Trails

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area offers over 500 miles of trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding. Principally, the Backbone Trail runs along the spine of the mountains for 67 miles from Pt Mugu to Pacific Palisades. These trails provide public access to hills, canyons and streams throughout the mountains.

SAMO Fund works in partnership with the National Park Service to keep trails open, safe, and welcoming through fire recovery projects, tread and drainage repairs, invasive plant removal, and improvements that expand access for all visitors.

Recent highlights include the 63-foot accessible bridge at Cheeseboro Canyon, which spans a seasonal creek and completes a 1.1-mile universal access loop between two new accessible trailheads. This project now serves over 200,000 visitors annually, making the canyon safer and more inclusive. In 2022, SAMO Fund also rebuilt the Zuma Canyon Bridge on the Backbone Trail after the original was destroyed in the 2018 Woolsey Fire. Before the rebuild, trail users were forced into the creek bed—a hazardous detour that damaged sensitive riparian habitat and created obstacles for older adults, families, and cyclists. Replacing the bridge restored safe passage and protected the environment.

Trails Forever is our long-term commitment to care for these routes, repairing fire damage, enhancing access, and creating opportunities for learning and connection. Visitors can also take part in the Trail Challenge by completing eight selected hikes—on their own or on ranger-led outings—to earn a medal and commemorative t-shirt, all while discovering the beauty of the mountains.