Kanan Road, you could easily miss Rocky Oaks. Hidden between houses, roads and other signs of modern life, Rocky Oaks is home to a surprising number of plants and animals. Its fewer than 200 acres contain a diversity of wildlife habitats including a pond, oak woodland, grassland, coastal sage scrub and chaparral communities.
For thousands of years, Rocky Oaks provided people with food, shelter and materials. Ancestors of today’s Chumash survived on the abundant resources of the land, hunting animals and harvesting plants. European settlers brought agriculture to this area. The stock pond and much of the grassland habitat are remnants of that life-style. Agricultural operations at Rocky Oaks ended with the 1978 Kanan Fire. Today, Rocky Oaks serves as a refuge for wildlife. Rocky Oaks is an undeveloped space in which animals can find food and shelter. It helps connect the habitats that make up the Santa Monica Mountains and allows animals to travel and rest. Rocky Oaks also gives its human guests a place to relax, picnic, stroll, view wildlife or introduce young hikers to the outdoors. Mulholland Hiighwway W. of Kanan Road, Malibu  

Red Rock Canyon Park
Red Rock Canyon Park is located in the heart of the Santa Monica Mountains off of Old Topanga Canyon Road. The riparian canyon walls are fortified with huge red sandstone outcroppings, reminiscent of Southwest canyons and gorges. Special rockland micro-habitats reside among the many beautiful red, tan and pale purple rocks and oak and sycamore trees at the bottom of the gorge. The park provides a key habitat linkage between Malibu Creek State Park and Topanga State Park. A small picnic area and drinking fountain are available at the trailhead. The trail leads up a fire road through slopes blanketed with toyon, laurel sumac, mountain mahogany, bush sunflowers, and ceanothus to Calabassas Peak, providing spectacular views of the Santa Monica Mountains. It then descends and narrows to the cool bottom of Red Rock Canyon. The trail then meanders through fascinating sculptured rock formations in colors ranging from chalk white to deep red. From Highway 101 exit Topanga Canyon Blvd. in Woodland Hills and head south one mile to Mulholland Drive and turn right. Turn left on Mulholland Highway and head west 2.2 miles to Old Topanga Canyon Road. Head 3.6 miles south, then turn west on Red Rock Canyon Road. . You may park at this intersection or continue on for .8 mile to the park entrance. Two- tenths of a mile on this road is dirt and unimproved.
23601 W. Red Rock Road, Old Topanga

Circle X Ranch
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. Hike 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. Address: 2896 Yerba Buena Road, Malibu.

 


Charmlee Natural Area

Charmlee Wilderness Park is 590 acres of the best of the Santa Monica Mountains Coastal Slope environment. The park includes picnic areas, eight miles of hiking trails, native plant displays, and a nature center. Programs include a volunteer docent program, school and group nature programs, and a variety of public hikes and interpretive programs. The Park is open to the public 8 a.m. to sunset daily. The Nature Center is open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. 2577 S. Encinal Canyon Road, Malibu  (310) 457-7247

Castro Crest
This hike first descends into Upper Solstice Canyon where the pleasant, mostly shaded trail follows a seasonal creek bed. As the trail begins to rise out of the canyon, the views get progressively more spectacular. First, lovely folded green hills emerge, followed by large sandstone formations in the distance. As you gain elevation, ocean views become more prominent. On a clear day, you can see most of the Channel Islands, Catalina, and the Santa Monica coastline. Once over the crest, seemingly endless layers of mountains abound in an almost 360 degree panorama, including views down into Malibu Canyon and beyond. Trailhead: From Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, head 5.5 miles inland on Corral Canyon Road to a dirt parking lot where the road dead ends. Note that Corral Canyon runs between Malibu Canyon Road and Kanan Road. The best way to take this hike is clockwise, starting with the trailhead for the Backbone trial on the west side of the parking lot, then returning on the Castro Motorway (a fire road).  End of Corral Canyon Road, Malibu 

Parks in the Pacific Palisades

Palisades Park (north) / Temescal canyon

Rivas Park / westside Will Rogers Park

Rustic Canyon Park and Pool

601 Latimer Road Pacific Palisades, CA 90272

The Multipurpose Room is also used as an auditorium, gymnasium, and volleyball court. The capacity is 150.The facility has 61 parking spaces. 

Monday - Thursday: 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Friday: 9:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Sunday: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

BARBECUE PITS, BASEBALL DIAMOND (UNLIGHTED), BASKETBALL COURTS (LIGHTED/ INDOOR)
BASKETBALL COURTS (UNLIGHTED/ OUTDOOR), CHILDRENS PLAY AREA
INDOOR GYM (WITHOUT WEIGHTS), PICNIC TABLES, VOLLEYBALL COURTS (LIGHTED)
VOLLEYBALL COURTS (UNLIGHTED), BASKETBALL (GIRLS & BOYS/CLINIC)
SOCCER (GIRLS & BOYS/CLINIC), TENNIS AND VOLLEYBALL

ARTS & CRAFTS
BALLET, BRIDGE(SENIORS), CERAMICS, FITNESS, GUITAR, HIP HOP/TAP DANCE
MUSICAL THEATER, PIANO, AND YOGA 

Will Rogers State Beach
Will Rogers State Beach extends one and three-quarters mile along the shore. The beach features swimming, surfing and skin diving. Facilities include volleyball courts, playground and gymnastic equipment, as well as a bike path and walkway. A number of movies and TV shows have been filmed at this beach.  The beach is located off the Pacific Coast Highway, near the intersection with Temescal Canyon Road. 

Other Local Area Parks click-on:

Palms / MarVista / Brentwood

Venice / Marina Del Rey                                 Top Of This Page

Santa Monica

Culver City