National Park Service Sites

King Gillette Ranch 26800 Mulholland Highway Calabasas, California 91302 Visitor Center: 805-370-2301 King Gillette Ranch IN THE HEART OF THE MOUNTAINS One of the most stunning locales in the Santa Monica Mountains, 588-acre King Gillette Ranch is situated in the heart of the Malibu Creek Watershed, by the confluence of some major tributaries, and adjacent to Malibu Creek State Park. This scenic parkland at the lower end of the Las Virgenes Valley is a haven for large mammals of the Santa Monica Mountains. At the same time, it offers a rare unspoiled view of California’s rich cultural and historic resources, including some structures designed for razor magnate King C. Gillette in the 1920’s by Wallace Neff, architect of California’s Golden Age. The broad meadows and low ridgelines serve as a wildlife corridor in the geographic center of the Santa Monica Mountains range. Several sensitive species are present. Raptors and other birds forage and nest among the plant communities of valley and coast live oak savannah, grassland, coastal sage scrub, chaparral, riparian woodland, and southern willow riparian vegetation. Park features include Gillette’s historic Spanish Colonial Revival style mansion and other structures that were part of the original landscape plan. These include a long tree-lined alleé Site managed as a partnership of the National Park Service, Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, and California State Parks and grand entry, a large constructed pond, a formal courtyard and terrace, bridges, and lawns. A short, somewhat steep hike leads to a knoll, known as Inspiration Point, with 360-degree views—including the famous rock formations of Malibu Creek State Park. Other activities include strolling, bicycling, photography, and picnicking. King Gillette Ranch is home to many educational and public programs, including summer campfires, guided hikes and the Mountains Recreation & Conservation Authority’s (MRCA) Outdoor Education Program. The site’s facilities and grounds are available for special events. Please contact the MRCA Event Coordinator for more information: 310-589-3230 x144. Tips for a safe and enjoyable visit: Whether you are an equestrian, hiker, or mountain bicyclist, help us protect our natural areas by staying on designated trails. Please also be considerate of other trail users and respect private land. KEEP HYDRATED Carry and drink plenty of water. Recommend one quart for short walks and more for longer hikes. FOOTWEAR Wear sturdy footwear – hiking boots or sneakers with good tread. NEVER HIKE ALONE The buddy system allows someone to go for help if needed. HELP PREVENT WILDFIRE No smoking or fires in the park. POISON OAK Staying on trails is the best way to avoid contact with this plant's leaves (clusters of three shiny leaflets) or its roots. TICKS Check your clothing and exposed skin after hiking since some ticks may carry diseases. SOUTHERN PACIFIC RATTLESNAKES These snakes will not bother you if you stay away from them. If someone is bitten by one, do not make an incision or try to draw out venom. Instead, seek advanced medical attention and get the person to an emergency room. EMERGENCIES Call 911. For a ranger, call Angeles Dispatch at 661-723-3620. For More Information Visitor Center: 805-370-2301 www.LAMountains.com www.nps.gov/samo www.parks.ca.gov www.mrca.ca.gov www.smmc.ca.gov EK AD L ALSA SV IVRIGR EGNE ENSE SR O AD RO C Multi-use trail ST ST 0 FT. 250 FT. DIRECTIONS POND ES PARKING PARKING Y OK ES CREE K LHO LLA ND N HW K TRAIL TO TRAIL TO INSPIRATION POINT INSPIRATION POINT S ST OK PARKING DORMITORY DORMITORY PARKING B m GILLETTE MANSION DORMITORY 00 FT. FT. 250 FT. 500 FT. 500 FT. K B m m B B Trail to Inspiration Point On this 1-mile round trip hike, the trail climbs TRAIL TO INSPIRATION POINT steeply to Inspiration Point. Enjoy an amazing DORMITORY vista of the surrounding Las Virgenes Valley. TRAIL TO DORMITORY INSPIRATION POINT TRAIL TO your hike by another 1.5 miles by Extend INSPIRATION POINT taking the trail heading south along the ridge. Dormitory Building The Claretian religious order purchased the ranch in 1952. The Claretians built the three-story seminary building, which included a dormitory, classrooms, and a chapel in 1955. road 500 FT. SITE HIGHLIGHTS From the 101 Freeway: Exit Las Virgenes/Malibu TRAIL TO TRAIL TOAnthony C. Beilenson Interagency TRAIL TO INSPIRATION POINT TRAIL TO INSPIRATION POINT Canyon. Head south on Las Virgenes Road 3.0 milesINSPIRATION INSPIRATION POINT POINT Visitor Center and then turn left onto Mulholland Highway. The Formerly the horse stable for the Gillette park entrance is 0.1 mile on the right. Paved road Paved road Multi-use trail From Pacific Coast Highway: Multi-use trail Head north on Malibu Canyon Road for approximately 7.0 miles and turn FT. 250 FT. 500 FT. right onto00Mulholland FT. 250 FT. Highway. 500 FT. The park entrance is 0.1 mile on the right. PARKING INSPIRATION INSPIRATION POINT POINT TO RIDGE TRAIL B PARKING PARKING POND POND TRAIL TO TRAIL TO INSPIRATION POINT INSPIRATION POINT K m TRAIL TO INSPIRATION POINT GILLETTE GILLETTE TRAIL TO MANSION MANSION INSPIRATION POINT CREE PARKING m K CREE ESCREEK OK S TO K E S ST POND ES Multi-use trail 250 FT. Gillette Mansion Designed by architect Wallace Neff, the 25-room mansion was built in 1928 as the primary residence of the founder of the Gillette Safety Razor Company, King Camp Gillette. Hollywood movie director Clarence Brown purchased the property in 1935 and added a pool, tennis courts, and an airplane landing strip. After a series of ownerships, the ranch became public parkland in 2005. Y K CREE GILLETTE MANSION O 500 FT. Paved MANSION S CR KE TRAIL TO INSPIRATION POINT TRAIL TO INSPIRATION POINT 500 FT. 0 FT. Y MU GILLETTE BMANSION C K EE RE E K R K m m BOTANICAL Multi-use trailBOTANICAL CENTER CENTER 250 FT. R EE ST Paved road Paved road 0 FT. 500 FT. HW mPOND ES K O C PICNIC AREA PICNIC AREA O O K K ESE CS C 250 FT. BOTANICAL CENTER B B TRAIL TO MALIBU TRAIL TO MALIBU CREEK STATE PARK CREEK STATE PARK HW PARKING B VISITOR VISITOR CENTER CENTER ES K ND ST m POND ST K ST Multi-use trail 0 FT. LLA K PICNIC AREA GILLETTE BOTANICAL MANSION CENTER E TRAIL TO MALIBU R BOTANICAL CREEK STATE PARK CENTER EE ND m TRAIL TO INSPIRATION POINT Paved road LHO m R LLA M M UU L H O L VISITOR PARKING LHO LAN LLA D H CENTER ND WY HW PARKING PARKING Y DORMITORY B O ST REE S C LHO Y B LAS VIRGENES ROAD LAS VIRGENES ROAD C ES E MU O ST m B K R E OK VISITOR ST CENTER PICNIC AREA VISITOR CENTER PICNIC AREA TRAIL TO MALIBU CREEK STATE PARK BOTANICAL CENTER TRAIL TO MALIBU CREEK STATE PARK EK HW MU PARKING PARK PARK ENTRANCE ENTRANCE O LAS VIRGENES ROAD TRAIL TO MALIBU CREEK STATE PARK ND PARK ENTRANCE VISITOR CENTER PICNIC AREA LLA KE PARK ENTRANCE LHO O MU ST PARK ENTRANCE EE King Gillette Ranch PARK ENTRANCE Free 2-hour parking is available at the Visitor Center. For longer visits, park over the bridge to the left for a $7 fee. Mansion, the visitor center retains some of Wallace Neff’s original design while serving as the recreational gateway to the Santa Monica Mountains. The building was awarded LEED Platinum certification and is the first “net zero” visitor center in the National Park Service. Botanical Center A walking path leads from the parking lot to the MRCA’s working native plant nursery. Plants grown here are used to restore native habitat in MRCA and Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy parklands. Adjacent to the nursery is the White House, a single-family residence built before the Gillette mansion. Pond As part of the original landscape design, Stokes Creek was dammed to create a classic country estate-style pond. Great blue herons, mallards, cormorants, and other birds are often seen here. Printed on 100% Post-consumer Waste Recycled Paper, Soy Inks – June 2012