Is there an entrance fee at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area?

NPS lists it as a fee-free park with no entrance fee. Confirm on the official page before your trip.

When is the best time to visit?

NPS describes hot and dry summers and cool and wet winters. In 2025 July had the most recreation visits at 76,446 and December the fewest at 36,823.

NPS lists pets as permitted on its 3 listed things to do. Where pets are allowed they must be on a leash no longer than six feet.

All parks › Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area: fees, hours, camping and when to visit

Updated October 29, 2026. Based on National Park Service data. Published by Humblebee.

Entrance fee: None^[1]
Busiest month (2025): July^[2]
Recreation visits, 2025: 722,626^[3]
Campgrounds: 1^[4]

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is a unit of the U.S. National Park System in California^[5]. NPS lists it as a fee-free park, so there is no entrance fee^[1].

Entrance fees and passes

The National Park Service lists no entrance fee for Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area^[1]. Some tours, campgrounds or permits inside a park can still have their own fees.

When to visit and hours

NPS says the park sites are open year-round, and parking lots open at 8 am and close at sunset^[6]. NPS describes hot and dry summers and cool and wet winters^[7]. In 2025 the busiest month was July with 76,446 recreation visits, and the quietest was December with 36,823^[2]. The park counted 722,626 recreation visits in 2025^[3]. These are counted entries, not unique people.

Recreation visits counted by the National Park Service in each month of 2025. The busiest month, July, is highlighted^[2].

Show visits by month

Month, 2025	Recreation visits
January	48,067
February	52,990
March	59,368
April	68,364
May	74,275
June	72,901
July	76,446
August	66,403
September	65,181
October	50,466
November	51,342
December	36,823

Show visits by year

Year	Recreation visits
2021^[3]	830,451
2022^[3]	795,217
2023^[3]	759,352
2024^[3]	639,745
2025^[3]	722,626

Camping

NPS and Recreation.gov list one campground here, Circle X Ranch Group Campground, with 1 site^[4]. NPS lists nightly individual-site fees from $9 to $125^[4]. Check Recreation.gov for current booking details.

Circle X Ranch Group Campground, 1 sites^[4]

Pets and dogs

Under the national NPS pet rule, a pet must be kept in a crate or cage or on a leash of six feet or shorter, and this applies at all times where pets are allowed^[8]. Pets are not allowed in public buildings or on designated swimming beaches, with service animals excepted^[8]. NPS marks pets as permitted on all 3 of its listed things to do^[9]. An individual park may restrict pets in additional areas^[8].

Before you go

NPS lists no entrance fee, but fees and hours can change, so confirm on the official park page before you go^[1].
NPS lists parking lot hours as 8 am until sunset^[6].
NPS lists 2 visitor centers^[10].
Check Recreation.gov for the campground before planning a stay^[4].

Questions people ask

Is there an entrance fee at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area?: NPS lists it as a fee-free park with no entrance fee^[1]. Confirm on the official page before your trip.
When is the best time to visit?: NPS describes hot and dry summers and cool and wet winters^[7]. In 2025 July had the most recreation visits at 76,446 and December the fewest at 36,823^[2].
Are dogs allowed?: NPS lists pets as permitted on its 3 listed things to do^[9]. Where pets are allowed they must be on a leash no longer than six feet^[8].
What are the park hours?: NPS says the park sites are open year-round and parking lots open at 8 am and close at sunset^[6].

Facts and sources

NPS lists Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area as a fee-free park: there is no entrance fee. National Park Service
NPS recreation visits by month, 2025 (chart on this page). NPS Visitor Use Statistics
NPS recreation visits per year: 2021: 830,451, 2022: 795,217, 2023: 759,352, 2024: 639,745, 2025: 722,626. NPS Visitor Use Statistics
Campgrounds in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (list on this page). National Park Service
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is a unit of the U.S. National Park System (designation: National Recreation Area) in California. National Park Service
Operating hours, Park Sites: The park sites are open year-round. Our parking lots are open from 8 am to sunset. National Park Service
NPS weather and seasons overview for Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. National Park Service
National Park Service rule 36 CFR 2.15: where pets are allowed they must be crated, caged or on a leash no longer than six feet at all times, and pets are not allowed in public buildings, on public transportation or on designated swimming beaches (service... eCFR, 36 CFR 2.15
NPS lists 3 things to do at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area: Mishe Mokwa Trail to Split Rock, Solstice Canyon Trail, Satwiwa Loop Trail. Pets permitted on 3 of them (Mishe Mokwa Trail to Split Rock, Solstice Canyon Trail, Satwiwa Loop Trail). National Park Service
Visitor centers listed by NPS: 2 (Santa Monica Mountains Anthony C. Beilenson Interagency Visitor Center, Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center). National Park Service

Fees and hours are what NPS lists in its data at the snapshot date. They change: tell readers to confirm on the official park page before a trip. Visits are NPS recreation visits (counted entries, not unique people). Use them only for this park's own months and years, never to rank parks. Campground list and site counts come from NPS and Recreation.gov records. Count fields can differ slightly between the two. The pet rule is the national baseline (36 CFR 2.15). The park may close more areas to pets. Do not claim specific trails allow dogs unless a fact says so.