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Los Angeles Scenic Drives I
Part I-b: Santa Monica Mountains
Seeing L. A. like a native
Your Los Angeles scenic drive continues into the Santa Monica National Recreation Area. Start with Part I-a, if you haven't read it.
In this section, you visit —
- Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area,
- Paramount Movie Ranch,
- Twentieth Century Fox outdoor sets,
- Malibu Canyon,
- Malibu Creek State Park,
- Point Mugu State Park,
- County Line beach.
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Point Mugu
When last spotted in Part I-a, you were chillin' at Zuma Beach and Leo Carillo State Park.
Continue "northbound" (actually westbound) on Pacific Coast Highway—California Highway One.
Although this portion of Highway One does not offer the sublime beauty of Highway One near Big Sur, this is one of the most scenic portions of the route, and even more so on days when big waves crash and send up spray next to the highway.
Just past Leo Carillo, you reach County Line Beach—a super popular surfing location.
"If everybody had an ocean
Across the U.S.A. . . .
You'd catch 'em surfin' at Del Mar
Ventura County line . . .."
—Surfing USA, Beach Boys, 1963
There are no lifeguards and no vendors.
You've entered Ventura County.
At Point Mugu State Park, you'll follow the most rugged coastline in Southern California. You can stop at various coves.
After rounding Point Mugu, Highway One begins to turn northward and you'll notice a flat coastal area in the distance.
When you begin to see the buildings of a Naval Air Station in the distance toward your left, turn left into the vista point, and then turn back toward Santa Monica.
Or, when Highway One becomes a freeway, use an interchange to turn back toward Malibu.
The views are even more spectacular driving back this way.
At Leo Carillo State Park, turn left onto Mulholland Highway.
This is the same road that becomes famed Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles, although a portion of the highway that connects them remains closed to vehicles.
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
Technically, you've been driving through the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area much of the time since you left Santa Monica.
Unfortunately, Congress has not even appropriated the money needed to buy all the undeveloped mountain land within the park boundaries, let alone the mansions along the shores of Malibu. Moreover, certain traditionally liberal Malibu residents become decidedly illiberal when it comes to supporting increased beach access, including a well publicized battle with record and DreamWorks SKG mogul David Geffen, who finally lost a suit in 2005 to deny beach access adjacent to his home.
Although not all in public hands yet, Mulholland Highway leads you through some of the best preserved areas of the national recreation area. This is rugged and beautiful country.
The road is paved, but you're in for some real mountain driving. Take your time.
Your route is outlined in this pdf file. Use the "zero in" function for more details.
On Sundays, you may pass Jay Leno. He loves the thrill of riding one of his motorcycles along Mulholland Highway.
Although you'll notice lots of vegetation, nearly no rain falls between early May and late October. As a result, many plants are powered with sap that contains more oil than water. These create spectacular brush fires that spread rapidly.
As a consequence, please—please—please obey the no smoking signs.
If you walk, take water—these mountains get hot—and watch for rattlesnakes. During the heat of the day, these snakes stay mostly out of sight between rocks and under plants, which is not a problem if you stick to paths and don't step among rocks.
Most of all, enjoy. This is incredibly rugged country to find so close to a great city.
Paramount Movie Ranch
If this area seems familiar, it is.
These hills and valleys have served as backdrops to everything from the M*A*S*H television series to Back to the Future II and Planet of the Apes.
However, Mel Brook's "Robin Hood: Men in Tights" filmed here did not fool me. These chaparral covered hills are no English Sherwood Forest—different climate, mate.
Although film and television production occurred throughout the park, much of it was at the Paramount Ranch, just off Mulholland Highway, as well as at the Twentieth Century Fox lot in what is now Malibu Creek State Park, later on our route.
If you wish to visit what remains of the Paramount movie ranch, the entrance comes up on your left before reaching Malibu Canyon Road.
Malibu Creek State Park
Turn right at Las Virgenes Road/Malibu Canyon Road (Las Virgenes north of here; Malibu Canyon south of here). Bob Hope used to own much of the land near this intersection.
Very soon, turn right off of Malibu Canyon Road into Malibu Creek State Park, the former Fox Movie Ranch once heavily used for outdoor film and television production, including M*A*S*H.
This tree-covered park provides a pleasant place to walk and picnic and your last chance to use facilities before returning to Malibu.
Malibu Canyon
Return to Malibu Canyon Road, and turn right.
Although I once commuted along this road every weekday, I never tired of it.
This is one of the most scenic areas of the national park. You'll enjoy looking up at the rock covered steep hills.
Soon, you drive through the most filmed tunnel in the world, which has been in a simply amazing number of films and television shows.
You are now in narrow and rock-lined Malibu Canyon.
As you wind down toward Malibu, Pepperdine University pops up on your right.
You've reached Pacific Coast Highway—California Highway One.
Turn left onto Highway One.
Traveling toward Santa Monica
Traveling this way toward Santa Monica gives you different views than the outbound trip.
As the coastline curves south, you'll see the shores of Los Angeles shimmering in the distance, and even notice flights taking off from LAX airport.
There may be time for a last swim at Malibu Lagoon State Beach, Topanga State Beach, or Will Rogers State Beach.
If timed right, near sunset is an especially nice time to approach Santa Monica.
Santa Monica
Go on to Los Angeles Scenic Drives, Part I-c: Santa Monica.
In this section, you'll visit one of California's most interesting cities.
