Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

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Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape)
Backbone Trail near Mishe Mokwa.jpg
Backbone Trail near Mishe Mokwa
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Location Santa Monica Mountains; Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, California, U.S.
Nearest city Malibu, California
Newbury Park, California [1]
Coordinates 34°06′14″N118°36′09″W / 34.10389°N 118.60250°W / 34.10389; -118.60250
Area157,700 acres (638 km2) [2]
EstablishedNovember 10, 1978 (1978-November-10)
Visitors795,217(in 2022) [3]
Governing body National Park Service; with State and local agencies.
Website Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is a United States national recreation area containing many individual parks and open space preserves, located primarily in the Santa Monica Mountains of Southern California. The SMMNRA is in the greater Los Angeles region, with two thirds of the parklands in northwest Los Angeles County, and the remaining third, including a Simi Hills extension, in southeastern Ventura County.

Contents

Overall administration is by the National Park Service, coordinating with state, county, municipal, and university agencies. The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area preserves one of the best examples of a Mediterranean climate ecosystem in the world. It also protects one of the highest densities of archaeological resources in any mountain range in the world. [4]

In size the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is the largest urban national park in the United States and the largest urban national park in the world. [5] [6] [7] [8]

The Woolsey Fire in November 2018 burned 83% of all National Park Service land in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. [9]

Geography

The Santa Monica Mountains NRA contains 157,700 acres (63,800 ha) in the Santa Monica Mountains of the Transverse Ranges between the Pacific Ocean and inland valleys. Its southeastern slopes are part of the headwaters of the Los Angeles River. The California State Park system and other public agencies own 49,756 acres (20,136 ha), the National Park Service controls 25,117 acres (10,164 ha), and the rest of the SMMNRA lands are in local agencies parks, university study reserves, and private property conservation easements.[ citation needed ]

Westward Beach at Point Dume POINTDUME CA6.jpg
Westward Beach at Point Dume
'Balance Rock' near the Mishe Mokwa Trail Balance Rock - Santa Monica Mountains National Recreational Area.jpg
'Balance Rock' near the Mishe Mokwa Trail
King Gillette Ranch Park King-Gillette-Ranch-01.jpg
King Gillette Ranch Park
Mountain lion kitten P-54, born in early 2017 in the SMMNRA Mountain lion kitten P-54.jpg
Mountain lion kitten P-54, born in early 2017 in the SMMNRA

Park history

The movement to preserve the Santa Monica Mountains has a long tradition which is frequently overlooked by historians who often focus exclusively on the environmental movement of the 1960s and 1970s which culminated with the establishment of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area in 1978. [10]

Griffith Park

The first area in the Santa Monica Mountains set aside for public use was Griffith Park which was donated to the city of Los Angeles by Griffith J. Griffith in 1896.

National Forest

During the first decade of the twentieth century, Frederick H. Rindge made several attempts to create a forest reserve in the Santa Monica Mountains. These reserves were precursors to national forests. In 1902 California's State Mining Bureau examined the area being considered for the establishment of a forest reserve. The resulting report was sent to Washington where the proposal for a reserve was denied. [11]

In 1907 an application was submitted to the Secretary of the Interior requesting that at least 70,000 acres (28,000 ha) in the mountains be designated a forest reserve. [12] This time state mineralogist Lewis E. Aubury opposed the venture. He wrote the L.A. Time newspaper stating, "I believe that the lands embraced in the Malibu and Santa Monica districts should not be included in a forest reserve…I shall at once take the matter up with Gifford Pinchot, forester, Washington, D.C., and endeavor to ascertain his views on the subject, and further protest against the creation of this proposed reserve". [13] Days later the U. S. Forest Service advised Aubury that it was highly improbable that a forest reserve would be created owing to local opposition and the small amount of public land still remaining in the Santa Monica Mountains. [11]

Whitestone National Park

Limestone deposits were discovered in the mountains behind Pacific Palisades in 1925 which led to a lengthy battle between wealthy home owners of the area and land developers. [14] The quarry site was in Traylor Canyon, three miles inland from the sea, between Santa Ynez and Temescal Canyons. [15] Alphonzo Bell, Sr. was the real estate developer behind the quarry scheme while local opposition was led by Sylvia Morrison, who championed the preservation of the area's natural beauty.

After much criticism of his original plan, Bell offered a new proposal. Using a new process, he would have the rock pulverized, mixed with water, and pumped via a buried pipeline to the mouth of Santa Ynez Canyon. The pipeline would continue from there along the ocean floor to an offshore buoy where it would be load on board a waiting ship. [16] Criticism of the plan grew and eventually garnered the ire of local resident Will Rogers who parodied the plan on the front page of the L.A. Times. [17] The debate raged citywide with such notable public figures as William Mulholland coming to Bell's defense.

In an attempt to sway public opinion, Bell urged local residents to take company-sponsored fieldtrips, on foot and on horseback, to the quarry to see the site for themselves. Among the people who took these trips was Sylvia Morrison, who had been an early leader of environmental concerns. She was among the visitors who scrambled up the limestone cliffs on ladders and hiked and rode on horseback through the chaparral and came away thrilled with the natural beauty of the canyons. "Taking a cue from Yellowstone National Park, Morrison urged the establishment of Whitestone National Park in the Santa Monica Mountains, named after the by-now infamous cliffs." [18]

Fredrick Law Olmsted

In 1930 Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., a lifelong advocate of national parks and considered by many as the designer of the California State Parks system, proposed a network of parks, beaches, playgrounds, and forests to promote the social, economic, and environmental vitality of Los Angeles. [19] Olmsted also advocated for public ownership of at least 10,000 acres (4,000 ha) of the most scenic beach and mountain landscapes between Topanga and Point Dume. [20] However, the Olmsted report was essentially killed – only 200 copies were printed – due mainly to civic leaders who put politics ahead of public space. [19]

Rindge bankruptcy

After lengthy court battles to preserve her estate, May Rindge (widow of Frederick H. Rindge) lost control of her lands and was forced into bankruptcy in 1938. A proposal to establish a large park was considered in exchange for the cancellation of $1.1 million in unpaid taxes. [21] However, Los Angeles County refused the offer, thus missing the opportunity to acquire 17,000 acres of park lands. [22]

Will Rogers State Historic Park

Will Rogers State Historic Park was created in 1944 marking the establishment of the first state park in the Santa Monica Mountains and the first public land created in the mountains since Griffith Park in 1896. It now adjoins Topanga State Park on its northeast side.

Toyon National Park

In the 1960s and 70s, and possible as early of the 1950s, another campaign was undertaken to preserve the Santa Monica Mountains. Several proposals went before the U.S. Congress which called for the creation of Toyon National Park, referring to a dominant chaparral plant found in the area.

The legislative history of Toyon National Park dates back to 1971 when Representative Alphonzo Bell Jr. first introduced a bill in the Congress. [23]

Point Mugu State Park

Point Mugu State Park was the first of three large, rural state parks in the Santa Monica Mountains was established in 1967, when the State Division of Beaches and Parks, the forerunner of California State Parks, acquired title to 6,700 acres (2,700 ha) of the Broome Ranch for $15.1 million. [24] This property was the first acquisition for Point Mugu State Park, and was part of the 19th century Mexican Rancho Guadalasca. 5,800 acres (2,300 ha) was purchased from Richard E. Danielson in 1972 for $2.1 million, nearly doubling the park's acreage. [25] This property is situated northeast of the park's original 6,700 acres (2,700 ha) and consisted of mostly backcountry. A remaining 850-acre parcel (340 ha) which adjoined this property was purchased by the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area from Danielson in 1980, becoming Rancho Sierra Vista open space park.

Topanga State Park

Topanga State Park was opened to the public in 1974. [26] [27] The park's original name was Topanga Canyon State Park, but the name was shortened because the 11,525 acres (4,664 ha) park encompass large areas outside Topanga Canyon, from the Pacific Coast Highway to Mulholland Drive. [26] The park can be accessed by car and trails from Topanga, and by trailheads in Pacific Palisades and the San Fernando Valley. [28] [29] [30]

Malibu Creek State Park

In the heart of the Santa Monica Mountains, the 20th Century Fox Movie Ranch, commonly called Century Ranch, was a 2,700-acre land acquisition of what would become Malibu Creek State Park. It was purchased by the State of California in 1974 for $4.8 million. Reagan Ranch, a 120-acre property on the west and formerly owned by Ronald Reagan, was included in the original Century Ranch purchase. [31] The Hope Ranch, owned by entertainer Bob Hope and which abutted Century Ranch, was purchased in 1975 for $4.1 million. [31] In 1976 the State Parks and Recreation Commission adopted a compromise on the classification of the Century Ranch property, and officially named it Malibu Creek State Park. [31]

Establishment of the National Recreation Area

The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area was established November 10, 1978, after a long campaign for preservation of the Santa Monica Mountains by local and regional conservationists. Susan B. Nelson helped organize "Friends of the Santa Monica Mountains, Parks and Seashore" in 1964 and was known as the mother of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. [32] In 1988 though, she was concerned about the political push to end federal land purchases encouraged by Los Angeles County developers that preferred the land stay available for home building. She was encouraged though that neighboring cities in Ventura County were supportive of park expansion. [33]

The strategy has been to grow SMMNRA by 'mosaic pieces' linking critical habitats, saving unique areas, and expanding existing parks. The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, a California state agency, was created in 1980 for the acquisition of land for preservation as open space, for wildlife and California native plants habitat preserves, and for public recreation activities. [34] [35]

One of the first land acquisitions was Rancho Sierra Vista in 1980 which is reputed to be one of the last intact ranches from the first half of the twentieth century in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Continuing land acquisitions

In 1980 the Paramount Movie Ranch was acquired in Agoura Hills, and is the present day Paramount Ranch Park. The National Park Service revitalized the old movie ranch, and it is again used for movie and television productions, and is open for public recreation and events. [36]

Entertainer and land speculator Bob Hope created controversy in the early 1990s when he proposed to sell 5,900 acres (2,400 ha) of land in the Corral Canyon area in the Santa Monicas to the federal government in exchange for 59 acres (24 ha) of federal parkland in the nearby Cheeseboro Canyon section of Santa Monica Mountains NRA in the Simi Hills, in order to build an access road to a new 'Jordan Ranch' golf course and housing development. [37] The land swap was never completed, the Jordan Ranch became the Palo Commado section of the Cheeseboro Canyon / Palo Comado Canyon Open Space parks. Most of the land for the 1,000 acres (400 ha) Corral Canyon Park was finally donated by Bob Hope. [38]

The former Ahmanson Ranch was acquired by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy from Washington Mutual in 2003, to create the 2,983 acres (1,207 ha) Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve in the southeastern Simi Hills. It is adjacent to and has trailheads in Calabasas (Las Virgenes Trailhead), Woodland Hills (Victory Trailhead), and West Hills via Moore's Canyon in El Escorpión Park. [39]

The highly visible hills with undeveloped ranch land adjacent to the junction of U.S. Route 101 and Las Virgenes Road in western Calabasas have several viewsheds now protected from development. They also serve as an unofficial gateway to the central Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and its visitor center on Las Virgenes Road at King Gillette Ranch. [40] On the southeastern side the land was formerly owned by Bob Hope, acquired by the SMM Conservancy in 2010, and added to the Las Virgenes View Park in the Santa Monica Mountains NRA. [41] The viewshed on the northwestern side of the junction, formerly owned by Fred Sands, was acquired in 2010 and protected in the 200 acres (81 ha) Zev Yaroslavsky Las Virgenes Highlands Park. [42] [40] Both preserve open space along the Ventura Freeway (101) between the San Fernando and the Conejo Valleys. [43] The under construction Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is a vegetated overpass spanning the Ventura Freeway and Agoura Road at Liberty Canyon in Agoura Hills. [44]

Rim of the Valley Trail Corridor Study

The Rim of the Valley Corridor Special Resource Study is being conducted by the National Park Service, and generally includes the mountains encircling the San Fernando, La Crescenta, Santa Clarita, Simi, and Conejo Valleys in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. [45] [46] [47] [48] The SMMNRA is part of the Rim of the Valley Trail Corridor planning process, and several alternatives include a Rim of the Valley a SMMNRA boundary adjustment (of an approximately 173,000-acre or 313,000 acre addition). [46] The Rim of the Valley Trail is a plan in progress for connecting the four valleys with the parklands surrounding them. [49] [50] [51] [52]

Santa Monica Mountains Fund

The Santa Monica Mountains Fund (SMMF, also known as SAMO Fund) was established in 1988 to support the education and resource protection efforts of the National Park Service (NPS) and California State Parks in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, SMMNRA. Originally incorporated as the Santa Monica Mountains Parklands Association, the organization was formed by concerned citizens to represent the interests of the public in the development of parklands and recreation opportunities within the mountains and by-laws have since been updated to indicate they exist to support the National Park Service in the Santa Monica Mountains. The registered offices of the SMMF are shared with the SMMNRA NPS headquarters in Thousand Oaks, CA.

Woolsey Fire

In 2018, the Woolsey Fire burned through 88% of the federal parkland resulting in trails being closed for months. [53] The fire, which was three times larger than the biggest fire ever before in the mountains, burned over 40% of the natural area in the Santa Monicas. [54] The fire created a challenge to native plants as black mustard with bright yellow flowers quickly established itself as a wet winter followed the fire. [55] The mustard plants will also provide fuel for the next fires. [56] A restoration plan was developed to plant 100,000 trees, shrubs and grasses of 25 different species. [57]

Superintendents

Cultural resources

In terms of cultural heritage, the Santa Monica Mountains boast a rich history of continuous human occupation dating back more than 10,000 years [4] and contain many nationally significant prehistoric and historic sites. [58] More than 1,000 archaeological sites are in the boundary of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, making it one of the highest densities of archaeological resources found in any mountain range in the world. [59] There are twenty-six known Chumash pictograph sites with the national recreation area, all sacred to traditional Native American Indians, and include some that are among the most spectacular found anywhere. [60] These pictographs – along with other sites – have been described by the National Park Service as "unique and a significant world heritage". [61]

Nearly every major prehistoric and historic theme associated with human interaction and development of the western United States is represented within the park from the early hunters and gathers, to Native American Indian cultures, the Spanish mission and rancho periods, and the American homestead era. Park activist Susan Nelson was instrumental in pushing for an inventory of the flora and fauna of the park and the Native American archeological resources. [32]

At least 73 archeological sites, historic structures, cultural landscapes, and traditional cultural properties in the Santa Monica Mountains are potentially eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. [62] The Santa Monica Looff Hippodrome on the famous Santa Monica Pier, which is within the national recreation area, is a National Historic Landmark, as is Will Rogers' house at Will Rogers State Historic Park (also within the national recreation area). The horsemen portrayed in the Saddle Rock Ranch Pictographs in the heart of the Santa Monica Mountains are considered to be a representation of the Portola Expedition of 1769–1770, and have been determined to be eligible as a National Historic Landmark.

A number of California Historical Landmarks also lie within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. These include the Site of the Port of Los Angeles Long Wharf (no. 881), Point Dume (no. 965), and the Adamson House of Malibu Lagoon State Beach (no. 966). Just outside the national recreation area is the Stagecoach Inn (no. 659) in Newbury Park, Los Encinos State Historic Park (no. 689), and the Old Santa Monica Forestry Station (no. 840).

Recreation

Migrations of gray whales can be seen from the land. Whale with Laguna Peak, California, in background.jpg
Migrations of gray whales can be seen from the land.
The SMMNRA headquarters in Thousand Oaks, CA Santa monica mountains national recreation area.jpg
The SMMNRA headquarters in Thousand Oaks, CA

The Anthony C. Beilenson Interagency Visitor Center at King Gillette Ranch was opened in June 2012, and is operated by four partner agencies: National Park Service, California State Parks, Santa Monica Conservancy, Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority. It is located at 26876 Mulholland Highway, Calabasas, CA, 91302.

The Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center is the only site in the National Park Service dedicated to the past, present, and future of all Indian cultures. A Native American guest-host or a park ranger is on hand to answer questions from 9am to 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Native American workshops, programs, and art shows occur throughout the year. Satwiwa means "bluff" in the Chumash language and refers to the cliffs of Boney Mountain which can be seen from Satwiwa. The center is located at Rancho Sierra Vista in Newbury Park. Main Entrance cross street is Via Goleta and Potrero Road.

The main headquarters for the park is located at 401 West Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks 91360. [63]

Recreational opportunities abound, including biking, birding, land-based whale watching, camping, hiking, and horseback riding and rock climbing The Backbone Trail runs for nearly 70 miles (110 km) across the Santa Monica Mountains between Will Rogers State Park and Point Mugu State Park and is nearly complete from end to end. Channel Islands National Park lies in the Pacific Ocean directly to the west.

Partners

The following list of park partners and public parklands represents a collaboration of city, county, and state agencies as well as other organizations who work together to support the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

Entrances

Main entrances to the SMMNRA include Malibu, Newbury Park, Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Woodland Hills, and Topanga, California.

Vehicles

  • Only electric or non-motorized model aircraft are allowed.
  • Only electric or non-motorized model terrestrial vehicles are allowed.
  • No motorized model boats are allowed on park waters.
  • Electric and non-motorized models were a traditional use at the Paramount Ranch area of Malibu Creek State Park.

Parks

The following parks and areas are managed by the National Park Service in the Santa Monica Mountains NRA:

The following California State Parks are in Santa Monica Mountains NRA:

State Beaches in or adjacent to Santa Monica Mountains NRA:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malibu, California</span> City in California, United States

Malibu is a beach city in the Santa Monica Mountains region of Los Angeles County, California, about 30 miles (48 km) west of Downtown Los Angeles. It is known for its Mediterranean climate, its strip of beaches stretching 21 miles along the Pacific Ocean coast, and for its longtime status as the home of numerous affluent Hollywood celebrities and executives. Although a high proportion of its residents are entertainment industry figures with million-dollar mansions, Malibu also features several middle- and upper-middle-class neighborhoods. The Pacific Coast Highway traverses the city and has led most residents to settle anywhere from half a mile to within a few hundred yards of it, with some residents living up to one mile away from the beach in areas featuring narrow canyons. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 10,654.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Monica Mountains</span> Mountain range of the Transverse Ranges in California, United States

The Santa Monica Mountains is a coastal mountain range in Southern California, next to the Pacific Ocean. It is part of the Transverse Ranges. The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area encompasses this mountain range. Because of its proximity to densely populated regions, it is one of the most visited natural areas in California.

The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy is an agency of the state of California in the United States founded in 1980 and dedicated to the acquisition of land for preservation as open space, for wildlife and California native plants habitat Nature Preserves, and for public recreation activities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Susana Mountains</span> Mountain range of the Transverse Ranges in California, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malibu Creek State Park</span> Wilderness park in Santa Monica Mountains of southern California

Malibu Creek State Park is a state park of California, United States, preserving the Malibu Creek canyon in the Santa Monica Mountains. The 8,215-acre (3,324 ha) park was established in 1974. Opened to the public in 1976, the park is also a component of Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Topanga, California</span> Census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, US

Topanga is an unincorporated community in western Los Angeles County, California, United States. Located in the Santa Monica Mountains, the community exists in Topanga Canyon and the surrounding hills. The narrow southern portion of Topanga at the coast is between the city of Malibu and the Los Angeles neighborhood of Pacific Palisades. As of the 2020 census the population of the Topanga CDP was 8,560. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Topanga as a census-designated place (CDP). The ZIP code is 90290 and the area code is primarily 310, with 818 only at the north end of the canyon. It is in the 3rd County Supervisorial district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Escorpión Park</span> Park in the American state of California

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simi Hills</span> Mountain range of the Transverse Ranges in California, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mulholland Highway</span> Road in Los Angeles, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Topanga State Park</span> State park in Los Angeles County, California, United States

Topanga State Park is a California state park located in the Santa Monica Mountains, within Los Angeles County, California. It is part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve</span>

The Upper 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 (1,200 ha) in the Simi Hills of western Los Angeles County and eastern Ventura County.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malibu Creek</span> River in the southern California

Malibu Creek is a year-round stream in western Los Angeles County, California. It drains the southern Conejo Valley and Simi Hills, flowing south through the Santa Monica Mountains, and enters Santa Monica Bay in Malibu, California. The Malibu Creek watershed drains 109 square miles (280 km2) and its tributary creeks reach as high as 3,000 feet (910 m) into Ventura County, California. The creek's mainstem begins south of Westlake Village at the confluence of Triunfo Creek and Lobo Canyon Creek, and flows 13.4 miles (21.6 km) to Malibu Lagoon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Backbone Trail</span> Long-distance hiking trail in the United States

The Backbone Trail is a long-distance trail extending 67.79 miles (109.10 km) across the length of the Santa Monica Mountains in the U.S. state of California. Its western terminus is Point Mugu State Park, and its eastern terminus is Will Rogers State Historic Park in Pacific Palisades. The trail is open to hikers throughout its length. Dogs, mountain bicyclists and horseback riders are only allowed on portions of the trail as posted.

Victory Boulevard is a major east–west arterial road that runs for 25 miles (40 km) traversing the entire length of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rancho Sierra Vista</span> Nature area in the Santa Monica Mountains

Rancho Sierra Vista is one of the last intact ranches from the first half of the twentieth century in the Santa Monica Mountains. The majority of the landscape is much as it was 100 years ago. The area is now owned by the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, a unit of the National Park System.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solstice Canyon</span> Park in Malibu, California, United States

Solstice Canyon is a park within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area in Malibu, California. Located off Corral Canyon Road from Pacific Coast Highway, the canyon runs north-to-south about a mile east of Point Dume. Solstice Canyon opened on June 20, 1988 and was created out of land owned by Fred and Florence Roberts. Before becoming a park the land was known as Roberts Ranch from 1932 to 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sage Ranch Park</span> Public park and nature preserve in Ventura County, California

Sage Ranch Park is a 625-acre park (253 ha) and wildlife corridor located at a 2,000 feet (610 m) height in the northwestern Simi Hills on the northwestern plateau of the Simi Valley, bordering Los Angeles County and its San Fernando Valley. The campground area used to be a cattle ranch and later a filmset for Western movies. Sage Ranch Park is today an intermountain wildlife corridor, which links the Simi Hills with the Santa Susana- and Santa Monica Mountains. The mountainous park is mostly known for its unique sandstone rock formations, maybe particularly on its western side where the Sandstone Ridge and Turtle Rock are situated. On its northern side, there are great panoramic rural and metropolitan views of the Simi Valley, as well as surrounding Simi Hills, Santa Susana Mountains and beyond. It is home to numerous sandstone formations, caves, outcroppings, tilted rock formations, several hiking trails, a camping ground, as well as native flora and wildlife. The area is lined with coastal sage scrub and other flora includes chaparral, bush lupine, California poppy, sunflowers, Cream Cups, bracken, sword fern, prickly pear cactus, eucalyptus trees, oak woodland of ceanothus, coffee berry, California buckwheat, sycamore, Walnut Tree, ferns, orange- and avocado trees. It is a critical cross-mountain wildlife corridor and is home to fauna such as mountain lions, bobcats, eagles, vultures, owls, rattle snakes, coyotes, hawks, grey fox, king snakes, and more. Bordering Sage Ranch to the south is the Rocketdyne Santa Susana Field Laboratory, in which the nearby Burro Flats Painted Cave is located.

Satwiwa was a former Chumash village in the Santa Monica Mountains of Newbury Park, California. The current Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center is operated by the National Park Service in cooperation with the Friends of Satwiwa. Satwiwa has been inhabited by Chumash Indians for over 10,000 years. It is situated at the foothills of Boney Mountain, a sacred mountain for the Chumash.

Susan B. Nelson was an American environmental activist who is best known as the mother of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

References

  1. http://www.conejo-openspace.org/open_space_areas_in_TO.htm#Santa Archived February 9, 2016, at the Wayback Machine Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
  2. "Listing of acreage – December 31, 2011" (XLSX). Land Resource Division, National Park Service. Retrieved March 19, 2012. (National Park Service Acreage Reports)
  3. "NPS Annual Recreation Visits Report". National Park Service. Retrieved August 2, 2023.
  4. 1 2 National Park Service, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area: Statement of National Significance, ca. 2000, page 4
  5. White, Mel (2009). Complete National Parks of the United States. National Geographic Books. Page 405. ISBN   9781426205279.
  6. Schreiner, Casey (2016). Day Hiking Los Angeles: City Parks / Santa Monica Mountains / San Gabriel Mountains. Page: Introduction. Mountaineers Books. ISBN   9781680510096.
  7. Vlahides, John A. and Tullan Spitz (2004). Coastal California. Lonely Planet. Page 162. ISBN   9781740594684.
  8. "Area Attractions | Bank of America Performing Arts Center | Official Site".
  9. "Woolsey Fire Incident Information". Cal Fire. CA.gov. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
  10. Meares, Hadley (June 25, 2015). "A Cast of Characters: The Creation of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area". KCET . Archived from the original on October 6, 2015. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  11. 1 2 "Forest reserves. Santa Monica scheme turned down," Los Angeles Times, March 8, 1907, section II, page 5
  12. "Private snap of reserve?" Los Angeles Times, February 10, 1907, section II, page 19
  13. L.E. Aubury, "Against the Malibu reserve," Los Angeles Times, February 10, 1917, section II, page 4
  14. Betty Lou Young, Pacific Palisades: Where the Mountains meet the Sea, Pacific Palisades Historical Society Press, 1983, page 135
  15. Young, Pacific Palisades, page 135.
  16. Young, Pacific Palisades, page 139
  17. Young, Pacific Palisades, page 141-142
  18. Young, Pacific Palisades, page 144
  19. 1 2 Robert Garcia, et al, Free the Beach! Public Access, Equal Justice, and the California Coast, Center for Law in the Public Interest, April 2005, 6–7
  20. Mike Davis, "Let Malibu Burn: A Political History of the Fire Coast," L.A. Weekly, 1996
  21. "Mrs. May Rindge loses control of great rancho," L.A. Times, June 30, 1938, A1
  22. Mike Davis, "Let Malibu Burn: A Political History of the Fire Coast," L.A. Weekly, 1996, page 3
  23. Skip Ferderber, "U.S. will hear 100,000 acre park proposal," Los Angeles Times, June 13, 1974, page WS1
  24. "Point Mugu Park Land Acquired," Los Angeles Times, March 5, 1967, page H6.
  25. "Point Mugu Park Addition OKd," San Diego Union, March 12, 1972, page 17.
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