Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

Malibu Creek State Park is a state park of California, United States, preserving the Malibu Creek canyon in the Santa Monica Mountains. it features dramatic geology, epic mountains, and deep gorges formed by earthquakes and erosion that have impacted the landscape for millions of years and are still underway today. It is one of the iconic attraction in this area, which is very much close to nature.

Malibu Creek is a year-round stream in western Los Angeles County, California. This watershed drains 109 square miles and its tributary creeks reach as high as 3,000 feet into Ventura County, California. The area around Malibu Creek was for centuries a major area of Native American life, and the boundary between the Chumash tribes, who lived to the northwest, and the Gabrieliño, to the south and east, was located here.

The Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve is a large open space nature preserve owned and operated by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy spanning nearly 3,000 acres. it is part of a critical ecological linkage and wildlife corridor between the Santa Monica Mountains and the ranges to the north. Hikers, runners, mountain bikers and equestrians enjoy miles of trails through rolling hills.

A beautiful protected beach in California and is a part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreational Area. The Malibu Lagoon is an estuary at the mouth of the Malibu Creek at the Pacific Ocean and is a stop for many migratory birds on the Pacific Flyway. It has three primary surfing areas where both amateurs and professionals come to surf. The shoreline is usually triple-cornered due to the buildup of silt, sand, and cobble at the mouth of the creek.

Solstice Canyon is a picturesque, shaded, classic Santa Monica Mountains canyon hike on a popular, well-maintained trail with opportunities for less-traveled spurs.Before becoming a park, the land was known as Roberts Ranch and, from 1961 to 1973, hosted a space research facility.

Topanga State Park is part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and is located between West Los Angeles, Topanga Canyon and Malibu. Covering 11,000 acres, with thirty-six miles of trails and unimproved roads, the park's boundaries stretch from Topanga Canyon to Pacific Palisades and Mulholland Drive. There are more than 60 trail entrances.