Santa Monica Mountains

Santa Monica Mountains
Malibu Canyon in the Santa Monica Mountains
Highest point
Peak	Sandstone Peak
Elevation	3,111 ft (948 m)
Geography
Country	United States
State	California
Counties	Los Angeles and Ventura
Range coordinates	34°07′13″N 118°55′54″W / 34.1203°N 118.9318°W / 34.1203; -118.9318Coordinates: 34°07′13″N 118°55′54″W / 34.1203°N 118.9318°W / 34.1203; -118.9318
Parent range	Transverse Ranges
Borders on	Santa Susana Mountains, Simi Hills and Verdugo Mountains

The Santa Monica Mountains is a coastal mountain range in Southern California, paralleling the Pacific Ocean. It is part of the Transverse Ranges. Because of its proximity to densely populated regions, it is one of the most visited natural areas in California. Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is located in this mountain range.

The range extends approximately 40 miles (64 km) east-west from the Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles to Point Mugu in Ventura County. The western mountains, separating the Conejo Valley from Malibu, suddenly end at Mugu Peak as the rugged, nearly impassible shoreline gives way to tidal lagoons and coastal sand dunes of the alluvial Oxnard Plain. The mountain range contributed to the isolation of this vast coastal plain before regular transportation routes reached western Ventura County. The eastern mountains form a barrier between the San Fernando Valley and the Los Angeles Basin, separating "the Valley" on the north and west-central Los Angeles on the south. The Santa Monica Mountains are parallel to Santa Susana Mountains, which are located directly north of the mountains across the San Fernando Valley.

The range is of moderate height, with no particularly craggy or prominent peaks outside the Sandstone Peak and Boney Mountains area. While often rugged and wild, the range hosts a substantial amount of human activity and development. Houses, roads, businesses, and recreational centers are dotted throughout the Santa Monica Mountains.