National and state parks are an important part of the Los Angeles (L.A.) experience. The region boasts recreational areas that are open year-round, offering everything from mountain hikes to beaches to water skiing to exploring historic buildings to bird watching and fishing.

One of the World's Largest Urban Parks
Although Los Angeles is one of the world's greatest cities, it remains close to nature, with mountains, hills, deserts and beaches all within a short drive. Few major cities have a mountain range cutting right through it like Los Angeles does. Not just a mountain range, but also one of the world's largest urban parks. The Santa Monica National Recreation Area (SMNRA) takes up much of the Santa Monica Mountains and provides magnificent outdoor activities. This vast expanse is both accessible and inviting, drawing avid outdoor enthusiasts in the middle of winter or summer.

The SMNRA covers 153,095 acres of one of the rare ecosystems in the world, the Mediterranean. From hilltops that overlook the Pacific Ocean to shady glens to broad swathes of chaparral, the area contains a multi-faceted landscape with native plant and wildlife. It is run through the cooperative efforts of federal, state and local park agencies.

The most popular parks for visitors in the Santa Monica National Recreation Area include the following:

Will Rogers State Historic Park, a 186-acre park in Pacific Palisades at the western end of Sunset Boulevard, was once the home of famed cowboy and humorist Will Rogers. A visit to the ranch gives a strong sense of outdoor life in the early 20th century when Rogers and his Hollywood pals would ride the mountain trails and play polo. The stables, horse trails and polo field are still open to visitors today. People come for the hiking, especially the trek to Inspiration Point with a superb view of the Pacific Ocean and the mountain range. The park is undergoing a significant renovation that will restore the landscape to its appearance when Will Rogers’ owned the property. The ranch house has recently been refurbished and is open for tours.

Topanga State Park, adjacent to Will Rogers State Historic Park, is entirely within Los Angeles city limits. This 11,000-acre chaparral features 36 miles of trails through grassland and live oaks with stunning views of the ocean. Topanga's wildflowers bloom throughout the year but are most abundant in the spring. The park also contains many geological formations including earthquake faults, volcanic intrusions and marine fossils. Topanga is popular with hikers, mountain bikers (on fire roads only) and equestrians.

Malibu Creek State Park boasts 15 miles of streamside trails through oaks and sycamores. High in the Santa Monica Mountains, Malibu Creek was once a center of Chumash Native American life. In more recent times, it has been a movie/TV location for "Planet of the Apes" and "MASH." The 4,000-acre park is a favorite with hikers, campers, fishermen, bird watchers and horseback riders.

Channel Islands
Just off L.A.'s coast is Channel Islands National Park. Five of the eight islands - San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Anacapa, and Santa Barbara - are in the national park. (Catalina, the most famous, is not.) The 639-acre rocky island of Santa Barbara, for instance, has eight miles of hiking trails, a visitor center, a primitive campground, tide pools and is popular for bird watching and seeing seals and sea lions. Private boaters can access the island directly from L.A. ports, but organized trips are available only through watercraft and airplanes.

Highest Elevation in L.A. County
Los Angeles has its own national forest, just a short drive northeast from downtown. The Angeles National Forest preserves 650,000 acres of the San Gabriel Mountains and includes the 10,064-foot Mount Baldy, the highest elevation in Los Angeles County. The panoramic views draw hikers, campers, wilderness backpackers, skiers and picnickers, and the forest's many lakes and reservoirs are favorites of fishermen.