The National Recreation Area occupies 153,621 acres of land. Elevations range from sea level at the Pacific Ocean to the top of some very rugged mountains. This is all found almost immediately outside the city of Los Angeles. Santa Monica and Malibu are the largest cities in the immediate area and offer plenty of resources and facilities. This area includes many state parks and beaches, some of which are reviewed here and links are found below.

Outdoor activities are numerous and include hiking, biking, camping, fishing, surfing and sightseeing. For more information, contact Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, 401 West Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks, California 91360 or call 805-370-2301.

All pictures are from Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, using various film and digital cameras. The pictures below on this page are from various highway overlooks in the area. Additonal World from the Web reviews of the coastline and various state parks contained within the National Recreation Area are found listed below.

• Pictures from Topanga State Park.
• Visit Malibu Creek State Park. This is the site where the TV series MASH was filmed.
• Drive PCH-1 and see the various Pacific Ocean sites.

Santa Monica Mountains from the Mulholland Scenic Corridor.
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From a pullout along the Kunnan Dume Road in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, looking out towards the huge mountains.
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From a pullout along the Kunnan Dume Road in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, looking out towards the Pacific Ocean.
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Further information can be found at the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area NPS page.