Bird's eye view of the park

Santa Susana Pass SHP

Los Encinos SHP

The Sepulveda Dam's recreation facilities are managed by the City of Los
Angeles Parks. The site has no permanent pool, but the sports facilities,
including golf and tennis, draw many to this urban project in the San Fernando
Valley area of Los Angeles.

The Sepulveda Dam's recreation facilities are managed by the City of Los Angeles Parks. The site has no permanent pool, but the sports facilities, including golf and tennis, draw many to this urban project in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles.

Vibrant pink flower with wasp resting on it

Watchable Wildlife

Sepulveda Dam

Musch Camp Hike-In, Bike-In & Equestrian Camp

Bird's eye view of the campground

Topanga SP

Placerita Canyon SP

Creek Campground (sites 1-41)

Group Camp Area

Lower Loop (sites 42-63)

Malibu Creek SP

The City of Los Angeles manages the extensive day-use facilities, including
golf and riding stables, are available at this site in the San Fernando
Valley.

The City of Los Angeles manages the extensive day-use facilities, including golf and riding stables, are available at this site in the San Fernando Valley.

Yellow bird resting on a tree branch

Wildlife in Action

Hansen Dam

The Santa Monica Mountains offer easy access to surprisingly wild places.
Experience the famous beaches of Malibu or explore more than 500 miles of
trails. The park abounds with historical and cultural sites, from old movie
ranches to Native American centers. What will you and your family discover?

The Santa Monica Mountains offer easy access to surprisingly wild places. Experience the famous beaches of Malibu or explore more than 500 miles of trails. The park abounds with historical and cultural sites, from old movie ranches to Native American centers. What will you and your family discover?

## Overview

**Circle X Ranch Group Campground is closed until further notice. There is no
estimated re-opening date.**

Are you searching for a weekend getaway with mountain overlooks and sunny,
sandy beaches? Your vacation destination may be a short drive from Los
Angeles, California! Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area offers
many opportunities to shake off the stresses of city life and immerse yourself
in the beauty of nature.

## Recreation

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.

## Facilities

**Circle X Ranch Group Campground is closed until further notice. There is no
estimated re-opening date.**

Located below the Ranger Contact Station at Cirlce X Ranch. Check-in here with
park staff before heading down to your campsite.

## Natural Features

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. Journey 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.

## Nearby Attractions

Enjoy a visit to the Grotto or a picnic at the trailhead next to the
campground. Grotto Trail 3.5 miles round trip, moderate to strenuous; no
bikes, no horses. This trail traverses hillsides and leads down to the West
Fork of the Arroyo Sequit. The trail is downhill from the Ranger Station,
which means an uphill return. The Grotto area is rugged terrain; be careful
and wear appropriate hiking attire. The last 1/8 mile is through an unimproved
streambed and dogs are not allowed. The Ranger Contact Station can provide you
with free hiking maps of Circle X Ranch. A publication of park-led activites
for Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is also available. Vists
to nearby Malibu and the Pacific Ocean are just a short drive way.

<h2>Overview</h2>
<p><strong>Circle X Ranch Group Campground is closed until further notice. There is no estimated re-opening date.</strong></p>
<p>Are you searching for a weekend getaway with mountain overlooks and sunny, sandy beaches? Your vacation destination may be a short drive from Los Angeles, California! Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area offers many opportunities to shake off the stresses of city life and immerse yourself in the beauty of nature. </p>
<h2>Recreation</h2>
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. <br/> <br/>
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.<h2>Facilities</h2>
<p><strong>Circle X Ranch Group Campground is closed until further notice. There is no estimated re-opening date.</strong></p>
<p>Located below the Ranger Contact Station at Cirlce X Ranch. Check-in here with park staff before heading down to your campsite.</p>
<h2>Natural Features</h2>
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. Journey 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.
<h2>Nearby Attractions</h2>
Enjoy a visit to the Grotto or a picnic at the trailhead next to the campground.    
Grotto Trail 3.5 miles round trip, moderate to strenuous; no bikes, no horses. This trail traverses hillsides and leads down to the West Fork of the Arroyo Sequit. The trail is downhill from the Ranger Station, which means an uphill return. The Grotto area is rugged terrain; be careful and wear appropriate hiking attire. The last 1/8 mile is through an unimproved streambed and dogs are not allowed.    
The Ranger Contact Station can provide you with free hiking maps of Circle X Ranch. A publication of park-led activites for Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is also available. Vists to nearby Malibu and the Pacific Ocean are just a short drive way.

* 10-30 people $35 per night 
  * 31-50 people $75 per night 
  * 51-75 people $125 per night

CIRCLE X RANCH GROUP CAMPGROUND

Circle X Ranch Group Campground

Point Mugu Sunset

Zuma Canyon in spring.

Zuma Canyon in Spring

California poppy, Eschscholzia californica

Native Wildflowers

Paramount Ranch Night Sky

Sunset Views

Every Kid Outdoors

Equestrians on Trail

View from Sandstone Peak at Sunrise

Mountains

Malibu Creek Overlook

Leo Carrillo Beach

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Getting ready to start filming for Booneville Redemption at Paramount Ranch's Western Town!

Filming in the Santa Monica Mountains

Hike to Balanced Rock along the Mishe Mokwa Trail, located near Circle X

Balanced Roack

Visit the Satwiwa Native American Indian Cultural Center to stand under a traditional Chumash 'ap and walk through a native plant garden.

Chumash 'ap

Will Rogers SHP

Malibu Lagoon SB

Will Rogers SB

Castaic Lake SRA

Santa Monica SB

A high mountain valley encircled by deep canyons, steep ridgelines, and rocky
pinnacles, Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge is the gateway into
California condor country. The refuge is an outpost on the edge of an
unforgiving terrain where California condors safely forage, nest, and roost.
Under the wing of these majestic birds, the refuge supports healthy examples
of oak woodlands, grasslands, chaparral, coastal sage scrub, seasonal
wetlands, riparian areas, and some of the last remaining intact stands of
California black walnut.

Decorating the rock spires where condors now perch, preserved Chumash rock art
symbolizes the connection these indigenous people have to the land and sacred
bird. Hopper Mountain NWR emanates a sense of stewardship and conservation to
neighboring lands. The refuge exemplifies productive relationships with
neighboring landowners and partners. Refuge facilities serve as resources for
the scientific community and academic institutions to conduct research
supporting refuge purposes.

This 2,471-acre refuge adjoins the southern boundary of the Sespe Condor
Sanctuary, a component of the U.S. Forest Service, Los Padres National Forest.
The 53,000-acre Sanctuary contains critical California condor nesting and
roosting habitat. Strategically located adjacent to the Sanctuary, the refuge
helps buffer these nesting and roosting areas from human disturbance and
protects a portion of the foraging habitat within a much larger area where the
condors have historically foraged and fed. Hopper Mountain NWR also protects a
variety of plant communities that provide habitat for other species protected
under the federal Endangered Species Act.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages an unparalleled network of public
lands and waters called the National Wildlife Refuge System. With more than
560 refuges spanning the country, this system protects iconic species and
provides some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities on Earth.

The National Wildlife Refuge System lands and waters serve a purpose distinct
from that of other U.S. public lands: Wildlife conservation drives everything
on national wildlife refuges, from the purposes for which each refuge was
established, to the recreational activities offered, to the resource
management tools used.

<p>A high mountain valley encircled by deep canyons, steep ridgelines, and rocky pinnacles, Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge is the gateway into California condor country.  The refuge is an outpost on the edge of an unforgiving terrain where California condors safely forage, nest, and roost. Under the wing of these majestic birds, the refuge supports healthy examples of oak woodlands, grasslands, chaparral, coastal sage scrub, seasonal wetlands, riparian areas, and some of the last remaining intact stands of California black walnut.</p>

<p>Decorating the rock spires where condors now perch, preserved Chumash rock art symbolizes the connection these indigenous people have to the land and sacred bird. Hopper Mountain NWR emanates a sense of stewardship and conservation to neighboring lands. The refuge exemplifies productive relationships with neighboring landowners and partners. Refuge facilities serve as resources for the scientific community and academic institutions to conduct research supporting refuge purposes.</p>

<p>This 2,471-acre refuge adjoins the southern boundary of the Sespe Condor Sanctuary, a component of the U.S. Forest Service, Los Padres National Forest. The 53,000-acre Sanctuary contains critical California condor nesting and roosting habitat. Strategically located adjacent to the Sanctuary, the refuge helps buffer these nesting and roosting areas from human disturbance and protects a portion of the foraging habitat within a much larger area where the condors have historically foraged and fed. Hopper Mountain NWR also protects a variety of plant communities that provide habitat for other species protected under the federal Endangered Species Act.</p>



<p>The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages an unparalleled network of public lands and waters called the National Wildlife Refuge System. With more than 560 refuges spanning the country, this system protects iconic species and provides some of the best wildlife viewing opportunities on Earth.</p>

<p>The National Wildlife Refuge System lands and waters serve a purpose distinct from that of other U.S. public lands: Wildlife conservation drives everything on national wildlife refuges, from the purposes for which each refuge was established, to the recreational activities offered, to the resource management tools used.</p>