Hikes and Trails in the Santa Monica Mountains

At more than 154,000 acres, the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is the largest urban national park in the world. Home to hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing, horseback riding, camping and more – this park features everything from majestic Pacific Ocean views to native California grassland and historic ranches. An invaluable SoCal outdoor resource.

King Gillette Ranch

Distance: 1.4 mi

Time: 1.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 229 ft

Difficulty: Beginner

Upper Franklin Canyon Reservoir Loop

Distance: 1.4 mi

Time: 1 hrs

Elevation Gain: 100 ft

Difficulty: Beginner

Rocky Oaks Park

Distance: 1.2 mi

Time: 1 hrs

Elevation Gain: 136 ft

Difficulty: Beginner

Point Dume

Distance: 1.5 mi

Time: 1 hrs

Elevation Gain: 198 ft

Difficulty: Easy

Hastain Loop

Distance: 2.7 mi

Time: 1.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 617 ft

Difficulty: Easy

Serrania Ridge Trail

Distance: 2.3 mi

Time: 1 hrs

Elevation Gain: 446 ft

Difficulty: Easy

Inspiration Loop Trail in Will Rogers State Park

Distance: 2 mi

Time: 1 hrs

Elevation Gain: 662 ft

Difficulty: Easy

Topanga Lookout

Distance: 2 mi

Time: 1 hrs

Elevation Gain: 160 ft

Difficulty: Easy

Charmlee Wilderness Park

Distance: 2.8 mi

Time: 1.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 272 ft

Difficulty: Easy

Trebek Open Space

Distance: 2.9 mi

Time: 1.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 421 ft

Difficulty: Easy

Malibu Lagoon State Beach

Distance: 2 mi

Time: 1 hrs

Elevation Gain: 15 ft

Difficulty: Beginner

Santa Ynez Falls

Distance: 2.4 mi

Time: 1 hrs

Elevation Gain: 207 ft

Difficulty: Moderate

Corral Canyon

Distance: 2.5 mi

Time: 1.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 537 ft

Difficulty: Easy

Paramount Ranch

Distance: 2.8 mi

Time: 1.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 126 ft

Difficulty: Easy

Cave of Munits

Distance: 2.6 mi

Time: 2 hrs

Elevation Gain: 722 ft

Difficulty: Moderate

Fryman Canyon

Distance: 3 mi

Time: 1.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 463 ft

Difficulty: Easy

The Grotto Trail

Distance: 3 mi

Time: 1.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 600 ft

Difficulty: Easy

Runyon Canyon

Distance: 3 mi

Time: 1.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 675 ft

Difficulty: Moderate

Murphy Ranch

Distance: 3.8 mi

Time: 2 hrs

Elevation Gain: 340 ft

Difficulty: Moderate

Betty B. Dearing Trail and the Rainforest Trail

Distance: 3.93 mi

Time: 2.33 hrs

Elevation Gain: 970 ft

Difficulty: Moderate

Upper Big Sycamore Canyon

Distance: 4.1 mi

Time: 2 hrs

Elevation Gain: 640 ft

Difficulty: Moderate

Skull Rock via Temescal Canyon

Distance: 4.6 mi

Time: 2.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1135 ft

Difficulty: Moderate

Calabasas Peak via Red Rock Canyon

Distance: 4.6 mi

Time: 2 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1066 ft

Difficulty: Easy

Escondido Falls

Distance: 4 mi

Time: 2 hrs

Elevation Gain: 416 ft

Difficulty: Moderate

Victory Trailhead Loop

Distance: 5.1 mi

Time: 2 hrs

Elevation Gain: 408 ft

Difficulty: Easy

Mandeville Canyon to San Vicente Mountain

Distance: 5.2 mi

Time: 2.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 968 ft

Difficulty: Moderate

Zuma Ridge

Distance: 5.3 mi

Time: 2 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1400 ft

Difficulty: Easy

Simi Peak and China Flat

Distance: 5.5 mi

Time: 3 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1116 ft

Difficulty: Moderate

Mugu Peak

Distance: 5.2 mi

Time: 3 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1255 ft

Difficulty: Moderate

Solstice Canyon

Distance: 6 mi

Time: 2 hrs

Elevation Gain: 800 ft

Difficulty: Easy

Mishe Mokwa Trail to Sandstone Peak

Distance: 6.1 mi

Time: 3 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1656 ft

Difficulty: Moderate

Nicholas Flat

Distance: 6.9 mi

Time: 3.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1664 ft

Difficulty: Challenging

Eagle Rock and Temescal Peak

Distance: 7.4 mi

Time: 3 hrs

Elevation Gain: 926 ft

Difficulty: Easy

La Jolla Canyon

Distance: 7.5 mi

Time: 3.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1100 ft

Difficulty: Easy

Parker Mesa via Los Liones Trail

Distance: 7.3 mi

Time: 4 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1292 ft

Difficulty: Moderate

Bulldog Road and Castro Crest

Distance: 7.6 mi

Time: 4 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1250 ft

Difficulty: Moderate

Lower Malibu Creek Loop

Distance: 8 mi

Time: 3.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 224 ft

Difficulty: Moderate

Serrano Canyon

Distance: 8.8 mi

Time: 3.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 862 ft

Difficulty: Moderate

Las Virgenes Canyon

Distance: 8.6 mi

Time: 4 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1851 ft

Difficulty: Moderate

Satwiwa to Tri-Peaks

Distance: 9.9 mi

Time: 5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 2500 ft

Difficulty: Strenuous

Sullivan Fire Road to San Vicente Mountain

Distance: 10.9 mi

Time: 4 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1624 ft

Difficulty: Moderate

Cheeseboro and Palo Comado Canyons

Distance: 10.5 mi

Time: 6 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1000 ft

Difficulty: Challenging

Old Boney Trail

Distance: 11.4 mi

Time: 4.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1100 ft

Difficulty: Moderate

King Gillette Ranch

Distance: 1.4 mi

Time: 1.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 229 ft

Difficulty:

Upper Franklin Canyon Reservoir Loop

Distance: 1.4 mi

Time: 1 hrs

Elevation Gain: 100 ft

Difficulty:

Rocky Oaks Park

Distance: 1.2 mi

Time: 1 hrs

Elevation Gain: 136 ft

Difficulty:

Point Dume

Distance: 1.5 mi

Time: 1 hrs

Elevation Gain: 198 ft

Difficulty:

Hastain Loop

Distance: 2.7 mi

Time: 1.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 617 ft

Difficulty:

Charmlee Wilderness Park

Distance: 2.8 mi

Time: 1.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 272 ft

Difficulty:

Trebek Open Space

Distance: 2.9 mi

Time: 1.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 421 ft

Difficulty:

Malibu Lagoon State Beach

Distance: 2 mi

Time: 1 hrs

Elevation Gain: 15 ft

Difficulty:

Santa Ynez Falls

Distance: 2.4 mi

Time: 1 hrs

Elevation Gain: 207 ft

Difficulty:

Corral Canyon

Distance: 2.5 mi

Time: 1.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 537 ft

Difficulty:

Paramount Ranch

Distance: 2.8 mi

Time: 1.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 126 ft

Difficulty:

Cave of Munits

Distance: 2.6 mi

Time: 2 hrs

Elevation Gain: 722 ft

Difficulty:

Fryman Canyon

Distance: 3 mi

Time: 1.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 463 ft

Difficulty:

The Grotto Trail

Distance: 3 mi

Time: 1.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 600 ft

Difficulty:

Runyon Canyon

Distance: 3 mi

Time: 1.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 675 ft

Difficulty:

Murphy Ranch

Distance: 3.8 mi

Time: 2 hrs

Elevation Gain: 340 ft

Difficulty:

Upper Big Sycamore Canyon

Distance: 4.1 mi

Time: 2 hrs

Elevation Gain: 640 ft

Difficulty:

Skull Rock via Temescal Canyon

Distance: 4.6 mi

Time: 2.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1135 ft

Difficulty:

Calabasas Peak via Red Rock Canyon

Distance: 4.6 mi

Time: 2 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1066 ft

Difficulty:

Escondido Falls

Distance: 4 mi

Time: 2 hrs

Elevation Gain: 416 ft

Difficulty:

Victory Trailhead Loop

Distance: 5.1 mi

Time: 2 hrs

Elevation Gain: 408 ft

Difficulty:

Mandeville Canyon to San Vicente Mountain

Distance: 5.2 mi

Time: 2.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 968 ft

Difficulty:

Zuma Ridge

Distance: 5.3 mi

Time: 2 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1400 ft

Difficulty:

Simi Peak and China Flat

Distance: 5.5 mi

Time: 3 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1116 ft

Difficulty:

Mugu Peak

Distance: 5.2 mi

Time: 3 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1255 ft

Difficulty:

Solstice Canyon

Distance: 6 mi

Time: 2 hrs

Elevation Gain: 800 ft

Difficulty:

Mishe Mokwa Trail to Sandstone Peak

Distance: 6.1 mi

Time: 3 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1656 ft

Difficulty:

Nicholas Flat

Distance: 6.9 mi

Time: 3.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1664 ft

Difficulty:

Eagle Rock and Temescal Peak

Distance: 7.4 mi

Time: 3 hrs

Elevation Gain: 926 ft

Difficulty:

La Jolla Canyon

Distance: 7.5 mi

Time: 3.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1100 ft

Difficulty:

Parker Mesa via Los Liones Trail

Distance: 7.3 mi

Time: 4 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1292 ft

Difficulty:

Bulldog Road and Castro Crest

Distance: 7.6 mi

Time: 4 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1250 ft

Difficulty:

Lower Malibu Creek Loop

Distance: 8 mi

Time: 3.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 224 ft

Difficulty:

Serrano Canyon

Distance: 8.8 mi

Time: 3.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 862 ft

Difficulty:

Las Virgenes Canyon

Distance: 8.6 mi

Time: 4 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1851 ft

Difficulty:

Satwiwa to Tri-Peaks

Distance: 9.9 mi

Time: 5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 2500 ft

Difficulty:

Cheeseboro and Palo Comado Canyons

Distance: 10.5 mi

Time: 6 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1000 ft

Difficulty:

Old Boney Trail

Distance: 11.4 mi

Time: 4.5 hrs

Elevation Gain: 1100 ft

Difficulty: