Santa Monica Mountains Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Santa Monica Mountains
Range
Malibu Canyon in the Santa Monica Mountains
Country	United States
State	California
Counties	Los Angeles, Ventura

Part of	Transverse Ranges
Borders on	Santa Susana Mountains, Simi Hills, Verdugo Mountains

Coordinates	34°7′13.023″N 118°55′54.348″W / 34.12028417°N 118.93176333°W / 34.12028417; -118.93176333
Highest point	Sandstone Peak
- elevation	3,111 ft (948 m)

The Santa Monica Mountains are a range of hills and mountains in southern California, United States. They stretch for about 40 miles (64 km) from the Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles to Point Mugu in Ventura County. These mountains create a natural border between the San Fernando Valley to the north and west-central Los Angeles to the south.

Exploring the Santa Monica Mountains' Geography
- How the Mountains Were Formed
Weather in the Santa Monica Mountains
Ancient History of the Mountains
Parks and Development in the Mountains
- Protected Areas and Parks
- Communities Near the Mountains
Important Peaks in the Santa Monica Mountains
The Los Angeles River and Griffith Park
Amazing Wildlife of the Santa Monica Mountains
See also
Images for kids
See also

Exploring the Santa Monica Mountains' Geography

The Santa Monica Mountains run next to the Santa Susana Mountains, which are on the north side of the San Fernando Valley. At their eastern end, the mountains are bordered by the Los Angeles River. This river then flows south past Elysian Park, marking the eastern edge of the mountains. Mt. Washington, located across the river, has similar plants and weather to the Santa Monica Mountains.

How the Mountains Were Formed

Scientists believe that the northern Channel Islands are actually a part of the Santa Monica Mountains that extends into the Pacific Ocean. The mountains were formed by the Raymond Fault. This fault caused rocks to push up and sink down over a long time. This process brought old volcano rock closer to the surface. Malibu Creek cuts right through the middle of the mountain range.

Weather in the Santa Monica Mountains

The Santa Monica Mountains have dry, warm to humid summers. Their winters are wet and mild to cool. The dry summer weather makes the area prone to wildfires. It rarely snows in the Santa Monica Mountains because they are not as high as the nearby San Gabriel Mountains.

On January 17, 2007, a very cold storm brought snow to the Santa Monica Mountains. Malibu received three inches (eight centimeters) of snow. This was the first measurable snow there in 50 years! Snow was also seen on Boney Peak in the winter of 2005 and in March 2006.

Ancient History of the Mountains

The mountains hold more than 1,000 places where people lived a very long time ago. Many of these sites were home to the Tongva and Chumash people. These groups lived off the land and left behind important clues about their ancient cultures.

Parks and Development in the Mountains

The Cahuenga Pass is the easiest way to travel through the mountains. Today, U.S. Route 101 runs through it, connecting the Los Angeles Basin to the San Fernando Valley. In the 1800s, two battles were fought here, and the Treaty of Cahuenga was signed nearby. Later, many Hollywood movie studios were built on both sides of the pass.

The Sepulveda Pass is another main route, connecting the Westside of Los Angeles to Sherman Oaks via the San Diego Freeway (I-405). Further west, you'll find other important roads like Topanga Canyon Boulevard (SR 27), Malibu Canyon Road, and Kanan Dume Road.

Mulholland Drive runs along much of the Santa Monica Mountains, from Cahuenga Pass to Woodland Hills. The Mulholland Highway continues from Woodland Hills to Sequit Point. The eastern part of the mountains, within Los Angeles, has more buildings and homes. The city of Malibu stretches along the coast, between the ocean and the main mountain ridge.

Protected Areas and Parks

Much of the mountains are part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy helps protect these lands. There are over twenty state and city parks in the Santa Monica Mountains, including:

Communities Near the Mountains

Many communities are located along the slopes of the Santa Monica Mountains.

Places along the north side include (from east to west):

Places along the south side include (from east to west):

Important Peaks in the Santa Monica Mountains

Named peaks in the Santa Monica Mountains
Peak	Height		Notes
	US	SI
Sandstone Peak	3111 ft	948 m	also known as Mount Allen, rising nearly a kilometer high
Tri-Peaks	3010 ft	917 m
Exchange Peak	2950 ft	899 m
Boney Peak	2825 ft	861 m
Castro Peak	2824 ft	861 m	highest peak in the eastern end of the range
Saddle Peak	2805 ft	855 m
Calabasas Peak	2165 ft	660 m
Temescal Peak	2126 ft	648 m
San Vicente Mountain	1965 ft	599 m	former site of a Nike missile base, now a Cold War park
Clarks Peak	1965 ft	599 m
Mesa Peak	1844 ft	562 m
Cahuenga Peak	1820 ft	555 m
Brents Mountain	1713 ft	522 m
Mount Lee	1640 ft	500 m	the Hollywood Sign is on the southern slope, at exactly half a kilometer high
Mount Hollywood	1625 ft	495 m
Mount Chapel	1622 ft	494 m
Mount Bell	1587 ft	484 m
La Jolla Peak	1567 ft	478 m
Laguna Peak	1457 ft	444 m
Mugu Peak	1266 ft	386 m	the westernmost peak in the range, rising directly from the beach

The Los Angeles River and Griffith Park

The Los Angeles River starts in the Santa Monica Mountains. It also forms the northern border of the mountains from the eastern San Fernando Valley to Elysian Park. At Elysian Park, the river turns south, marking the easternmost part of the mountain range.

Griffith Park and Elysian Park are at the very eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains. Griffith Park is separated from the rest of the mountains by the Cahuenga Pass. The 101 Freeway goes through this pass, connecting the San Fernando Valley to Hollywood. Elysian Park is the farthest east part of the mountains and has the Los Angeles River to its east.

Amazing Wildlife of the Santa Monica Mountains

A bobcat kitten, one of the animals found in the Santa Monica Mountains

The Santa Monica Mountains are part of the California chaparral and woodlands area. They are home to hundreds of different plant species. Some of these plants are very rare, while others are popular in gardens. The mountains also have a huge variety of animals. These range from mountain lions to the endangered steelhead fish.

The number of mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains (including the Simi Hills and Santa Susana Pass) is very low. Only seven adult mountain lions are known to live there. Their population has dropped because of several reasons:

They are often hit by cars.
They eat prey that has been poisoned by human-made chemicals.
Older, stronger mountain lions sometimes attack and kill younger or weaker ones, possibly because there isn't enough space for all of them.

Snakes are common in the mountains but are not often seen. The only venomous snake is the Southern Pacific rattlesnake. Other snakes you might find include the Mountain Kingsnake, California Kingsnake, Gopher snake, and Garter snake.

Images for kids

Snow in the Santa Monica Mountains in 2007.
Deep graupel in Malibu Canyon in 2021.
Boney Mountain is sacred to the Chumash people.
Heart leaf penstemon, Keckiella cordifolia, along the Backbone Trail in the Santa Monica Mountains
First mile of CA 23 and southern coastal scrub
Haze in the Santa Monica Mountains near the west edge of Los Angeles County, 1975. Photo by Charles O'Rear
Sandstone Peak