Backbone Trail For Beginners
Trail Segments
Trail Background Information by Segment
Map (PDF - 372 KB)
Mileage/GPS Chart (PDF)
Mile Markers/Trailheads (PDF)

Santa Monica Mountains ridgeline trail has been a vision for more than 50 years. Originally, it was to run from Griffith Park to Point Mugu, but that idea never went forward. In the 1970s, with the establishment of state parks in the mountains, the notion began to crystallize. The Backbone Trail would stretch from Will Rogers State Historic Park to Point Mugu, anchored in the middle byMalibu Creek State Park.

During the 1980s, many who shared the vision started working on the project with California State Parks, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, and the National Park Service. By 1990, 43 miles of the trail had been completed. It followed ridges, traversed chaparral-covered hillsides, entered oak woodlands, and crossed creeks and valleys.

Like Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, the Backbone Trail System has progressed little by little across a patchwork of public lands. It has been constructed by volunteers, the California Conservation Corps, and professional staff from various parkland agencies. Parts of the trail were old animal paths that became single-track trails; other stretches were converted from fire roads. Only the newer sections have been built to modern trail standards.

Because the trail system has been pieced together, trail sections may have different names and not all sections are open to all users. For example, mountain bikes are limited to fire roads and are not allowed on single-track trails—unless the trail is posted for mountain bike usage. For equestrians, many trails and roads are suitable for safe passage, but others may be too narrow. Please contact the appropriate agency to check the safety of each Backbone Trail segment open to horses. Good equestrian parking is located at Topanga and Malibu Creek State Parks. In a few years, when the Backbone Trail System is finished, it will extend 65 miles, unifying parklands in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Today, about 60 miles have been completed toward this goal.

Please note: that the "View Slideshow" is not functioning correctly.  However, the "View Album" will take you to the images in the Segment collections.  We are currently working on fixing this problem. Thank you for your patience.