Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is a National Recreation Area in California. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 4 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Santa Monica Mountains
We matched 4 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Santa Monica Mountains. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Canyons (1)
Rock Formations (1)
State Parks (2)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Santa Monica Mountains the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 79° in summer but only 32° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:01 AM | 7:39 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:09 PM | 245° | 10h 08m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:15 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:39 PM | 256° | 10h 59m |
| March | 7:06 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:03 PM | 268° | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:25 AM | 6:58 AM | 6:53 PM | 7:27 PM | 283° | 13h 02m |
| May | 5:54 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:50 PM | 294° | 13h 56m |
| June | 5:44 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:09 PM | 299° | 14h 25m |
| July | 5:55 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:08 PM | 297° | 14h 13m |
| August | 6:17 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:44 PM | 288° | 13h 26m |
| September | 6:39 AM | 7:12 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:03 PM | 274° | 12h 24m |
| October | 7:01 AM | 7:35 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:22 PM | 260° | 11h 21m |
| November | 6:29 AM | 7:05 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:53 PM | 248° | 10h 24m |
| December | 6:54 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:48 PM | 242° | 9h 54m |
Computed for the park's reference point (34.0978, -118.7709); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Santa Monica Mountains, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 4:33 AM – 5:13 AM | 0.7 | 16° |
| March | 3:46 AM – 5:36 AM | 1.8 | 24° |
| April | 1:44 AM – 4:54 AM | 3.2 | 27° |
| May | 11:47 PM – 4:07 AM | 4.3 | 27° |
| June | 9:53 PM – 3:53 AM | 6.0 | 27° |
| July | 9:49 PM – 2:29 AM | 4.7 | 27° |
| August | 9:14 PM – 12:24 AM | 3.2 | 27° |
| September | 8:27 PM – 10:27 PM | 2.0 | 24° |
| October | 7:45 PM – 8:25 PM | 0.7 | 16° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
7 Estimated Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye.
Weather & best time to visit
Summers are hot and dry while winters are cool and wet.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 14% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (42%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Getting there
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.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Climbing
- Rock Climbing
- Compass and GPS
- Geocaching
- Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horseback Riding
- Junior Ranger Program
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
Nearby parks
CA
CA
AZ/CA