Santa Monica Mountains

https://www.nps.gov/samo/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/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 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? There are multiple trailheads around the park, so there is not one main entrance. You can begin your visit at the visitor center, located off Mulholland Highway in Calabasas. The Santa Monica Mountains are traversed by the 405 Freeway on the east side; crowned by the 101 Freeway on the north and west side; and Highway 1, the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), on the southern ocean border. Santa Monica Mountains Anthony C. Beilenson Interagency Visitor Center The Anthony C. Beilenson Interagency Visitor Center features a bookstore managed by Western National Parks Association. You can purchase memorabilia, guidebooks, puppets and more. It also features interactive exhibits and has a small theater where a park film is shown. Ventura Freeway (U.S. 101) to Las Virgenes Road (Co. Hwy N1) exit. Go 3 miles south on Las Virgenes Road to Mulholland Highway intersection (traffic light). Turn left on Mulholland Highway. Park entrance is 0.1 mile on right. Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center Located at the southern end of the community of Newbury Park, this site reflects the heritage of both Native Americans and local ranching. The Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center is open on weekends from 9am to 4pm. Native American workshops and programs occur throughout the year. Main entrance - cross street is Via Goleta and Potrero Road, Newbury Park, CA, 91320. From Ventura Freeway (U.S. 101) exit Lynn Road. Turn south on Lynn Road for 5.25 miles to Via Goleta. Park Entrance is on the left. Walk 0.3 mile up gravel road from the last parking area to the Culture Center. Note: The driveway off Potrero Rd is a service road and access to handicap parking only. Circle X Ranch Campground - CLOSED Circle X Ranch Group Campground is the only campground the National Park Service operates in the Santa Monica Mountains. Visit recreation.gov to make reservations for this 10 person minimum group camp. Reservation Fee 9.00 Fee may be charged 10-25 People/ Night 35.00 Group of 10-25 people per night 26-50 People/ Night 75.00 Group of 26-50 people per night 51-75 People/ Night 125.00 Group of 51-75 people per night Ranger Station at Circle X Ranch Campground Ranger Station at Circle-X Ranch The Ranger Station stands as the first greeting when you arrive at Circle-X Ranch. Circle X Ranch Campground tents and picnic tables are nestled among the trees in the Circle X Campground Camping set-up Point Mugu Sunset Sunbeams reaching from glowing sun over the ocean. Point Mugu Sunset Zuma Canyon in Spring Trail view with yellow flowers in the foreground that lead to green mountains against a blue sky. Zuma Canyon in spring. Mountains Mountain silhouettes at sunrise. View from Sandstone Peak at Sunrise Malibu Creek Overlook Wispy cloud covered sky over chaparral covered mountains. Malibu Creek Overlook Equestrians on Trail People riding horses into the sunset on a mountain trail. Equestrians on Trail Leo Carrillo Beach Rocks emerging from ocean. Leo Carrillo Beach Sunset Views Two individuals sitting atop a rocky outcrop while watching the sun set. Sunset Views Paramount Ranch Night Sky Milky way shines in night sky over a mountain and oak tree. Paramount Ranch Night Sky No Houses Destroyed: Springs Fire Burns 24,000 Acres in the Southern California Wildland Urban Interface On May 2, 2013, the Springs fire started during conditions that Southern California usually experiences only in late summer or fall. Although the Springs fire burned approximately 24,000 acres--largely public open space--the successful outcome of no homes being destroyed is a testament to the solid working relationships between cooperating agencies in this complex environment. A large plume of smoke towers over the suburban skyline. NPS Structural Fire Program Highlights 2014 Intern Accomplishments NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, California Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. Links to products from Baseline Geologic and Soil Resources Inventories provide access to maps and reports. valley fog On Location: An Introduction to Film in National Parks National parks have provided the backdrop for many iconic American films, including the original "Star Wars" trilogy at Death Valley National Park, "Thelma and Louise" at Canyonlands National Park, and many more. Filmmakers have been recording at National Park Service sites since the early years of motion picture history. While the location might not be the first thing in the credits, these films and television shows shine a spotlight on park landscapes. A uniformed ranger shakes hands with C3PO, a Star Wars character, in a bare and hilly landscape. Hope for California Red-legged Frogs After Woolsey Fire Devastation In November 2018, the Woolsey Fire burned a whopping 42% of the natural area in the Santa Monica Mountains, including 88% of National Park Service lands. No species escaped unscathed. One or more mountain lions perished in the fire or its aftermath. Entire bobcat territories were reduced to ash. And federally threatened California red-legged frogs lost years of hard-won habitat and population gains. Frog partially covered in aquatic vegetation, sitting on a burnt, ashy slope. Can Higher Densities Help Native Plants Gain a Disturbed Area Advantage? Several years ago, in his former role as a field monitor, restoration ecologist Joey Algiers started noticing dense clumps of native plants in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area fuels reduction areas. They stood out because these areas had otherwise become oceans of invasive species due to annual mowing. That got him wondering: could higher densities of native plants help keep invasive species at bay in fuels reduction areas? Person on hands and knees planting a native seedling in an experimental plot in Zuma Canyon A Need to Breed: California Toads in the Santa Monica Mountains <em>March 15, 2017</em> - What is a toad to do if it needs to breed but can’t find a pond? California toads in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area recently faced this dilemma. They typically breed every spring, finding ponds or pools by scent after hunting insects on land for most of the year. As the recent drought wore on, such pools became scarce. Mating California toads Mountain Lions Face Loss of Genetic Diversity <em>November 28, 2016</em> - On the surface, mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains are doing well, surviving, and reproducing at healthy rates. However, recently published research predicts that there could be serious challenges to this population’s long-term survival. Profile view of a young female mountain lion Using Cameras to Study Wildlife After the Springs Fire Around 14,000 acres of park land in the Santa Monica Mountains were left scorched after the 24,000-acre Springs Fire in May 2013. In the ashes, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area biologists saw an opportunity. They had long wondered how wildlife handle burned landscapes. With wildlife cameras available from the conclusion of another project, they began the Springs Fire Wildlife Project that fall to find out. Wildlife camera trap image of a coyote looking into the camera Preparation for Southern California Fire Season Demonstrates Complexities and Importance of Cooperation On June 12, 2012, the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area hosted the “opening of fire season” media event. Resources from Ventura County Fire Department, Los Padres National Forest, Cal Fire, and Oxnard City Fire Department came together to demonstrate preparing a structure from wildfire in the wildland urban interface. Officials stressed the importance of good communications between cooperating resources when engaging in suppression efforts. A helicopter demonstrates a wildland fire water drop. 2017 Recipients: George and Helen Hartzog Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service Meet the recipients of the 2017 George and Helen Hartzog Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service. These award recipients are recognized for their exceptional dedication and service to parks and programs. Boy outside holding a tool onto a wooden post. Wildland Fire in Chaparral: California and Southwestern United States Chaparral is a general term that applies to various types of brushland found in southern California and the southwestern U.S. This community contains the most flammable type of vegetation found in the United States. Chaparral on steep rocky slopes. Volunteers Take On Invasive Plant to Restore Zuma Canyon Populations of an aggressive and toxic invasive plant have been exploding in Southern California over the last decade. Known as carnation spurge, it was first recorded in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area in Solstice Canyon in 1987. There, biologists learned that restoring native plants helps keep carnation spurge at bay. Now, volunteers are helping the park step up native plant restoration efforts to fight carnation spurge in Zuma Canyon. Carnation spurge and a volunteer weeding Researchers Investigate Link Between Rodenticides and Mange in Bobcats In 2002, when bobcats in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area began dying of mange, a disease that is typically considered benign, biologists began investigating. They found that 100% of the bobcats that died of the disease also had rat poisons known as anticoagulant rodenticides in their systems. Now, two researchers are closing in on an explanation. Bobcat being examined by biologists Microplastics on National Park Beaches Every beachgoer has probably noticed plastic trash littering their favorite beaches, however remote. A new study of microplastic distribution on national park beaches indicates that whichever one you visit, there is probably also some amount of plastic that is harder to see, mixed in with the sand between your toes. Microplastic piece and organic matter Rare Frogs Breed in New Home In 2014, National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists hoped for the best as they released hundreds of California red-legged frog tadpoles from protective rearing pens into two streams in the Santa Monica Mountains. The streams had been chosen carefully, but there was still no way to be sure that the tadpoles would survive on their own. California red-legged frog in a biologist's hand Field Season Beginning for Mediterranean Coast Plant Monitoring Teams <em>March 15, 2017</em> - Even for drought tolerant southern California plant communities, four dry years in a row was a lot to handle. Annual vegetation monitoring at each of the three parks in the Mediterranean Coast Inventory and Monitoring Network recorded significant dieback in some places. This year, however, rainfall has been well above average throughout the region. Monitoring teams are excited to survey in a much more brightly colored landscape. Shooting stars decorated in water droplets Corridos: Stories Told Through Song The corrido is a traditional Mexican song style that has evolved over the past 200 years in northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. Corridos are all about storytelling. They tell of battle victories (and loses), individuals taking on the establishment, the lives of great or notorious people, and – perhaps the most ancient type of story in human history – the epic journey. Learn about this enduring tradition and listen to a corrido about the Anza Expedition of 1776 A woodcut illustration of four people singing and a man playing guitar Night Sky Darkness in Coastal Southern California National Parks The velvet black of a dark night sky offers many values. People seek darkness for stargazing. Birds navigate by starlight. Prey hides from predator in the dark. But light pollution from human development—streetlights, buildings and other sources of artificial light—is spilling over into natural areas and taking an ecological toll. In Southern California, the National Park Service monitors the night sky of its parks and applies best practices to improve night sky darkness. Portion of the Milky Way visible over mountaintops in the Santa Monica Mountains. Scientist Profile: Katy Delaney, Wildlife Ecologist "So even though I worked on birds my whole early career, I would know a ton about island scrub-jays, but I didn't really go birding. Now I really enjoy going out and hearing songs and trying to identify the birds. And I collect the data on eBird so that every time I go out, I have a list of how many and what birds I saw. It's just like doing science, even though I'm not at work. I realize what a nerd I am." Dr. Katy Delaney, waist-deep in a stream. Pacific Border Province The Pacific Border straddles the boundaries between several of Earth's moving plates on the western margin of North America. This region is one of the most geologically young and tectonically active in North America. The generally rugged, mountainous landscape of this province provides evidence of ongoing mountain-building. Drakes Estero in Point Reyes National Seashore. NPS photo/Sarah Codde Conserving pinnipeds in Pacific Ocean parks in response to climate change The evolutionary record from previous climate perturbations indicates that marine mammals are highly vulnerable but also remarkably adaptable to climatic change in coastal ecosystems. Consequently, national parks in the Pacific, from Alaska to Hawaii, are faced with potentially dramatic changes in their marine mammal fauna, especially pinnipeds (seals and sea lions). black harbor seal National Park Service Commemoration of the 19th Amendment In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment the National Park Service has developed a number of special programs. This includes online content, exhibits, and special events. The National Park Service’s Cultural Resources Geographic Information Systems (CRGIS) announces the release of a story map that highlights some of these programs and provides information for the public to locate and participate. Opening slide of the 19th Amendment NPS Commemoration Story Map Series: Geologic Time Periods in the Cenozoic Era The Cenozoic Era (66 million years ago [MYA] through today) is the "Age of Mammals." North America’s characteristic landscapes began to develop during the Cenozoic. Birds and mammals rose in prominence after the extinction of giant reptiles. Common Cenozoic fossils include cat-like carnivores and early horses, as well as ice age woolly mammoths. fossils on display at a visitor center Series: Physiographic Provinces Descriptions of the physiographic provinces of the United States, including maps, educational material, and listings of Parks for each. George B. Dorr, founder of Acadia National Park Paleogene Period—66.0 to 23.0 MYA Colorful Paleogene rocks are exposed in the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park and the badlands of Badlands and Theodore Roosevelt national parks. Extraordinary Paleogene fossils are found in Fossil Butte and John Day Fossil Beds national monuments, among other parks. fossil skull with teeth expsoed Neogene Period—23.0 to 2.58 MYA Some of the finest Neogene fossils on the planet are found in the rocks of Agate Fossil Beds and Hagerman Fossil Beds national monuments. fossils on display in a visitor center Cenozoic Era The Cenozoic Era (66 million years ago [MYA] through today) is the "Age of Mammals." North America’s characteristic landscapes began to develop during the Cenozoic. Birds and mammals rose in prominence after the extinction of giant reptiles. Common Cenozoic fossils include cat-like carnivores and early horses, as well as ice age woolly mammoths. fossils on display in a visitor center Community Collaboration to Reduce Wildfire Losses in the Santa Monica Mountains Extensive home losses due to wildfires have become a common feature in the state of California, especially in the Santa Monica Mountains. Fortunately, years of fire research in the Santa Monica Mountains has improved our understanding of how home hardening and defensible space can prevent structure losses from wildfires. The park partnered with the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains to develop a new website: Defensiblespace.org. Screenshot of Sustainable Defensible Space website homepage. Staff Spotlight: Vanessa Torres Meet Vanessa Torres, Program Manager of Interpretation, Education, and Community Engagement for Lyndon B Johnson National Historical Park and Waco Mammoth National Monument. Hear her story and advice she has for youth and young adults. Vanessa Torres enjoying a break in the Texas Bluebonnets 2020 George and Helen Hartzog Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service Each year nearly 300,000 volunteers across the National Park Service (NPS) donate more than 6.5 million hours of service, for a value of more than $185 million. Through their extraordinary work and dedication, these volunteers make an exceptional contribution to their parks and communities. We are pleased to congratulate the national recipients of the 2020 George and Helen Hartzog Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service. Photo of Tom and Karen Hartley dressed in period clothing standing and smiling outdoors. Puma Profiles: P-25 This female was only studied for less than two months. First discovered by a remote camera in 2012 south of Westlake Village, she and her brother P-026 were captured in August of that year at an estimated age of 10 months. Mountain Lion among grass and brush. Puma Profiles: P-24 Born in the same litter as P-023 in 2010, this male dispersed from his mother and was known to mostly roam the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains, up to the 405 freeway. Kitten close up. Puma Profiles: P-28 One of four in a litter birthed by P-013 to P-012, biologists were able to track her until after she dispersed from her mother at 16 months of age. Soon after dispersal we lost track of her because the batteries failed in her tracking device. Mountain lion looking into camera at night. Puma Profiles: P-27 This male was first captured in April 2013 around the age of six years old and was found to be the son of P-001 and P-006. Mountain lion looking into camera at night. Puma Profiles: P-26 The littermate of P-025, this male dispersed from his mother in January 2013, only to get into a fight two months later with P-019. He lost his expandable VHF collar during the fight and has not been tracked since. Mountain Lion looking into camera. Puma Profiles: P-19 P-019, captured and collared in early 2012, represents the second case of first-order inbreeding in our study (the first being when P-001 mated with his daughter P-006). Mountain lion looking into camera at night. Puma Profiles: P-17 This young kitten was abandoned by her mother, P-103, after three months. Although anticoagulants were found in her system, the official cause of death was ruled as starvation. Kitten among wood chips and brush. Puma Profiles: P-20 Researchers were trying to recapture P-012 in Malibu Creek State Park to replace his collar. Instead, they were surprised to find an unknown male lion on that October day in 2010. Mountain lion among grass and brush. Puma Profiles: P-22 P-022 was our most famous mountain lion and was known as our “Hollywood Cat.” He was a resident of Griffith Park in the city of Los Angeles and, at about 12 years old, he was one of the oldest cats in our study. Mountain Lion walking down a mountain with the Hollywood sign in the background. Puma Profiles: P-21 Although captured in the summer of 2011 at the healthy age of six, this male from the Santa Susana Mountains was later found to be the father of P-012, the lion who crossed the 101 Freeway and became the dominant male of the Santa Monica Mountains. Mountain lion among grass and brush. Puma Profiles: P-14 A son of P-001 and an unknown female, it was discovered upon his death that he ingested multiple types of rodenticide (rat poison). Mountain lion in a tree. Puma Profiles: P-16 This large dominant male was last known to roam the area around Lake Piru in Los Padres National Forest to the north. He was first captured in the spring of 2011 in the Santa Susana Mountains around the age of two or three. Mountain lion in grass framed by ranger legs. Puma Profiles: P-10 First captured in the winter of 2008 at around a year and a half old, this male exemplifies why this species has earned the “ghost cat” moniker. Mountain lion among sticks and brush. Puma Profiles: P-11 Very little is known about P-011. First captured in the winter of 2008 (a few days after P-010, actually), the collar on this young male stopped working several months later. He was never found again, nor his presence detected. It’s presumed that he died. Puma Profiles: P-71 Researchers discovered this litter of four-week old mountain lion kittens, including P-071, in July 2018, while the mother, P-019, was away from the den. The two males and two females (known as P-070, P-071, P-072, and P-073), were found in a remote area of the western Santa Monica Mountains. P-070 and P-072 are the males. P-071 and P-073 are the females. Kitten being held up by hands. Puma Profiles: P-77 When first captured, P-077 was around two years old and she appeared to be in good health. She was initially captured, radio-collared and released where she was found in the Simi Hills in November 2019. In November 2020, she was re-captured in the Simi Hills so her radio collar could be replaced. She weighs about 75 lbs. and, according to biologists, she is a bit on the thin side. She is now estimated to be between three to 3 1/2 years old. Mountain lion looking into camera at night. Puma Profiles: P-75 This young female mountain lion was captured in late June 2019. She was discovered in a tree at a Pacific Palisades mobile home park. A resident called 911 and the Los Angeles Police Department secured the scene. The young cat was safely tranquilized and removed by California Department of Fish & Wildlife officers and NPS biologists. The lion was outfitted with a GPS radio collar and ID tag in each ear. Mountain Lion looking into camera. Puma Profiles: P-78 P-078 was a male mountain lion initially captured by NPS biologists as a subadult in the central Santa Monica Mountains in December 2019. He traveled west and crossed the 101 Freeway at the Conejo Grade in Camarillo. He spent some time in Wildwood, then crossed Highway 23 followed by Highway 118 in the Rocky Peak area. Mountain lion looking into camera at night. Puma Profiles: P-73 Researchers discovered this litter of four-week old mountain lion kittens, including P-073, in July 2018. The two males and two females (known as P-070, P-071, P-072, and P-073), were found in a remote area of the western Santa Monica Mountains. P-070 and P-072 are the males. P-071 and P-073 are the females. Kittens being held by gloved hands. Puma Profiles: P-72 Researchers discovered this litter of four-week old mountain lion kittens, including P-072, in July 2018. The two males and two females (known as P-070, P-071, P-072, and P-073), were found in a remote area of the western Santa Monica Mountains. P-070 and P-072 are the males. P-071 and P-073 are the females. Kitten among brush and grass. Puma Profiles: P-76 This young male was safely captured and radio-collared by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife officers in early November 2019 when he was spotted in the backyard of a house in Northridge. He appeared to be healthy and was released in the nearby Santa Susana Mountains where we continue to track him with his GPS collar. Puma Profiles: P-70 Researchers discovered this litter of four-week old mountain lion kittens, including P-070, in July 2018 while the mother, P-019, was away from the den. The two males and two females (known as P-070, P-071, P-072, and P-073), were found in a remote area of the western Santa Monica Mountains. P-070 and P-072 are the males. P-071 and P-073 are the females. Kitten among brush and grass. Puma Profiles: P-68 Researchers discovered a litter of four-week old mountain lion kittens in Simi Hills in June 2018. All four kittens are female and are known as P-066, P-067, P-068 and P-069. The mother is P-062 who researchers have been tracking since January 2018. Kittens among brush and rocks. Puma Profiles: P-69 Researchers discovered a litter of four-week old mountain lion kittens in Simi Hills in June 2018. All four kittens are female and are known as P-066, P-067, P-068 and P-069. The mother is P-062 who researchers have been tracking since January 2018. Kitten being held up by hands. Puma Profiles: P-66 Researchers discovered a litter of four-week old mountain lion kittens in Simi Hills in June 2018. All four kittens are female and are known as P-066, P-067, P-068 and P-069. The mother is P-062 who researchers have been tracking since January 2018. Kitten among brush and rocks. Puma Profiles: P-62 In July 2019, our biologist recaptured P-062 to replace her GPS collar and also captured and collared one of her four offspring, who is now 14 months old (either P-066 or P-067). Puma Profiles: P-51 and P-52 Along with P-050, these two kittens, a female (P-051) and male (P-052), were born to P-039 in her second known litter. When examined by researchers, the kittens were found in a cave-like area beneath large boulders. As with P-035, another female in the same mountain range, P-038 is suspected to be the father based on GPS locations of him traveling and spending multiple days with P-039 months before the kittens were born. Kittens among brush and rocks. Puma Profiles: P-57 and P-58 This litter was abandoned by their mother and subsequently starved to death within a couple months of their birth. They are believed to be the first kittens of P-042; the father is currently unknown. Like all wild animals, many young do not survive until adulthood. Kittens among grass and brush. Puma Profiles: P-54 P-054 was born in January 2017. In late February of 2017, NPS researchers marked her while her mother, P-023, was away from the den. P-054 was thought to be the only known kitten from P-023's third litter. However, we later discovered (through remote camera photos and videos) that there was another kitten. We have not confirmed who that kitten was. Mountain lion looking into camera at night. Puma Profiles: P-59 These two kittens are the first litter for P-053, a young female mountain lion that the National Park Service has been tracking since July 2016. At 21 months of age, P-053 is the youngest mother during the study, but still within the normal range. Kittens among rocks and brush. Puma Profiles: P-60 These two kittens are the first litter for P-053, a young female mountain lion that the National Park Service has been tracking since July 2016. At 21 months of age, P-053 is the youngest mother during the study, but still within the normal range. Kittens among brush and rocks. Puma Profiles: P-43 This young female kitten was first found in or near a den near Malibu Creek State Park in July 2015, within about a month of her birth. Her mother is P-023. She was found dead, along with a sibling unknown to the study, a couple months later. Like P-036 and P-037 before her, it is suspected that she was killed and eaten by another lion. DNA analysis showed that P-012 is the father. Kitten among brush and grass. Puma Profiles: P-44 This young kitten was first found in July 2015 in the Santa Susana Mountains. She became a national celebrity of sorts when the crew of "60 Minutes" tagged along with researchers to her den. Watch the segment “Mountain Lions of L.A.” P-035 was her mother and P-038 her father. Kitten among brush and grass. Puma Profiles: P-50 This male is the surviving sibling of a litter of at least three kittens born to P-039 in the Santa Susana Mountains. It was her second known litter. P-038 is suspected to be the father based on GPS locations of him traveling and spending multiple days with P-039 months before they were born. Kitten among brush and grass. Puma Profiles: P-49 P-049 was born in the Santa Susana Mountains to P-035, who gave birth to another kitten, P-044. It is suspected that P-044 did not survive. Kittens among brush and grass. Puma Profiles: P-46 The third known litter of P-019 produced at least two kittens, a brother (P-047) and sister (P-046). P-045 is the father. Researchers marked the kittens at around four weeks of age at the den with tracking devices. P-046 has not been outfitted with a GPS collar, but P-047 has. Kittens among brush and rocks. Puma Profiles: P-42 This lion was found in the central Santa Monicas and outfitted with a GPS collar in July 2015. At the time, she was thought to be a little over a year old. Her father is P-012, although her mother’s identify is unknown. She roams the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains. Mountain Lion among rocks and brush. Puma Profiles: P-48 P-048 and sister P-049 were born in the Santa Susana Mountains to P-035, who gave birth to another kitten, P-044. It is suspected that P-044 did not survive. Kitten among brush and grass. Puma Profiles: P-36 and P-37 As soon as we got to know this female and her sister, they were gone. As mother P-023 was away from the den, P-027 entered it and ate them both. Why exactly is unknown. To put P-023 into estrus? Their father, P-012, is P-027’s main male competitor in the Santa Monica Mountains. That’s just one theory, though. Truly understanding why may take some time. Kittens being held by gloved hands. Puma Profiles: P-39 This female who roamed the Santa Susana Mountains is thought to have been born in 2011 or 2012. She entered the study in April 2015 and, along with her daughter P-040, were the focus of some amazing photos that captured them feeding on a deer. P-038 was the father. Mountain Lion among rocks and brush. Puma Profiles: P-35 One of a handful of lions studied in the Santa Susana Mountains, this female was first captured in April 2014 near Oat Mountain, the highest point in that range. She’s given birth to at least three litters, two which were visited by researchers. Kittens from those dens were P-044, who is suspected of not surviving into adulthood, and later on, P-048, and P-049. Mountain lion looking into camera at night. Puma Profiles: P-33 Before her brother, P-032, made headlines for crossing the 101, this female littermate made her own. She trailblazed the way for him, becoming the first known mountain lion to cross the 101 Freeway northward into the Simi Hills in March of 2015. Mountain lion looking into camera at night. Puma Profiles: P-40 The daughter of P-039, captured with her mother in April 2015, is thought to have been born in the late fall of 2014. She was ear tagged when caught and will have to be recaptured and collared to continue a more in-depth study of her. She has at least one sibling, based on remote camera images showing P-040 and another kitten traveling with P-039. Mountain lion at night among grass and brush. Puma Profiles: P-29 Along with her sister P-031, she died after her mother, P-013, abandoned them. It’s unknown why she abandoned half of this litter. Kitten among brush and rocks. Puma Profiles: P-31 Along with her sister, P-029, she died after her mother, P-013, abandoned them. It's unknown why she abandoned half of this litter. Kitten close up. Puma Profiles: P-94 On August 6, 2020, biologists found female kittens P-093 and P-094 in the central portion of the Santa Monica Mountains. P-080, their mother, was away from the den. At the time, the kittens were estimated to be 32 days old and they appeared to be in good health. P-080 had her kittens within the Woolsey Fire burn perimeter, but in an area in the southwest corner that still supports healthy mature chaparral. Two mountain lion kittens among rocks and sticks. Puma Profiles: P-88 Biologists found P-065's den on July 6, 2020 during the "Summer of Kittens." Three kittens were tagged - female P-088 and males P-089 and P-090. P-063 is the likely father since both cats traveled together for three days in March. This may also be P-065's first litter. Kittens among brush and rocks. Puma Profiles: P-89 Biologists found P-065's den on July 6, 2020 during the "Summer of Kittens." Three kittens were tagged - female P-088 and males P-089 and P-090. P-063 is the likely father since both cats traveled together for three days in March. This may also be P-065's first litter. Kittens among brush and rocks. Puma Profiles: P-93 On August 6, 2020, biologists found female kittens P-093 and P-094 in the central portion of the Santa Monica Mountains. P-080, their mother, was away from the den. At the time, the kittens were estimated to be 32 days old and they appeared to be in good health. P-080 had her kittens within the Woolsey Fire burn perimeter, but in an area in the southwest corner that still supports healthy mature chaparral. Kitten among brush and rocks. Puma Profiles: P-90 Biologists found P-065's den on July 6, 2020 during the "Summer of Kittens." Three kittens were tagged - female P-088 and males P-089 and P-090. P-063 is the likely father since both cats traveled together for three days in March. This may also be P-065's first litter. Kittens among brush and rocks. Puma Profiles: P-96 This female mountain lion was captured by NPS biologists in the Simi Hills and is the 96th cat to be included in our study. She appeared to be in good condition and, at the time of capture, was estimated to be about a year-old. Mountain lion on green tarp with GPS collar. Puma Profiles: P-92 On July 7, P-067’s kittens – female P-091 and male P-092 – were found in a den in the Simi Hills. This is only the second time we have found a litter of kittens in this area. On the same day, P-067 was found deceased. Kittens among grass and brush. Puma Profiles: P-91 On July 7, P-067’s kittens – female P-091 and male P-092 – were found in a den in the Simi Hills. This is only the second time we have found a litter of kittens in this area. On the same day, P-067 was found deceased. Kittens among grass and brush. Puma Profiles: P-95 This male mountain lion was captured in the central Santa Monica Mountains and found to be in good condition. At the time of his capture, he was estimated to be about a year-and-a-half old and weighed 90 lbs. Close up of mountain lion. Puma Profiles: P-80 P-080 was captured in the central Santa Monica Mountains in the Woolsey Fire burn area on January 10, 2020. Soon after her capture, she left the burn perimeter. It will be interesting to learn where her home range is and who she may be related to. At her capture, she was estimated to be 5-6 years old and weighed 82 lbs. She was in good condition and appeared to have lactated in the past meaning she likely has had a previous litter. Mountain lion looking into camera at night. Puma Profiles: P-79 P-079 was captured in the Santa Susana Mountains just hours after P-078 was collared in the central Santa Monica Mountains on December 12, 2019. California Department of Fish & Wildlife officials in Simi Hills darted the young male mountain lion in the backyard of a home. He weighed about 100lbs and is estimated to be about two years old. He was outfitted with a GPS radio collar and moved to nearby open space in the Santa Susana Mountains. Mountain lion in low brush. Puma Profiles: P-86 On June 19, biologists found P-019's fifth den, which included all female kittens P-085, P-086 and P-087. P-019 is the oldest mountain lion mother in the long-term study. Biologists are not sure who the father is yet. Kitten being held up by hands. Puma Profiles: P-87 On June 19, biologists found P-019's fifth den, which included all female kittens P-085, P-086 and P-087. P-019 is the oldest mountain lion mother in the long-term study. Biologists are not sure who the father is yet. Kittens among brush and rocks. Puma Profiles: P-85 On June 19, biologists found P-19's fifth den, which included all female kittens P-085, P-086 and P-087. P-019 is the oldest mountain lion mother in the long-term study. Biologists are not sure who the father is yet. Kittens among brush and rocks. Puma Profiles: P-84 P-082, P-083 and P-084 kicked off the summer of kittens in 2020. They are a part of the first of five kitten dens found in a three-month period. Kittens among grass and brush. Puma Profiles: P-83 P-082, P-083 and P-084 kicked off the summer of kittens in 2020. They are a part of the first of five kitten dens found in a three-month period. Kittens among grass and brush. Puma Profiles: P-82 P-082, P-083 and P-084 kicked off the summer of kittens in 2020. They are a part of the first of five kitten dens found in a three-month period. Kittens among brush and grass. Puma Profiles: P-56 P-056, a 4 to 5-year-old male mountain lion that was living in the western Santa Monica Mountains south of the 101 Freeway, was killed under state depredation law on January 26. This marks the first time that a radio-collared mountain lion has been killed under a California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW) depredation permit in the Santa Monica Mountains. Read press release here. Mountain lion in a cage. Puma Profiles: P-61 At around 4 a.m. on September 7, 2019, P-061 was struck and killed on the 405 Freeway in the Sepulveda Pass area. His final GPS point indicates that he was between Bel Air Crest Road and the Sepulveda Boulevard underpass. Mountain lion looking into camera at night. Puma Profiles: P-74 P-074, a young mountain lion that we captured as part of our mountain lion study in mid-September 2018, likely did not survive the Woolsey Fire. Mountain Lion looking into camera. Puma Profiles: P-15 This male mountain lion was the first (and hopefully the last) case of poaching researchers have documented in the Santa Monica Mountains. Mountain lion walking next to a creek. Puma Profiles: P-53 P-053 was found dead in the Santa Monica Mountains in summer 2019. Researchers did not find a cause of death for the four-year-old cat. Her carcass was too decomposed by the time biologists reached her in Malibu. Testing, however, did identify four different compounds of anticoagulant rodenticide in her liver. Mountain lion looking into camera at night. Puma Profiles: P-34 Unlike her litter siblings, P-032 and P-033, this female remained in the Santa Monica Mountains. She still did make the news, though, in her own way when she was caught in a stunning photo and later that day found under a mobile home park trailer in December 2014. Again, she made headlines for a more unfortunate reason when a jogger in Point Mugu State Park found her body on the trail. Mountain lion looking into camera at night. Puma Profiles: P-47 P-047's remains were discovered on March 21, 2019 after his GPS collar sent out a mortality signal and NPS biologists hiked in to find him in the central portion of the mountain range. He did not have any visible wounds. Lab results indicate he may have succumbed to poisoning from anticoagulant rodenticide, commonly known as rat poison. Mountain Lion with collar walking. Puma Profiles: P-18 He lived to be old enough to disperse, but died trying to define his own territory. P-018, along with his sisters, P-017 and P-019, were born in the Santa Monica Mountains in the spring of 2010 to male P-012 and female P-013. Mountain lion standing next to a creek. Puma Profiles: P-30 The only male in the 2013 litter of four birthed by P-013 to P-012. P-030 was last captured in February 2018 and researchers placed a new GPS collar on him at that time. The interesting thing about P-030 is that he is the first male lion kitten we have marked at the den to have survived long enough in the Santa Monica's to reach adulthood and establish a home range. Mountain lion looking into camera at night. Puma Profiles: P-81 P-081, a young male mountain lion discovered in the Santa Monica Mountains in March 2020, has several physical abnormalities - a kinked tail where the end is shaped like an "L" and only one descended testicle. Mountain lion looking into camera at night. Puma Profiles: P-45 It’s rare to see more than two adult male mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains, but so it is. In November 2015, this large male -- in fact, the largest since P-001-- was captured and outfitted with a GPS collar in the central region of the range. Was he born in the Santa Monicas undetected by researchers? Did he crossover from the 101 Freeway? Genetic testing revealed he was born north of the 101 Freeway. Mountain Lion at night. Puma Profiles: P-38 First caught in March 2015, this large male was killed when he was illegally shot in the head in June 2019. Mountain lion among grass and brush. Puma Profiles: P-64 In December 2018, biologists discovered the remains of P-064, known as the "Culvert Cat," an approximately four-year-old male mountain lion who survived the Woolsey Fire, but died a few weeks later. His cause of death is not known, but his paws were visibly burned. Mountain Lion walking through culvert at night. Puma Profiles: P-63 When the Woolsey Fire broke out on November 9, 2018, P-063, a young male mountain lion, was actually a little bit north of the flames in the Simi Hills. In the period that we've been following him, he's actually moved between the Simi Hills and the Santa Monica Mountains, though we don't know how he is managing to get across (or under) the 101 Freeway. Mountain lion looking into camera at night. Puma Profiles: P-67 On July 7, 2020, P-067's den of kittens - female P-091 and male P-092 - were found in the Simi Hills, south of Simi Valley. On the same day, P-067 was found deceased. Puma Profiles: P-65 P-065 is a young female that is one of the 11 mountain lions we were tracking that were in or around the fire perimeter when the Woolsey Fire broke out on November 9, 2018. She managed to survive the fire, but her entire home range is within the burn area. Mountain Lion at night. Puma Profiles: P-23 This female born in 2012 was a product of first-order inbreeding. Her father, P-012, mated with P-019, his daughter. Years later, P-023 mated and gave birth to a litter (P-036 and P-037). Mountain Lion among rocks and brush. Puma Profiles: P-55 At an estimated age of only three years old, he had already managed to cross the 101 Freeway twice (he actually headed north and then came back to south of the freeway again!). His cause of death is unknown because unfortunately the collar he was wearing failed to emit a mortality signal and by the time our biologist found him his remains were already too decomposed to determine the cause of death. Mountain lion in a cage. Puma Profiles: P-41 The capture of P-041 in May 2015 was a major step in our study of mountain lions in the region. This male, estimated at the time to be eight years old, was the first lion tracked in the Verdugo Mountains, a small range between the Santa Monica and San Gabriel mountains. Mountain Lion at night. Puma Profiles: P-32 Like the litter of P-023 and P-024, this male and his two litter siblings, P-033 and P-034, is the product of first-order inbreeding between father (and grandfather!) P-012, and mother (and sister!), P-019. Mountain lion looking into camera at night. Puma Profiles: P-12 This male is significant in a couple of major ways. First captured in late fall of 2008 in the Simi Hills, he crossed south of the 101 Freeway in 2009 near Liberty Canyon (it’s not clear whether he crossed over the surface of the freeway or used the existing road underpass). Mountain lion among sticks and brush. Puma Profiles: P-13 Like P-010, she’s the product of first-order inbreeding by P-001, her father and grandfather, and P-006. Mountain lion looking into camera at night. Puma Profiles: P-9 The first evidence of P-009’s existence came when his DNA was sampled off the body of P-008, who he killed in the summer of 2006. But the genetics revealed something else: they were brothers, both results of P-001 and P-002 in an earlier litter. Mountain lion looking into camera at night. Puma Profiles: P-4 The mother of P-003, she was the second lion to be studied north of the 101 Freeway. Just like her son P-003, she crossed the 118 Freeway a number of times (at least nine crossings), also in the Rocky Peak/Corriganville Tunnel area. Mountain Lion among rocks and brush. Puma Profiles: P-6 One of the female kittens in the litter by P-001 and P-002, she also dispersed during the fatal intraspecific encounter that left her mother dead. She was last captured in the summer of 2006 and outfitted with a new collar that, unfortunately, failed prematurely. Mountain Lion among rocks and brush. Puma Profiles: P-5 This guy is one of the male kittens who was forced to disperse when P-001 killed his mom, P-002. He ended up making his range in the western Santa Monica Mountains before seeing his father, P-001, again and fatally losing a fight in the summer of 2006. He was two years old. Kitten close up. Puma Profiles: P-3 This male was the first lion to be studied outside the Santa Monica Mountains. Captured in the summer of 2003 at around the age of one or more, he roamed the Simi Hills and Santa Susana Mountains. Mountain lion among sticks and brush. Puma Profiles: P-7 Like her mother (P-002) and brother (P-005), she also died at the claws of P-001. She dispersed along with her three siblings in the summer of 2005 when P-001 killed her mother. Uniformed ranger holding kitten with gloved hands. Puma Profiles: P-8 Biologically speaking, P-008 was the fittest of the litter of four between P-001 and P-002. After he dispersed when his mother was killed by his father he took to the eastern end of the Santa Monicas (his brother, P-005, went westward). Mountain lion among grass and brush. Puma Profiles: P-1 Perhaps it was fortuitous that the first mountain lion to be captured for the study happened to be the dominant male of the mountains at the time. Mountain lion walking at night. Puma Profiles: P-2 The first mother studied in the Santa Monicas, she was known to have mated with P-001 at least twice, maybe thrice. Mountain lion among grass and brush. Puma Profiles: P-97 Male P-097 was first discovered in the Santa Monica Mountains in the winter of 2020 from trail cameras. At the time, he was about three months old, and he was with his mother, P-054, and his brother, P-098. Mountain lion at night. Puma Profiles: P-98 P-098 was a young male mountain lion discovered in the Santa Monica Mountains in the winter of 2020 from trail cameras. At the time, he was about three months old, and he was with his mother, P-054, and his brother, P-097. Mountain lion at night. Puma Profiles: P-99 Our 99th study mountain lion was captured on Sept. 8, 2021. P-99 is a female cat estimated to be around 2-3 years old. She was found in the western portion of the Santa Monica Mountains. Mountain lion looking into camera at night. Find Your Park on Route 66 Route 66 and the National Park Service have always had an important historical connection. Route 66 was known as the great road west and after World War II families on vacation took to the road in great numbers to visit the many National Park Service sites in the Southwest and beyond. That connection remains very alive and present today. Take a trip down Route 66 and Find Your Park today! A paved road with fields in the distance. On the road is a white Oklahoma Route 66 emblem. Puma Profiles: P-100 P-100 was part of a litter of four female kittens, She and her siblings were discovered under a picnic table of an office building that abuts open space in Thousand Oaks. Close up of mountain lion kitten. Puma Profiles: P-101 P-101 is part of a litter of four female kittens, She and her siblings were discovered under a picnic table of an office building that abuts open space in Thousand Oaks. Close up of mountain lion kitten wrapped in blanket. Puma Profiles: P-103 P-103 is part of a litter of four female kittens, She and her siblings were discovered under a picnic table of an office building that abuts open space in Thousand Oaks. Close up of mountain lion kitten. Puma Profiles: P-102 P-102 was part of a litter of four female kittens, She and her siblings were discovered under a picnic table of an office building that abuts open space in Thousand Oaks. Close up of mountain lion kitten wrapped in blanket. Event Recap - Stories of Service: Empowering Youth and Young Adults to Be the Future Face of Volunteering in National Parks The National Park Service Youth Programs Division co-hosted a virtual event, “Stories of Service: Empowering Youth and Young Adults to Be the Future Face of Volunteering in National Parks” on November 10, 2021 with the National Park Service Volunteers-In-Parks Program (VIP) in partnership with the National Park Foundation (NPF). A diverse panel shared their stories of volunteering in parks and the impacts these experiences have had on them. Screenshot of speakers and panelists from Nov. 10 Volunteers Event Changing Patterns of Water Availability May Change Vegetation Composition in US National Parks Across the US, changes in water availability are altering which plants grow where. These changes are evident at a broad scale. But not all areas experience the same climate in the same way, even within the boundaries of a single national park. A new dataset gives park managers a valuable tool for understanding why vegetation has changed and how it might change in the future under different climate-change scenarios. Green, orange, and dead grey junipers in red soil, mountains in background Challenging The Ranger Image In spite of programs to encourage hiring of individuals with disabilities, it was often others’ misconceptions or discomfort that prevented women with disabilities from getting National Park Service (NPS) jobs. Those hired in the 1970s and early 1980s brought diverse skillsets and new perspectives to the workforce. Like the earliest women rangers in the 1910s and 1920s, they often only had short-term positions. They all challenged ideas of what it takes to be a park ranger. Ranger Vicky White in a wheelchair with a visitor and man in military dress. Alice Ballard Alice Ballard was the youngest of seven children born to John and Amanda Ballard, the first African Americans to own a home above the Malibu coastline. She was born in 1870 in Agoura Hills and raised in the nearby Santa Monica Mountains. Detail of an 1898 US Surveyor General’s Office map showing the location of Alice Ballard’s house. Regina P. Jones Underwood Brake Regina Jones-Brake's career with the National Park Service (NPS) began in 1976 with the bicentennial of the Declaration of Independence. Over the next 33 years, her love of American history compelled her to share untold stories as she advanced from park ranger to management assistant. Regina Jones-Underwood pictured outdoors in her NPS uniform. Shield Volcanoes Shield volcanoes are typically very large volcanoes with very gentle slopes made up of basaltic lava flows. Mauna Loa and Kilauea in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park are shield volcanoes. diagram of a shield volcano with lava features Series: Volcano Types Volcanoes vary in size from small cinder cones that stand only a few hundred feet tall to the most massive mountains on earth. photo of a volcanic mountain with snow and ice Pillow Basalts Pillow basalts are named for the rounded shapes that form when lava cools rapidly underwater. photo of golden gate bridge Pollinators in peril? A multipark approach to evaluating bee communities in habitats vulnerable to effects from climate change Can you name five bees in your park? Ten? Twenty? Will they all be there 50 years from now? We know that pollinators are key to maintaining healthy ecosystems—from managed almond orchards to wild mountain meadows. We have heard about dramatic population declines of the agricultural workhorse, the honey bee. Yet what do we really know about the remarkable diversity and resilience of native bees in our national parks? Southeastern polyester bee, Colletes titusensis. Puma Profiles: P-104 P-104 was a subadult male mountain lion who was hit and killed by a vehicle going northbound on the 33100 block of Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) on the morning of March 23, 2022. Mountain lion up close and looking at the camera at night. Conservation Diaries: Leiann De Vera, Educator and Promoter of Community Engagement Meet Leiann (Lei) De Vera, a park ranger at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area in California. She started as an intern and then a Community Volunteer Ambassador before becoming a full-time employee at the park. Find out more about her journey and her love for working with young kids. person smiling at camera with lake, mountains and trees in the background Series: Geologic Time—Major Divisions and NPS Fossils The National Park System contains a magnificent record of geologic time because rocks from each period of the geologic time scale are preserved in park landscapes. The geologic time scale is divided into four large periods of time—the Cenozoic Era, Mesozoic Era, Paleozoic Era, and The Precambrian. photo of desert landscape with a petrified wood log on the surface Series: Women's History in the Pacific West - Lower Colorado Basin Collection Biographies of women in parks from southern California, southern Nevada, and northwest Arizona Map of southern California, southern Nevada and northwest Arizona Puma Profiles: P-109 P-109 is a female kitten born around July 21, 2022, and tagged at the den on Aug. 24, 2022, when she was estimated to be 34 days old. a small mountain lion kitten in a den Puma Profiles: P-112 P-112 is a female kittens born around July 21, 2022, and tagged at the den on Aug. 24, 2022, when she was estimated to be 34 days old. a small mountain lion kitten in a den Puma Profiles: P-110 P-110 is a female kitten born around July 21, 2022, and tagged at the den on Aug. 24, 2022, when she was estimated to be 34 days old. a small mountain lion kitten walking near a rock Puma Profiles: P-111 P-111 is a female kitten born around July 21, 2022, and tagged at the den on Aug. 24, 2022, when she was estimated to be 34 days old. a small mountain lion kitten near a den Puma Profiles: P-105 P-105 is an adult female that was captured in the Santa Susana Mountains on July 28, 2022. a large, tan-colored mountain lion walking through brush and looking directly at the camera Puma Profiles: P-106 P-106 was captured on Aug. 3, 2022, in the Santa Susana Mountains, weighed 91 pounds, and is estimated to be about 6 years old. Biologists noticed that she has a tail kink, possibly indicating a genetic abnormality. a close-up of a mountain lion's face Puma Profiles: P-107 P-107 and P-108 were captured and tagged at the den in the central Santa Monica Mountains on Aug. 11, 2022. These two female kittens were estimated to be about 17 days old when biologists visited their den while their mother, P-80, was away. Two mountain kittens huddled in their den among brown brush. Puma Profiles: P-108 P-108 and P-107 were captured and tagged at the den in the central Santa Monica Mountains on Aug. 11, 2022. These two female kittens were estimated to be about 17 days old when biologists visited their den while their mother, P-80, was away. two small mountain lion kittens huddled beneath a rock 22 in 2022: An Explore Nature Year in Review As we reflect on 2022, we offer you 22 interesting and exciting science and nature events from parks of the national park system. From a brief, yet dramatic eruption of the world's largest active volcano to celebrating the 60th anniversary of the National Natural Landmarks program, 2022 was filled with amazing moments. the glow of two volcanoes erupting in hawaii volcanoes national park 3 Parks 3 Stories Like you, we love our National Parks and all of the wonderful flora and fauna that live within them. Our mission is to protect and preserve these natural resources for this and future generations. That’s a big task! Have you ever wondered how we at the National Park Service keep tabs on the status of everything that lives within the park? Rocky reef habitat with red and green leafy seaweed before a deep blue ocean on the horizon. Project Profile: Increase Native Seed Production for 14 California Parks The National Park Service is collaborating with a range of partners to increase regional production capacity for appropriate native plant seed to restore native coastal prairies, interior grasslands and wet meadows, habitat for threatened and endangered species, and provide capacity for post-fire recovery. a person stands in a field of tall grass Project Profile: Collect and Curate Native Seed for Fourteen California Parks The National Park Service will collect and curate seeds to support native plant materials development and subsequent restoration at 14 national park units across California. seed crew collects seeds under tree cannopy Shaping the System Under President Jimmy Carter President Jimmy Carter oversaw one of the largest growths in the National Park System. Explore some of the parks that are part of the legacy of the presidency of Jimmy Carter, who served as the 39th president of the United States from January 20, 1977, to January 20, 1981. Historic photo of Jimmy Carter walking through a crowd at Harpers Ferry To Preserve and Protect: Exploring Stewardship and Restoration of Our National Parks For over one hundred years, the National Park Service has been entrusted with the mission of preserving and protecting America’s most beautiful places for the enjoyment of this and future generations. From the awe-inspiring geysers of Yellowstone to the giant kelp forests of the California Channel Islands, the charge of preserving these natural wonders, especially in the face of global environmental threats, is no small task. 3 photos:Potted Succulents. Plants in greenhouse mesh. Piney plants restored on a sandy slope. NPS donates fire engine to local Fire Safety Alliance After 16 years of successful service, the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area’s Type 3 fire engine has been donated to the Corral Canyon Fire Safety Alliance located in Malibu, California. A new Type 3 fire engine arrived and is in service at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. A group of people stands in front of a fire engine The Devoted People behind Big Data in National Parks Citizen science volunteers collect massive amounts of crucial scientific information. They gather it from sources as varied as oceans, mountainsides, and historic archives. Smart new tools are making their contributions even more powerful. Two smiling women stand in front of a national park sign. Genetic Analysis Supports Frog Reintroduction Effort in Santa Monica Mountains Once thought to be extirpated from the Santa Monica Mountains, a single population of California red-legged frogs was discovered in protected habitat nearby. Years of careful monitoring led biologists to believe that the population was healthy enough to supply other nearby streams with adults and eggs, which would form the building blocks of new frog populations. To ensure long-term success, biologists needed to maximize genetic diversity across the frog’s populations. Cluster of transucent eggs with dark centers, just below the surface of a pool of water. Digitization Helps Protect Botanists’ Best Time Machine in the Santa Monica Mountains Botanists have been collecting and pressing samples of plants they find in the wild for nearly 200 years. Around the world, there are numerous institutions with vast herbarium collections of plant pressings that are more valuable today than when they were collected! Plant specimens collected in the past are of great value because they can tell modern-day scientists a lot about past environments and conditions. Montage of flowers in shades of pink, purple, and yellow photographed against a white background. A Highway Wildlife Crossing is Under Construction in the Santa Monica Mountains. How Will We Know if it’s Working? The Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing is currently under construction and expected to be completed by late 2025. This crossing is expected to provide mountain lions—and many other animals—a safe passage over the busy 101 freeway. Most importantly, it will allow many species of wildlife in the Santa Monica Mountains to mix with populations from other open spaces, strengthening their genetic diversity. Big cat with a tracking collar and ear tag emerges from a debris-strewn concrete underpass. Puma Profiles: P-113 P-113 is a female kitten tagged at the den on May 18, 2023, when she was estimated to be 24 days old. Puma kitten surrounded by poison oak. Puma Profiles: P-115 P-115 is a female kitten tagged at the den on May 18, 2023, when she was estimated to be 24 days old. Puma kitten surrounded by poison oak. Puma Profiles: P-114 P-114 is a female kitten tagged at the den on May 18, 2023, when she was estimated to be 24 days old. Puma kittens at their den surrounded by poison oak leaves. Case Study: Santa Monica Mountains' Net-Zero Intern Center In 2010, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area made history as they completed work on their new student intern center—the first ever net-zero building in the National Park Service (NPS). A building with solar panels on the roof, in front of hills with trees and a blue sky BIO - DIVERSE - CITY Over the past 10 years, the Southern California Research Learning Center has worked earnestly to foster landscape-level connections that will preserve the biodiversity of the southern California region – through research, community engagement, and building strategic partnerships. Here are the stories of where the SCRLC has come so far in meeting these objectives and where it is headed into the future. City of San Diego skyline on left side with anemone and abalone photo on right. Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 16, No. 1, Spring 2024 All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology news</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul> Photo of a mountain hillside with flowers. Burnt Scallops and Fish Fossils on Filmsets: Assessment of the 2018 Woolsey Fire on Paleontological Resources at Santa Monica Mountain National Recreation Area The 2018 Woolsey Fire burned substantial portions of Santa Monica National Recreation Area. A post-fire assessment for paleontological resources demonstrated that some fossils were damaged by the fire. This article summarizes some of the findings observed during the post-fire assessment at the recreation area. Photo on a mountain hillside with flowers. Updated Species Database Will Help Boost Amphibian Conservation Across the National Park System To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation. A toad sits on red sand, looking into the camera. Paramount Ranch Interview Article written by Abby Stone Lauer WFM Fellowship Program, in partnership with NYC Program for Article series: A Day in the life of a Fellow Paramount Ranch Alice Ballard Homestead Site In the late 1800s, as a young, unmarried Black woman, Alice Ballard homesteaded in the isolated Santa Monica Mountains on a plot that adjoined her father’s. For over twelve years she improved the rugged terrain and raised crops in the face of racial animus. Archeological fragments from the site provide tangible evidence of the diversity of people who made the Santa Monica Mountains home long before it became a national park. black and white image of Black woman in hat sitting in front of rustic cottage. Series: Home and Homelands Exhibition: Work What does it take to build a home? These women lived and breathed hard work, building their homes in difficult circumstances. Several were settlers who benefitted from stolen Indigenous lands. Some shared their knowledge of the land. They all had pride in their work. They all put their hands in the soil to claim resources and build homes. Whether wielding a kapa beater to create cloth or planting a tree to sustain a family for generations, these women created futures for their communities. Thick white paper peeled back to reveal collage of women. Dragonfly mercury studies uncover unexpected atmospheric delivery pathways Read the abstract and get the link to a published paper on how dragonfly mercury studies uncover unexpected atmospheric delivery pathways: Janssen, S.E., C.J. Kotalik, J.J. Willacker, M.T. Tate, C. Flanagan Pritz, S.J. Nelson, D.P. Krabbenhoft, D. Walters, and C. Eagles-Smith. 2024. Geographic Drivers of Mercury Entry into Aquatic Foods Webs Revealed by Mercury Stable Isotopes in Dragonfly Larvae. Environmental Science & Technology. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c02436 close up of dragonfly larvae on white spoon Expanding plant materials capacity for national parks and refuges in the Southern California/Northern Baja Coast Ecoregion for post fire recovery In 2024, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) provided funds for a native seed program in Southern California, specifically targeting areas devastated by recent wildfires. This initiative aims to enhance native seed collection and processing to bolster resilience against wildfires. Small group of people planting plants in open dirt field near shrub-covered hills. Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 16, No. 2, Fall 2024 All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology news</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul> Photo headshot of a female park ranger in uniform. A Long Time Coming: A Shared Paleontologist Comes to the Southern Network This year, for the first time, the NPS hired a shared paleontologist to support multiple parks in the same region. Dr. Aubrey Bonde was selected as the Southern Network Paleontologist to support five parks throughout Southern Nevada and California. Photo headshot of a smiling female ranger in uniform. “Cracking the code” on mercury bioaccumulation Read the abstract and get the link to a published paper on a model to predict mercury risk park waterbodies: Kotalik, C.J. et al. 2025. Ecosystem drivers of freshwater mercury bioaccumulation are context-dependent: insights from continental-scale modeling. Environmental Science & Technology. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c07280 A person stands in a field looking at a bug through a magnifying lens. Collaboration is key to Burned Area Emergency Response after the Palisades Fire The January 2025 Palisades Fire impacted nearly 20,000 acres within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. A Department of the Interior (DOI) Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team deployed to the area to conduct rapid assessments to first identify values at risk and then prescribe emergency stabilization measures to protect those values.

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 e

Arroyo Sequit Site Li ttl Dirt Road Amphitheater Trail Restroom Creek Picnic Area National Park Service Boundary Gate L HO LL d AN D Roa HI GH WAY Parking yca m o r e C a n y o n eS Paved Road MU Private Property Private Property 1.5 miles North Private Property 

Cheeseboro & Palo Comado Canyons National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area The gently rounded hills and canyons of Cheeseboro and Palo Comado are older than the steeper, more recently formed Santa Monica Mountains and provide popular terrain for hikers, bikers, and equestrians. An Altered Landscape For over 150 years, ranchers made these canyons their home. Many of the native plants, poorly adapted to heavy grazing, were replaced with European annuals such as wild oats, mustard, and thistles. Despite numerous years of cattle grazing, we can still find a variety of native plant communities, including chaparral, coastal sage scrub, and riparian woodlands. You can stroll to Sulphur Springs or hike to the top of Simi Peak to view the cities you’ve left behind. Enjoy a picnic under the canopy of an oak or take binoculars to go birding. Oak trees and sedimentary rock areas provide excellent nesting sites for owls, hawks, and other raptors. Keep an eye out for deer, bobcats, coyotes, and rabbits. Information and Safety TRAIL ETIQUETTE Hikers should yield to equestrians. Equestrians should communicate with passing hikers and bicyclists. Horses should not graze or leave the trail. Remove manure from parking areas. Bicyclists should ride courteously and yield to hikers and equestrians; speed limit is 15 mph unless conditions require a slower speed. Bicyclists and equestrians are allowed on designated trails only (avoid social trails and fire lines). If listening to music, bicyclists may wear only one earbud. BE PREPARED by taking water, food, map, flashlight, and first-aid supplies. Be alert for ticks, bees, rattlesnakes, and poison oak. NATURAL AND CULTURAL FEATURES including rocks, plants, and animals are protected by law and may not be collected or disturbed. Do not climb on structures. Weapons, nets, and traps are not allowed in parklands. FIRE is a year-round concern. Campfires and barbecues are prohibited. During high fire conditions, smoking and all flame sources are not permitted. TRAIL CLOSURES will be in effect during and following extreme weather or hazardous conditions. PETS must be under control and on a leash, not to exceed 6 feet, at all times. Pick up after your pet. Pets are not allowed off trail. VEHICLES are restricted to designated roads and parking areas. Cheeseboro and Palo Comado Canyons 5792 Chesebro Rd Agoura, CA, 91301 The main parking area is open from 8:00 AM – sunset. Respect private property and park in designated areas. Photo Courtesy of Herbert Petermann © FOR MORE INFORMATION Santa Monica Mountains Interagency Visitor Center 26876 Mulholland Hwy Calabasas CA 91302 805-370-2301 www.nps.gov/samo EMERGENCIES Call 911. For a ranger, call Angeles Dispatch at 661-723-3620. Private Proper t y Alberson Mo to rway (trail open for public use) To L an g R an c h Par k way Sheep Corral Simi Peak Trail Palo Co mad o Can yo Shee China Flat Trail (unmainta rail nT Simi Peak 2403' China Flat p Co rral Trail d ine ) Baleen Wall cto ne Ranch Center Con L E T R EE R D Y CR SUNN EST SMOKE Paved road r DR TR EE AV E lo Pa Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail n Trail Trail de lo Mo ROAD MAIN PARK ENTRANCE Restroom es eb o ro l o Sp Mo de Locked gate Ch e Historic Morrison Ranch House on R an ch Tr ail SE BR OR D Picnic area Mo rris AD S RO Parking Canyon Vi ur No Access T ew rail Other Public Parkands LAS VIRGENE KANAN Trail Can yon Tra il Comado Can yo Fire road National Park Service Land rail on T Cany a il eseboro Ridge Tr Che Private Proper t y D OUB es Virgen Sulphur Springs as per L Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority Parkland o Trail on ny Ca ro RO DE LIN CANYON RD seb Up Che e Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District Open Space Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve Shepherds' Flat VENTU North R A FR E E Equestrian Parking CH E WAY CHESEBRO RD 0 0.5 mile PALO COMADO CANYON RD Trail Information Directions to main parking lot (open 8am to sunset): Ventura Freeway (101) to Chesebro Rd exit. Turn north on Palo Comado Canyon Rd then turn right on Chesebro Rd. Go north 0.75 mile to park entrance. Turn right and follow road to parking lot. l Easy n Moderate t Strenuous Canyon View Trail t 0.75 mile—This trail splits to the east of the Cheeseboro Canyon Trail and climbs to a knoll above the Calabasas landfill. You can see most of Cheeseboro Canyon by looking west. Cheeseboro Canyon Trail l 4.6 miles— Follow an old ranch road along a streambed through a valley oak savannah and coast live oak riparian zone. A picnic area is located 1.6 miles from the parking lot. At 3.3 miles, you will smell the odor of rotten eggs due to the sulphur present in Sulphur Springs. Modelo Spur n 0.75 mile—This trail meanders up from the parking lot through grasslands to a lone coast live oak on the ridge. Follow the trail east and join

National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Circle X Ranch Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area Mountains to Sky 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 leisure. Hike one of the many trails that wind through this rare coastal Mediterranean ecosystem. Experience the chaparral plant community and look for red shank chamise, a tree-like shrub with reddish-brown bark, clusters of thread-like leaves and small bunches of white flowers that bloom in July and August. Keep an Group Campground Reservations required www.recreation.gov 1-877-444-6777 FEE: Special Permit for this Facility 10-30 people 31-50 people 51-75 people $35 per night $75 per night $125 per night QUIET HOURS: 10pm to 6am CHECK OUT TIME: Noon Information and Safety TRAIL ETIQUETTE Hikers should yield to equestrians. Equestrians should communicate with passing hikers and bicyclists. Horses should not graze or leave the trail. Remove manure from parking areas. Bicyclists should ride courteously and yield to hikers and equestrians; speed limit is 15 mph unless conditions require a safer speed. Bicyclists and equestrians are allowed on designated trails only (avoid social trails and fire lines). NATURAL AND CULTURAL FEATURES including rocks, plants, and animals are protected by law and may not be collected or disturbed. Do not climb on structures. Weapons, nets, and traps are not allowed in parklands. HORSE TRAILERS are not recommended due to winding roads and limited parking areas. Circle X Ranger Station 12896 Yerba Buena Rd Malibu, CA, 90265 eye out for blue-bellied lizards and scrub jays during the daytime, and gray foxes and bats at twilight. You can journey to Sandstone Peak, the highest point in the Santa Monica Mountains, or hike down towards the Grotto, enjoying a creek-side picnic along the way. Reserve the group campground and listen to coyote songs while witnessing a night sky that is relatively free from light pollution. Marvel at one of the few locations near Los Angeles where you can see the Milky Way Galaxy. MAXIMUM STAY: 14 consecutive days and no more than 30 days per calendar year. Limit of no more than 75 persons. Backcountry camping is not available. Charcoal fires are permitted in fire grates or personal barbecue grills. Gas stoves are permitted. Campfires with wood or compressed log fires are prohibited due to fire hazards. FIRE is a year-round concern. During times of high fire danger, smoking and all fires are not permitted. TRAIL CLOSURES will be in effect during and following extreme weather or hazardous conditions. PETS must be under control and on a leash, not to exceed 6 feet, at all times. Pick up after your pet. WATER that comes from streams is not safe to drink due to possible contamination or the presence of the giardia protozoan. CAMPING is restricted to the Group Campground only. Permits are required. FOR MORE INFORMATION Santa Monica Mountains Interagency Visitor Center 26876 Mulholland Hwy Calabasas CA 91302 805-370-2301 www.nps.gov/samo EMERGENCIES Call 911. For a ranger, call Angeles Dispatch at 661-723-3620. North 0.5 Kilometer 0 1/4 Mile 0 1/2 Mile BONEY MOUNTAIN WILDERNESS Split Rock POINT MUGU STATE PARK M i sh e M o k w a (Dogs not allowed on backcountry trails) Tr ai E l CH Balanced Rock O CL Skull Rock IFFS he M is P ri v ate P ro p erty IN TA M Y NE O U N Tr ed ail Sandstone Peak 3111' Ba il ra ckb o n n rla in T ( u n m ain t ai e ) BO il ra aT kw Mo Tri Peaks 3010' be Water Tanks m Cha Boney Peak 2825' Inspiration Point a okw eM r Mish necto Con Exchange Peak 2950' P riv at e P r o per t y ROA D Trail View P r iva te P r o p e r ty Ca 1700' Group Campground B U ott o Gr To PCH R RBA O A A D EN YE Mishe Mokwa Trailhead B UENA BA nyo n R Y E Sandstone Peak Trailhead 2030' Ranch House Trail Paved road Ranger Station Dirt road Parking Trail Campground National Park Service Land Other Public Parkland Creek Picnic area Backbone Trail System Gate Restrooms Telephone Group Campground Gr o t (No dogs beyond this point) to a Tr il Detail Map Happy Hollow Trail Information Directions to Ranger Station (intermittently staffed): Pacific Coast Hwy to Yerba Buena Rd. Turn inland; go 5.4 miles to Ranger Station. Sandstone Peak Trailhead 1 mile north of Ranger Station. Mishe Mokwa Trailhead 1.75 miles north of Ranger Station. l Easy n Moderate t Strenuous Backbone Trail t 7.9 miles—The Backbone Trail continues west from Circle X Ranch to Sycamore Canyon and other trails in Point Mugu State Park. Obtain maps before entering the Boney Mountain Wilderness Area. From the Mishe Mokwa Trailhead, the Backbone Trail continues east 4.0 miles to Yerba Buena Road near mile marker 9.1. The total length of the Backbone Trail is 65 miles. Bikes and dogs are not

Paramount Ranch National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area Lights! Camera! Action! Paramount Ranch Film Location List www.nps.gov/samo/planyourvisit/ paramountranch.htm Information and Safety When Paramount Pictures leased the ranch in 1923, they began an era of film production that continues today. You can experience the area where Bob Hope starred in Caught in the Draft (1941) and Sandra Bullock had a leading role in The Lake House (2006). In the 1950s, Western Town was created for television shows, such as The Cisco Kid. More recent television productions at Paramount include The Mentalist, Weeds, and Hulu’s Quickdraw. Paramount Ranch offers several miles of easy to moderate scenic hikes through chaparral, riparian, and valley oak savannah plant communities. Equestrians and mountain PERMITS may be required for certain activities such as special and group events, filming, and photography. For more info, contact the Office of Special Park Uses at 805-370-2308 or visit nps.gov/samo/planyourvisit/permits.htm TRAIL ETIQUETTE Hikers should yield to equestrians. Equestrians should communicate with passing hikers and bicyclists. Horses should not graze or leave the trail. Remove manure from parking areas. Bicyclists should ride courteously and yield to hikers and equestrians; speed limit is 15 mph unless conditions require a slower speed. Bicyclists and equestrians are allowed on designated trails only (avoid social trails). NATURAL AND CULTURAL FEATURES including rocks, plants, and animals are protected by law and may not be collected or disturbed. Do not climb on structures. Weapons, nets, and traps are not allowed in parklands. Paramount Ranch Ranger Station 2903 Cornell Rd Agoura Hills, CA, 91301 The main parking area is open from 8:00 AM – sunset. bikers may access these multi-use trails. Wildlife sightings might include red-tailed hawks, acorn woodpeckers, coyotes, and deer. Stroll through Western Town and enjoy a shaded picnic area. This real-life motion picture set is altered slightly with each production, yet retains a Western motif. Western Town is not the only icon of Paramount Ranch… be on the lookout for our two native oak species—coast live oak and valley oak. Experience the rare valley oak savannah, which may be threatened due to the effects of climate change. VEHICLES are restricted to designated roads and parking areas. BE PREPARED by taking water, food, flashlight, map, and first-aid supplies. Be alert for ticks, bees, rattlesnakes, and poison oak. FIRE is a year-round concern. Charcoal and gas stoves are permitted on the lawn 10 feet from surrounding vegetation. Smoking is prohibited on the boardwalks of the Western Town. During times of high fire danger, smoking and all fires are not permitted. TRAIL CLOSURES will be in effect during and following extreme weather or hazardous conditions. PETS must be under control and on a leash, not to exceed 6 feet, at all times. Pick up after your pet. WASPS AND BEES are plentiful during the summer. Cover food and sweet beverages while picnicking. FOR MORE INFORMATION Santa Monica Mountains Interagency Visitor Center 26876 Mulholland Hwy Calabasas CA 91302 805-370-2301 www.nps.gov/samo EMERGENCIES Call 911. For a ranger, call Angeles Dispatch at 661-723-3620. Private Pro p erty ra m ou nt Tr (u ai l nm (wet stream crossings, unmaintained) a i n t ai n e d ) Backdrop Trail Bw an a Tr ai l Public trail ends at private property ek CORNELL RD dg Ri e North Gate Med ea Cr e Pa Public trail ends at private property To Kanan Rd and Hwy 101 Med ic i n e Witches' Wood Woma nT ra il il Tra da ien ac H Radio Controlled Flyers Marco Polo Hill PARK ENTRANCE/EXIT Public trail ends at private property ed ) Coyo te C a nyon T r a il PARK EXIT ONLY Paved road Restrooms Ranger Station Gate Bridge Other Public Parklands ed M National Park Service Land Western Town Overlook ea a C r e e k Tr M Sugarloaf Peak 1515' il W H U O LH LL Private Pro p erty North 0 100 Meters 0 500 Feet 300 Meters MALIBU CREEK STATE PARK 1000 Feet Trail Information Directions to main parking lot (open 8am to sunset): Ventura Freeway (101) to Kanan Rd exit. South on Kanan 0.5 mile. Left on Cornell Way and follow to right. South 2.5 miles, entrance is on right side of the road. l Easy n Moderate t Strenuous Y VE Picnic area Trail A D RI Historic race track Western Town V IS T Parking KE Drinking water Dirt road LA intain AN D ( u nma Many of the trail names are associated with over 80 years of film and television production at Paramount Ranch. Bwana Trail l 0.75 mile—The film Bwana Devil (1952), used this valley oak savannah as a substitute for the landscape of Africa. Medea Creek Trail to Western Town Overlook n 0.5 mile—Enjoy a hike between willows and coast live oaks, then a gentle rise through chaparral to be rewarded by a stunning view of Western Town

Peter Strauss Ranch National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area Hollywood Retreat For nearly a century, people have enjoyed leisure and recreation at this site. Named for Emmy Award-winning actor Peter Strauss, this park delights nature lovers and intrigues history buffs. Oak woodlands, a seasonal creek, easy trails, a lawn area, and an amphitheater provide a wonderful location for visitors of all ages to have fun outdoors. Near the main house, you will discover an Italian terrazzo tile concert area (1939) where country legends Johnny Cash and Willie Information and Safety NATURAL AND CULTURAL FEATURES including rocks, plants, and animals are protected by law and may not be collected or disturbed. Do not climb on structures. Weapons, nets, and traps are not allowed in parklands. WATER that comes from streams is not safe to drink due to possible contamination or the presence of the giardia protozoan. FIRE is a year-round concern. During times of high fire danger, smoking and all fires are not permitted. TRAIL CLOSURES will be in effect during and following extreme weather or hazardous conditions. Peter Strauss Ranch Ranch House 30000 Mulholland Hwy Agoura Hills CA 91301 The main parking area is open from 8:00 AM – sunset. Visitors can access the park from the parking area by walking along a short connector trail. When Triunfo Creek is running high, please use the pedestrian path along Mulholland Hwy. Nelson performed in the 1950s. Also, you will see the relic of an enormous outdoor swimming pool with a small stage in the center. Recreational activities are still popular at Peter Strauss Ranch. The National Park Service hosts public programs, including Sunday concerts during the summer. Visitors may also reserve the site for private weddings, birthdays, retirement parties, and other special events. For information about reservations visit: www.nps.gov/samo PETS must be under control and on a leash, not to exceed 6 feet, at all times. Pick up after your pet. VEHICLES are restricted to designated roads and parking areas. PERMITS may be required for certain activities such as special and group events, filming and photography. For more info, contact the Office of Special Park Uses at 805-370-2308 or visit nps.gov/samo/planyourvisit/permits.htm WASPS AND BEES are plentiful during the summer. Cover food and sweet beverages while picnicking. FOR MORE INFORMATION Santa Monica Mountains Interagency Visitor Center 26876 Mulholland Hwy Calabasas CA 91302 805-370-2301 www.nps.gov/samo EMERGENCIES Call 911. For a ranger, call Angeles Dispatch at 661-723-3620. O TR North DR LE DA UT To Kanan Road PARKING LOT ENTRANCE FOOT ENTRANCE 0 k ree fo C Cactus garden Aviary HW Y RE FU L Radio House UL HO LL AN D M Ranch House 800 Feet 300 AV E Historic pool 100 Triun Tower CA Terrazzo Dance Floor Dam site Pete r Str a uss Tra il National Park Service land Water Trail Malibou Pri vate P roperty Lak eC on ne c Roads to r Tra il Pub li c Op e n S p a ce a nd T ra i l Ea s e me nt Bridge Gate Picnic area Amphitheater Parking Restrooms Telephone Drinking water Trail Information and Site Highlights Directions to main parking lot (open 8am to sunset): Ventura Freeway (101) to Kanan Rd exit. Go south on Kanan 2.8 miles. Turn left on Troutdale Dr to Mulholland Hwy. Left on Mulholland Hwy 400’ then right into the parking lot. l Easy n Moderate t Strenuous Peter Strauss Trail l 0.6 mile round trip— This pleasant trail is suited for the novice hiker. It traverses chaparral and oak riparian habitats. Watch out for poison oak. Lake Enchanto Dam Built in the 1940s, this dam created the centerpiece of “Lake Enchanto.” It was a popular spot for fishing, rowing, and swimming. The dam was breached in the late 1960s by severe flooding. Part of the dam structure still exists in the creek bed near the picnic area. Terrazzo Dance Floor/Patio Made in 1939 of Italian terrazzo with a pointed star to commemorate “Hollywood,” the patio was a popular place for Big Band concerts, dancing, and performances by popular musicians such as Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and the Mandrell Sisters. EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA™ Radio House Harry Miller purchased the property in 1923. Along with building the Ranch House, Miller also built the radio house for playing cards and listening to the radio. Swimming Pool Built in 1940, this was the largest pool on the West Coast. It had a capacity for 650,000 gallons of water and could accommodate up to 3,000 people. Parking Area The parking lot entrance is east of the pedestrian entrance. Parking lot is open 8am to sunset. Park and then walk across the bridge on Mulholland Hwy to the foot entrance. printed on 100% recycled paper 

Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area A Sacred Place Information and Safety Two threads of local history intertwine to establish the identity of Rancho Sierra Vista/ Satwiwa. Ranch structures and introduced grasses represent centuries of the ranching era, while native plants reflect an environment that Chumash Indians lived in for thousands of years. The gentle slopes yield trails that picnickers, hikers, bikers, and equestrians enjoy during every season. Big Sycamore Canyon Trail descends from Satwiwa to the Pacific Ocean along a historic Chumash trade route. Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa features the Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center (open on weekends from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM). Native Americans, representing Native cultures from throughout the United States, lead workshops, presentations, and art shows throughout the year. Call for information on accessible parking: 805-370-2301. The Satwiwa Loop Trail is designated for hikers only, and meanders through an area considered sacred by the Chumash. Keep an eye out for deer and coyote in the coastal sage scrub, hawks and falcons soaring overhead, and sweeping views of Boney Mountain and The May 2013 Springs Fire burned much of Point Mugu State Park and portions of Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa. Whether recreating on foot, bike or horseback, be on the lookout for signs of plants, soil, and animals recovering from the effects of this wildfire. TRAIL ETIQUETTE Hikers should yield to equestrians. Equestrians should communicate with passing hikers and bicyclists. Horses should not graze or leave the trail. Remove manure from parking areas. Bicyclists should ride courteously and yield to hikers and equestrians; speed limit is 15 mph unless conditions require a slower speed. Bicyclists and equestrians are allowed on designated trails only (avoid social trails and fire lines). WATER that comes from streams is not safe to drink due to possible contamination or the presence of the giardia protozoan. NATURAL AND CULTURAL FEATURES including rocks, plants, and animals are protected by law and may not be collected or disturbed. Do not climb on structures. Weapons, nets, and traps are not allowed in parklands. BE PREPARED by taking water, food, flashlight, map, and first-aid supplies. Be alert for ticks, bees, rattlesnakes, and poison oak. Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa Main entrance is at intersection of Lynn Road and Via Goleta. Newbury Park CA 91320 Sycamore Canyon. Follow all trail guidelines by only biking or horseback riding on designated trails. FIRE is a year-round concern. During times of high fire danger, smoking and all fires are not permitted. TRAIL CLOSURES will be in effect during and following extreme weather or hazardous conditions. PETS must be under control and on a leash, not to exceed 6 feet, at all times. Pick up after your pet. Pets are not allowed on backcountry trails in Point Mugu State Park. CAMPING is restricted to the Point Mugu State Park campgrounds only. The main parking area is open from 8:00 AM – sunset. FOR MORE INFORMATION Santa Monica Mountains Interagency Visitor Center 26876 Mulholland Hwy Calabasas CA 91302 805-370-2301 www.nps.gov/samo The Satwiwa Native American Culture Center is open 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on weekends. EMERGENCIES Call 911. For a ranger, call Angeles Dispatch at 661-723-3620. 300 Meters 500 Feet 0 To Highway 101 1000 Feet NN LY AD RO Paved road Ranger station Dirt road Parking Phone Fire road Picnic area Trail Restrooms Creek Water National Park Service Land Satwiwa Native Natural Area Other Public Parklands Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail POTRERO RD PO TR ER Service Road and Access to Handicap Parking Only No Outlet Gate Equestrian Lot OR DRIVE PINEHILL RD VIA GOLETA PARK ENTRANCE Handicap accessible D WEND Y 100 Meters REINO RO AD 0 To Los Robles Trail Pond R an ch R A N CHO Ove rloo k y nd We Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center Tra il S IE RR A VISTA / Satwiwa Native American Indian Natural Area S AT WIWA Pond on Danie l s on Road (Dogs are not allowed in the backcountry except on paved roads) Loop l Easy n Moderate t Strenuous Much of Point Mugu State Park and Rancho Sierra Vista burned in the May 2013 Springs Fire. Please help the park recover by staying on trails and following information on posted signs. No Outlet Trail No dogs past this point ore Upper Sycam To Beach at Sycamore Cove Directions to main parking lot (open 8am to sunset): Ventura Freeway (101) to Lynn Rd exit. Go south on Lynn Rd 5.25 miles to Via Goleta. Park entrance is on the left. Directions to Wendy Trailhead: Ventura Freeway (101) to Wendy Dr exit. South on Wendy Dr to dirt pullout at intersection with Potrero Rd. Windmill H id POINT MUGU STATE PARK North Trail Loop Bi g y e Can mor a c Sy (no bikes or horses) Sa t wi wa a iw tw Sa Water T

National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Rocky Oaks Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area A Walk in the Park Hidden amid houses, roads, and other signs of modern life, Rocky Oaks features a seasonal human-made pond and a variety of plant communities that provide habitat for wildlife. While taking a gentle hike along our loop trails, enjoy vistas of the pond. Once used as a watering hole for the cattle, the pond now supplies drinking water to native animals such as rabbits, coyotes, bobcats, raccoons, and deer. Plants such as tule, cattail, and willow grow in and near the water, while water birds Information and Safety TRAIL ETIQUETTE Hikers should yield to equestrians. Equestrians should communicate with passing hikers and bicyclists. Horses should not graze or leave the trail. Remove manure from parking areas. Bicyclists should ride courteously and yield to hikers and equestrians; speed limit is 15 mph unless conditions require a slower speed. Bicyclists, equestrians, and dog walkers are allowed on designated trails only (avoid social trails and fire lines). NATURAL AND CULTURAL FEATURES including rocks, plants, and animals are protected by law and may not be collected or disturbed. Do not climb on structures. Weapons, nets, and traps are not allowed in parklands. BE PREPARED by taking water, food, flashlight, map, and first-aid supplies. Be alert for ticks, bees, rattlesnakes, and poison oak. Rocky Oaks Mulholland Hwy and Kanan Road Intersection, west of Kanan on the north side of Mulholland Hwy Malibu, CA, 90265 The main parking area is open from 8:00 AM – sunset. such as buffleheads, mallards, and coots perform take-offs and landings. Just as humans commute to and from work on roads and highways, animals use the area to rest and commute between other habitats in the Santa Monica Mountains. The Rocky Oaks parking area is open from 8:00 AM – sunset, and the easy trails, picnic area, drinking water, amphitheater, and restrooms make this site a great place to introduce new hikers to a natural area. WATER that comes from streams is not safe to drink due to possible contamination or the presence of the giardia protozoan. FIRE is a year-round concern. During times of high fire danger, smoking and all fires are not permitted. TRAIL CLOSURES will be in effect during and following extreme weather or hazardous conditions. PETS must be under control and on a leash, not to exceed 6 feet, at all times. Pick up after your pet. STAY ON ESTABLISHED TRAILS and off of private property. FOR MORE INFORMATION Santa Monica Mountains Interagency Visitor Center 26876 Mulholland Hwy Calabasas CA 91302 805-370-2301 www.nps.gov/samo EMERGENCIES Call 911. For a ranger, call Angeles Dispatch at 661-723-3620. Restrooms Dirt road Drinking water Trail Parking National Park Service Land Picnic area Gate Amphitheater p Lo o ks il Tra R ock y Oa Paved road Tra il Overlook Trail il Tra No Outlet ail d Tr Pon Private Property ad e Pond T ra i Gl KANAN ROAD l Pond MU 0 0 Trail Information Directions to main parking lot (open 8am to sunset): Ventura Freeway (101) to Kanan Rd exit. South on Kanan Rd to Mulholland Hwy. Turn west (right) on Mulholland Hwy and right again into parking lot. l Easy n Moderate t Strenuous 100 Meters ND LLA O H L H ky WY Oa Roc ks op Lo PARK ENTRANCE North 300 Meters 500 Feet 1000 Feet Rocky Oaks Pond Trail l 0.4 miles—Stroll around the pond and rest at the water’s edge. Rocky Oaks Loop Trail l 1.1 miles—Stop, take a deep breath, and smell the sage as you walk along this trail. Glade Trail l 0.3 miles—Look for quail, rabbits and deer mice as you walk through the grassland. Most of the grasses you see today are non-natives such as wild oats. Explore the oak woodland that is a remnant of what once covered much of California. Overlook Trail n 100 yards—Hike to the top and be rewarded with a panoramic view of the Santa Monica Mountains. EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA™ printed on 100% recycled paper 

National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Solstice Canyon Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area Thousands of years ago, the Chumash discovered Solstice Canyon, and ever since, people have appreciated the beauty of this coastal delight. Early History Solstice Canyon features several options for easy, moderate, or strenuous hikes through coastal sage scrub and riparian plant communities. Visitors can enjoy a picnic, a shady stroll along the Solstice Canyon Trail, or a more challenging climb up the Rising Sun Trail. Our perennial waterfall is a popular hiking destination, and along the way you might encounter acorn woodpeckers, alligator lizards, fence lizards, or a red-tailed hawk soaring overhead. Visitors love the natural beauty of Solstice Canyon, yet wildfires have left behind the Information and Safety TRAIL ETIQUETTE Hikers should yield to equestrians. Equestrians should communicate with passing hikers and bicyclists. Horses should not graze or leave the trail. Remove manure from parking areas. Bicyclists should ride courteously and yield to hikers and equestrians; speed limit is 15 mph unless conditions require a slower speed. Bicyclists and equestrians are allowed on designated trails only (avoid social trails and fire lines). NATURAL AND CULTURAL FEATURES including rocks, plants, and animals are protected by law and may not be collected or disturbed. Do not climb on structures. Weapons, nets, and traps are not allowed in parklands. BE PREPARED by taking water, food, flashlight, map, and first-aid supplies. Be alert for ticks, bees, rattlesnakes, and poison oak. Let someone know where you are going. Solstice Canyon Intersection of Corral Canyon Road and Solstice Canyon Road Malibu, CA, 90265 The main parking area is open from 8:00 AM – sunset. Illegally parked vehicles on Corral Canyon Rd are subject to towing. architectural ruins of our recent past. While enjoying a gentle hike to the waterfall you will pass remains of the Keller House, a stone hunting cabin built over one hundred years ago, and significantly damaged by fire in 2007. Upon arriving at our most popular feature, the Solstice waterfall, you will find the stone and brick ruins of a house designed by architect Paul Revere Williams. In 1929, Williams became the first African American member of the American Institute of Architects and later designed a prominent landmark at the Los Angeles International Airport, the “LAX Theme Building (1961).” WATER that comes from streams is not safe to drink due to possible contamination or the presence of the giardia protozoan. FIRE is a year-round concern. Campfires and barbecues are prohibited. During times of high fire danger, smoking and all fires are not permitted. TRAIL CLOSURES will be in effect during and following extreme weather or hazardous conditions. PETS must be under control and on a leash, not to exceed 6 feet, at all times. Pick up after your pet. STAY ON ESTABLISHED TRAILS and off private property. Accessing Solstice Canyon from private property is prohibited. FOR MORE INFORMATION Santa Monica Mountains Interagency Visitor Center 26876 Mulholland Hwy Calabasas CA 91302 805-370-2301 www.nps.gov/samo EMERGENCIES Call 911. For a ranger, call Angeles Dispatch at 661-723-3620. Pr i vate Pro p er t y So sto m oT ra il Paved road Parking Trail Restroom Creek Picnic area National Park Service Land Amphitheater Dirt road No Outlet Gate y alle Deer V Waterfall (dogs not allowed) op Lo ail Tr Roberts Ranch House (ruins) S ol stice Cany on il Tra Pr i vate Proper t y Rising Sun Tr a il Lo op Trail TRW Overlook n a yo Dr y C TR W nT rail Keller House (ruins) Pr i vate Pro p e r t y Pr i vate Proper t y North PARK ENTRANCE RAL COR 0 0.25 0.5 miles P Trail Information Directions to main parking lot (open 8am to sunset): From Pacific Coast Highway turn inland on Corral Canyon Rd. Drive 0.25 mile to park entrance on left. l Easy n Moderate t Strenuous Solstice Canyon Trail l 2.1 miles round trip— This popular hike gently rises from the main parking area to the waterfall and Roberts Ranch House ruins (designed by Paul Williams), following the creek through riparian corridors of oak and sycamore. Look for native reptiles and birds in the coastal sage scrub. Dry Canyon Trail l 1.2 miles round trip— Walk through woodlands in a canyon that is dry most of the year. Winter rains bring a 150-foot waterfall and flowing stream. Look for wildlife, including deer, quail, and bobcats. TRW Loop Trail l 1.5 miles round trip— Begin just beyond the gate at the west end of the parking lot and continue past the TRW Overlook (refer to map) through coastal sage scrub. Enjoy an ocean view, and hike west and then south through a riparian woodland. Walk across Solstice Canyon Trail and complete the loop by hiking east past a picnic area to the parking lot. EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICA™ FIC ACI COAST N YO C AN RD HWY Rising Sun Trail n 1.5 miles— Rise

Zuma & Trancas Canyons National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area The Chumash were the first people to experience the incredible landscape and diversity of plant and animal life in Zuma and Trancas Canyons. The name “zuma” is derived from the Chumash language and means “abundance.” The abundant expressions of nature in this Mediterranean ecosystem continue to inspire visitors to explore our park by hiking, horseback riding, or biking. Voice of the Chaparral Information and Safety As the largest piece of federal parkland in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, Zuma and Trancas Canyons offers a variety of trails. Journey deep into these canyons and discover a perennial creek and riparian habitat. Hike through chaparral, look for basking lizards, and enjoy a stunning view of the Pacific Ocean. You might also see deer, rabbits, coyotes, hawks, jays, tree-frogs, and even the occasional bobcat. TRAIL ETIQUETTE Hikers should yield to equestrians. Equestrians should communicate with passing hikers and bicyclists. Horses should not graze or leave the trail. Remove manure from parking areas. Bicyclists should ride courteously and yield to hikers and equestrians; speed limit is 15 mph unless conditions require a slower speed. Bicyclists and equestrians are allowed on designated trails only (avoid social trails and fire lines). STAY ON ESTABLISHED TRAILS and off of private property. NATURAL AND CULTURAL FEATURES including rocks, plants, and animals are protected by law and may not be collected or disturbed. Weapons, nets, and traps are not allowed in parklands. UNAUTHORIZED MOTORIZED VEHICLES are not permitted on trails or fire roads. TRAIL CLOSURES will be in effect during and following extreme weather or hazardous conditions. Zuma & Trancas Canyons Zuma Ridge Parking Lot North end of Busch Dr off of Pacific Coast Hwy Malibu, CA, 90265 The parking area at the end of Bonsall Drive is open from 8:00 AM – sunset. All other parking areas are not gated. Canyons are also accessible via Encinal Canyon Road and Kanan-Dume Road. Listen closely for one of our Zuma and Trancas celebrities: the shy wrentit. Though rarely seen, its call sounds like a ping-pong ball echoing through the canyon. This call has earned this little bird the nickname “Voice of the Chaparral.” BE PREPARED by taking water, food, flashlight and first-aid supplies. Be alert for ticks, bees, rattlesnakes, and poison oak. Let someone know where you are going. FIRE is a year-round concern. Campfires and barbecues are prohibited. During times of high fire danger, smoking and all fires are not permitted. WATER that comes from streams is not safe to drink due to possible contamination or the presence of the giardia protozoan. PETS must be under control and on a leash, not to exceed 6 feet, at all times. Pick up after your pet. Pets are not allowed off trail. CELL PHONE SERVICE can be unreliable in the canyons. FOR MORE INFORMATION Santa Monica Mountains Interagency Visitor Center 26876 Mulholland Hwy Calabasas CA 91302 805-370-2301 www.nps.gov/samo EMERGENCIES Call 911. For a ranger, call Angeles Dispatch at 661-723-3620. O AD RO Upper Zuma Falls (seasonal) NY N Y WA MUL HOLLAND HIGH EN C AL CIN A P ri v a t e P rop e rty Bac kb on Paved road Parking Fire road Water Trail Restrooms Backbone Trail Gate National Park Service Land Limited access Other Public Parklands Creek e Tr il T a (overflow parking) rail on e Newton Canyon Backb LA TIG O P ri v a t e P ro p e rt y Tunnel 1 (Buzzard's Roost) K A N Z um a so n -D di E AN d oa (No Public Access) Tra n ca a s Edison Ro U RO Zuma Loop Trail idg ed ) dison Road aR Kanan-E Z um Zuma Canyon Connector Trail ma Canyon Trail Zu il Tra h n as tai um (unmain h C Scenic Trail eT rai l View yon Can Trail Ridge-Canyon Access Trail HW Y DR RAINSFORD PL R AST North B ON SAL L CO Ocea ie w nV (Horse) HD SC BU IC Tr ail P ri v a t e P ro p e rt y 0 Trail Information Directions to Zuma Canyon Trailhead parking lot (open 8am to sunset): Pacific Coast Hwy to Busch Drive (near Zuma Beach). Go north on Busch Drive. Turn right on Rainsford Place. Turn left on Bonsall Drive. Parking lot at end of road. l Easy n Moderate t Strenuous AD (Horse) ia n Ind CIF D d P rivate Prop e rt y PA RO A ME R CA N YO N 0.5 1.0 miles Ocean View Trail and Canyon View Trail n 3-mile loop; no bikes—These trails extend from the Zuma Canyon Trail and wind through chaparral covered slopes, offering ocean views. The trails feature partially woody shrubs called “coastal sage scrub” because of their flexible leaves and stems. Backbone Trail l to n 2.5 miles to Zuma Ridge Trail—This trail begins at the Newton Canyon Parking Lot on Kanan-Dume Road. The winding trail leads to a view of Upper Zuma Falls, which are especially grand after the winter rains. Watch out for poison oak

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Mountain Biking in the Park T he mountain bike trails traversing the Santa Monica Mountains weave through diverse terrain. From ridgetops to canyon floors, there are many opportunities for a great ride. Challenge yourself with an exhausting ascent that yields rewarding ocean views, or leisurely pedal along an oak-shaded stream. On any trek, always ride safely and responsibly, and with minimal impact to the land. When you ride in the park, please remember: Trail Etiquette Safety Measures • Stay on designated roads and trails, and do not enter private property. Respect closures. • Always wear a helmet. • Yield the right-of-way to hikers and equestrians. Announce your approach well in advance. • Stand off to the side as oncoming horses pass, and talk to riders as they go by. Do not attempt to pass equestrians until you have alerted the riders and asked them for permission. • Park off the trail, even in remote areas, to keep trail clear for other users or emergency vehicles. Respect for Resources • Do not cut switchbacks or create new trails. • Do not disturb wildlife. • Leave gates as you found them (open or closed) or as signed. • Avoid muddy trails, avoid skidding, and reduce your speed in corners during turns. • Pack out what you pack in. • Take and drink plenty of water. Carry high-energy snack foods. • Obey all speed laws. • Carry first aid supplies. Learn to recognize and avoid poison oak, rattlesnakes, ticks and bees. • When riding alone, tell someone where you are going. Avoid traveling alone in remote areas. • Follow posted instructions. Preparation • Plan your trip carefully. Prepare to be self-sufficient at all times. • Know your ability, equipment and the area where you will ride. • Keep your bicycle in good condition. Carry tools for minor repairs. • Know local rules and park regulations. Be aware of the bicycle provisions of the California Vehicle Code. Trails Open to Mountain Bicycles in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area General rule of thumb to follow while mountain bicycling in the Santa Monica Mountains: If a trail is over 4 feet wide, it is a fire road and open, unless signed ÒClosed.Ó If a trail is less than 4 feet wide, it is a single track and closed, unless signed ÒOpen.Ó TRAIL TYPE LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY Single Track Single Track Paved Road/Fire Road Fire Road Paved Road/Fire Road Fire Road Single Track Single Track Single Track Advanced Moderate Beginner Advanced Beginner Advanced Moderate/Advanced Advanced Moderate/Advanced Fire Road Moderate Fire Road Beginner/Moderate Zuma Ridge Trail Fire Road Zuma Edison Road– Fire Road Zuma Cyn Connector Trail–Kanan Edison Road Beginner/Moderate Advanced P OINT M UGU -T HOUSAND OAKS A REA Los Robles Trail Wendy Trail Big Sycamore Canyon Fire Road Overlook Fire Road & North Overlook Fire Road Ranch Center Road Wood Canyon Fire Road Guadalasca Trail Wood Canyon Vista Trail Sage Trail C IRCLE X R ANCH Backbone Trail to Tri Peaks Junction L EO C ARRILLO A REA Yellow Hill Fire Road Z UMA C ANYON M ALIBU C REEK S TATE PARK -C ASTRO A REA Bulldog Fire Road Castro Peak Fire Road High Road Low Road Mott Road Crags Road Mesa Peak Fire Road Liberty Canyon Trail Fire Fire Fire Fire Fire Fire Fire Fire Road Road Road Road Road Road Road Road Moderate/Advanced Beginner/Moderate Beginner Beginner Beginner Beginner Advanced Beginner C HEESEBORO /PALO C OMADO C ANYONS Modelo Trail Cheeseboro Canyon Trail Sulphur Springs Trail Canyon View Trail Baleen Wall Trail Palo Comado Canyon Trail Ranch Center Trail Palo Comado Connector Single Track/Fire Road Fire Road Fire Road Fire Road Fire Road Fire Road Fire Road Fire Road Moderate Beginner Beginner/Moderate Moderate Moderate Beginner Moderate/Advanced Moderate Fire Road Fire Road Fire Road Fire Road Single Track Fire Road Fire Road Fire Road Single Track Moderate/Advanced Moderate/Advanced Moderate/Advanced Moderate/Advanced Moderate/Advanced Moderate Advanced Beginner Advanced TOPANGA S TATE PARK East Topanga Fire Road Eagle Springs Fire Road Eagle Rock Fire Road Fire Road 30 Caballero Canyon Trail Temescal Ridge Fire Road (North of Skull Rock) Trailer Canyon Fire Road Loop Road (Will Rogers State Historic Park) Rogers Road Trail/Backbone Trail OTHER P LACES N EAR S ANTA M ONICA M OUNTAINS Wildwood Park, Happy Camp, Rocky Peak Park, Oat Mountain, Angeles and Los Padres National Forests National Park Service Visitor Center 401 West Hillcrest Drive Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 805-370-2301 http://www.nps.gov/samo/ In an emergency, dial 911. For More Information: Trail maps and guides are available at the National Park Service Visitor Center. Staff is available to answer questions seven days a week (including most holidays), 9am to 5pm. 9/99 

Camping Facilities & Fees for the Santa Monica Mountains (NPS - SAMO - April 2014) While accurate at time of publication, fees and facilities are subject to change. Location Facilities Available Reservation Information National Park Service 805-370-2301 Reserve online at www.Recreation.gov or call 1-877-444-6777 10-25 people = $35/night 26-50 people = $75/night 51-75 people = $125/night + possible $9 reservation fee Circle X Ranch Group Campground (10-75 people) 12896 Yerba Buena Rd, Malibu, CA 90265 Drinking Water, Pit Toilets, Tent Spaces, Pets permitted on leash. California State Parks 818-880-0363 Reserve online at www.reserveamerica.com and searching by park name 800-444-7275 Leo Carrillo State Park 310-457-8143 35000 W Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265 Hike and Bike Drinking Water, Flush Toilets, Showers, 4 Tent Spaces, Fire Rings, Pets in campground First-Come, First-Served basis $10/person Canyon Family Drinking Water, Flush Toilets, Showers, 135 Tent/RV Spaces, Dump Stations, Fire Rings, Pets in campground 800-444-7275 $45/night Group Walk-in (10-50 people) Drinking Water, Flush Toilets, Showers, Tent Spaces, Fire Rings, Pets in campground 800-444-7275 $225/night Point Mugu State Park 310-457-8143 9000 W Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265 Big Sycamore Canyon Hike and Drinking Water, Flush Toilets, Showers, Bike 4 Tent Spaces, Fire Rings Drinking Water, Flush Toilets, Showers, Big Sycamore Canyon Family 58 Tent/RV Spaces, Dump Station, Fire Rings, Camp Pets in campground Thornhill Broome Family Camp La Jolla Valley Hike-In First-Come, First-Served basis $10/person 800-444-7275 $45/night Chemical Toilets, 68 Tent/RV Spaces, Fire Rings, Pets in campground 800-444-7275 $35/night 3 Tent Spaces, No Water, No Fires $10/person/night, Auto-pay at the La Jolla/Ray Miller parking area. La Jolla Valley Group Hike-In (10-20 people) Tent Spaces, No Water, No Fires $10/person/night, Auto-pay at the La Jolla/Ray Miller parking area. La Jolla Valley Group (10-50 people) Drinking Water, Flush Toilets, Showers, 1 RV Space, Tent Spaces, Fire Rings, Pets in campground 800-444-7275 $ 225/night Danielson Group Multi-Use Area (10-50 people) Drinking Water, Flush Toilets, Showers, Tent Spaces, Fireplace, Pets in campground Sycamore Group Multi-Use Area (10-25 people) Drinking Water, Chemical Toilets, Tent Spaces, Fire Rings, Pets in campground 805-488-1827 ext 100 $100 non-refundable reservation/application fee $150/night 805-488-1827 ext 100 $100 non-refundable reservation/application fee $100/night Malibu Creek State Park 818-880-0367 1925 Las Virgenes Road, Calabasas, CA 91302 Malibu Creek Family Campground Malibu Creek Group Camp Walk-In (10-60 people) Topanga State Park 310-455-2465 20825 Entrada Rd, Topanga, CA 90290 Musch Camp Backcountry Hike-In LA City Recreation and Park District 213-485-4853 Decker Canyon Group Campground (15-150 people) 3133 S. Decker Canyon Rd, Malibu, CA 90265 CURRENTLY CLOSED FOR RENOVATION Drinking Water, Flush Toilets, Showers, 62 Tent/RV Spaces, Dump Station, Fire Rings, Pets in campground Drinking Water, Flush Toilets, Showers, Tent Spaces, Dump Station, Fire Rings, Pets in campground Drinking Water, Flush Toilets, 8 Tent Spaces, No Campfires/Smoking, No Pets, No Bicycles, Horses Permitted, Corral Available, 800-444-7275 $35/night 800-444-7275 $200/night First-Come, First-Served basis Self-registration $7/person/night add $10/night parking fee 213-485-4853 Drinking Water, Flush Toilets, Pit Toilets, Showers, $10/person/night Tent Spaces, Fire Rings, Pets $150/night minimum 

Invasive Weed Field Guide Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area U.S. National Park Service Park Location Codes Use this location code key to find where each invasive weed is currently known to be present on SMMNRA land. Abutting California State Parks and Regional Parks are not listed in this guide, though weeds are known there. The codes are located on the upper right hand corner of the second page of each weed description. Arroyo Sequit - AS Cheeseboro Canyon - CC Circle X Ranch - CXR Deer Creek - DC Franklin Canyon - FC Gillette Ranch - GR La Jolla Valley - LV Palo Comado Canyon - PCC Paramount Ranch - PR Peter Strauss Ranch - PSR Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa - RSV Rocky Oaks - RO Runyon Canyon - RC Seminole Hot Springs - SHS Solstice Canyon - SC Trancas Canyon - TC Zuma Canyon - ZC This field guide is not intended as a comprehensive reference to all of the weeds in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA). We have selected particularly noxious invasive weeds to be represented in this guide. Early detection is a crucial step in the control of any weed. This guide is intended as an educational tool to aid park employees, volunteers and visitors in that process. Check for updates to this guide at our website listed below. Should you find weeds listed in this guide where they are not already known to exist in the park, please inform the SMMNRA via email at: weeds@nps.gov/samo If you would like more information about weed management and planting responsibly, please contact the California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC) at their website: http:// www.cal-ipc.org or by phone at (510) 843-3902. This guide was compiled and published by: Santa Monica Mountains N.R.A. U.S. National Park Service 401 W. Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 Telephone: (805) 370-2300 Website: www.nps.gov/samo SMMNRA thanks the many photographers and organizations (Bugwood.org, Cal-IPC, Catalina Conservancy, Univ. of CA Regents, The Nature Conservancy, and others credited on their photos) for granting permission to use their weed photos in this guide. Table of Contents Trees/Shrubs Herbs/Forbs Grasses Plants Known in This Region Scientific Name Common Name Arundo donax Bromus tectorum Cortaderia selloana Phalaris aquatica Giant Reed/Giant Cane Cheatgrass Pampas Grass Harding Grass Acroptilon repens Ageratina adenophora Asphodelus fistulosus Brassica tournefortii Centaurea solstitialis Conium maculatum Cynara cardunculus Delairea odorata Euphorbia terracina Foeniculum vulgare Lepidium latifolium Salsola australis Senecio quadridentatus Vinca major Russian Knapweed Eupatory Onion Weed Sahara/Asian Mustard Yellow Star Thistle Poison Hemlock Artichoke Thistle Cape Ivy Terracina Spurge or Geraldton Carnation Weed Fennel Perennial Pepperweed Russian Thistle/Tumbleweed Cotton Fireweed Periwinkle Ailanthus altissima Atriplex amnicola Rubus armeniacus Spartium junceum Tree of Heaven Swamp Saltbush Himalayan Blackberry Spanish Broom Table of Contents Plants Not Known in This Region Grasses Ehrharta longiflora Annual Veldt Grass Herbs/Forbs Common Name Centaurea calcitrapa Centaurea stoebe Carthamus lanatus Dittrichia graveolens Erechtites glomerata Erechtites minima Passiflora tarminiana Polygonum cuspidatum Purple Star Thistle Spotted Knapweed Saffron Thistle Stinkwort Cutleaf Fireweed Australian Fireweed Banana Poka or Banana Passion Fruit Japanese Knotweed Shrubs Scientific Name Cistus ladanifer Cotoneaster pannosus Crataegus monogyna Genista linifolia Gum Rockrose Cotoneaster Single-seed Hawthorn or Whitethorn Mediterranean Broom Plants Known in the Region Giant Reed or Giant Cane Arundo donax 1 Shizhao When does it flower? Beginning late summer to fall. Chris Evans River to River CWMA Chris 2 Evans What does it look like? Perennial member of the grass family 9-30 ft tall, growing in many-stemmed, cane-like clumps. Stems: Tough and hollow, divided by partitions like bamboo. Leaves: Pale green or blue green, alternately arranged, up to 2 ft long. Leaves clasp the stem with a heart-shaped base and taper to tip. Flowers: Feathery plumes, up to 2 ft long. Roots: Large and spreading horizontal rootstocks. FC, GR, PR, RC Where is it found? Occupies moist riparian areas, often taking over entire channels. Giant Reed is found in larger drainages of the Santa Monica Mountains, such as Malibu, Topanga and Conejo creeks. Eradication efforts are in progress in several areas. Why worry? Giant Reed monopolizes riparian habitat, displacing native plants and associated wildlife species. It also increases flood danger and changes stream dynamics by altering water flow and reducing groundwater availability. The large amount of dry vegetative matter it produces creates a fire hazard. Bromus tectorum Cheatgrass L. Mehrhoff, Univ. of Connecticut What does it look like? Annual grass 2-6 inches

The Complete Butterfly Field Guide of the Santa Monica Mountains Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area 2 1 Table of COntents How To Use This Field Guide 2 Basic Lepidoptera Structures 5 Terms and Definitions 6 Family Common Name Family Scientific Name Swallowtails Whites and Sulphurs Coppers, Hairstreaks, and Blues Metalmarks Brushfoots Skippers Papilionidae 7 Pieridae 13 Lycaenidae 25 Riodinidae 49 Nymphalidae 53 Hesperiidae 75 Index 91 Acknowledgments 94 How To Use This Field Guide The chapters in this guide are divided into scientific families. The beginning of each chapter lists the different subfamilies those butterflies can be divided into, if any. Some of these names are self-explanatory - Blues, Whites, etc. - and others - Admirals, Fritillaries, etc. - are less intuitive. Each butterfly has the following information: common and scientific name, size, flight time, caterpillar food plant(s), identification information, and a photo. The flight time is a range when you will see the butterflies locally in their adult form. In this guide, butterflies are listed in each chapter from most to least common. Each subfamily should been read as a chapter within a chapter. For example, in Lycaenidae, Coppers will be listed most to least common, then Hairstreaks, then Blues. 4 3 The symbols below may be found at the upper, inside corner of each page. They indicate the rarity of the species, both in the Santa Monica Mountains and throughout its entire expanse. Uncommon in the Santa Monica Mountains Rare in the Santa Monica Mountains Threatened throughout its range Endangered throughout its range Although some butterflies in the Santa Monica Mountains are on the verge of extinction, none of them are currently protected by the Endangered Species Act. Butterflies are a vital indicator species due to their sensitivity to environmental changes. Because butterflies have been captured by enthusiasts for centuries, scientists are able to study long-term shifts in populations, ranges, and biodiversity. First, areas that are getting warmer have flowers blooming earlier than previous years. Butterflies in these areas are pressured to adjust to these changes in asynchronization and are, consequently, emerging earlier. Second, butterfly ranges are changing. Recent studies have shown that butterfly ranges are shifting over time - primarily North - due to changes in microclimates. Third, butterfly diversity is decreasing. This is contributed to a variety of factors, including: habitat destruction and/or fragmentation, pollution, and the spread of invasive species that do not support butterfly diversity. Although some species are growing at a rapid pace, other, more specialized ones are declining. Remember, the mission of the National Park Service is to preserve unimpaired the natural resources of the park system, so we ask that you please do not catch or hurt the butterflies. Thank you! 6 5 Basic Lepidoptera Structures Terms and Definitions Eyespot - a pattern on the wings that resembles an eye. May intimidate or distract predators. False Head - tails and eyespots that mimic the antennae and head of a butterfly. Patterns on wings often draw the eye to the false head. Lepidoptera - the order of insects that includes butterflies and moths. Means “scale wing.” Overscaling - a heavy patch of scales. Scale - butterfly wings are composed of microscopic scales. Stigma - a patch of scent scales found on males that are used during courtship. Common characteristic of hairstreaks and skippers. Diagram by Simon Coombes Tail - part of the wings that sticks out around the anal angle. 8 7 Swallowtails Papilionidae The Swallowtails are the largest butterflies in the Santa Monica Mountains. They are easily identifiable by their long tails which mimic antennae. There are only four species of Swallowtails found in the Santa Monica Mountains, and their bright colors and size allow for easy identification. Note: The Family Papilionidae also includes Parnassions; however, none have been found in the Santa Monica Mountains. 10 9 Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus Size: 2 3/4 - 4 inches Flight Time: year-round Food Plants: sycamore, cottonwood, willow, alder Yellow with four vertical, black stripes on upperside. Underside has two orange spots near the end of the inner margin. Anise Swallowtail Papilio zelicaon Size: 2 3/4 - 3 1/2 inches Flight Time: year-round Food Plants: fennel or other carrot family Wings have yellow rectangles outlined by a wide, black border. Has an orange eyespot near the tail with a round, black center. 12 11 Pale Swallowtail Papilio eurymedon Giant Swallowtail Papilio cresphontes Size: 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 inches Flight Time: Feb-Oct Food Plants: Ceanothus, other buckhorn family Size: 4 - 6 1/4 inches Flight Time: Mar-Oct Food Plants: citrus Similar to Western Tiger Swallowtail, but cream colored instead of yel