Santa Monica Mountains, Los Angeles County CA

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From Point Mugu in Ventura County to Griffith Park near downtown Los Angeles, the Santa Monica Mountains are an east-west belt of mountains adjacent to the Pacific Coast and Santa Monica Bay. Thirty beaches in Malibu line the shoreline at the base of this mountain range. Comprised of rocks nearly 200 million years old, the mountains were formed in many series of ruptures between two plates, the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate. The tallest peaks are over 3000 feet elevation. At 46 miles in length and around 10 miles wide, the Santa Monica Mountains are the only mountain range in the world that divides a city into two (LA). Landmarks such as Topanga Canyon, Griffith Observatory, Mulholland Drive, and the Hollywood sign are located within this mountain range. Operated under the auspices of the US National Park Service as a National Recreation Area, access to the mountains for visitors seeking recreation are plentiful and include Topanga State Park, Robert H. Meyer Memorial State Beach, Getty View Park, Malibu Creek State Park, and Boney Mountains State Wilderness Area. These beaches and parks are located in two adjoining counties, Los Angeles and Ventura. Hiking, mountain biking, and even camping are popular activities in these mountains which are surrounded by over ten million people. But with so many trails it is easy to find some that are not crowded on any given day.