Santa Monica Mountains

One of the Transverse Ranges in southwestern California, extending east–west for some 64 km/40 mi from Griffith Park in Los Angeles to Point Mugu, near Oxnard. The range includes Beverly and Hollywood Hills, famous as the home of many wealthy film stars.

The Santa Monica Moountains run roughly parallel to the northern shore of Santa Monica Bay, and generally reach a height of around 300 m/1000 ft, rising to 948 m/3,111 ft at Sandstone Peak (also known as Mount Allen). At its widest point, the range is 19 km/12 mi across. The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (area 610 sq km/236 sq mi) encompasses a variety of city, county, state, and Federal park areas including Will Rogers, Topanga, Malibu Creek, and Point Mugu state parks, and boasts diverse ecological areas and leisure sites. The 80 km/50 mi-long Mulholland Scenic Corridor and the Backbone Trail are two of the many routes leading into this area.