DogPoliciesVerified dog rules · California and Nevada

home › Los Angeles County › Park

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Park · Los Angeles County · California

Are dogs allowed at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area?

Yes, with restrictions. At National Park Service sites, dogs on a leash of 6 feet or less are allowed on trails, roads and developed areas such as campgrounds and parking lots, but not in buildings or where posted. State park land inside the recreation area has stricter rules: pets are not allowed on backcountry trails of Topanga, Malibu Creek, Leo Carrillo and Point Mugu state parks.

Verified October 26, 2026 from National Park Service.

Leash
Required
Maximum leash length
6 feet
Official restrictions
At National Park Service sites, dogs on a leash of 6 feet or less are allowed on trails,…

36.7 On US-101 at mile 36.7, 3.4 mi off the freeway. See every dog stop on US-101.

83.8 On Highway 1 at mile 83.8, 4.7 mi off the highway. See every dog stop on Highway 1.

Rules

RuleValueSourceVerified
Dogs allowedYes, with restrictions[1] National Park ServiceOctober 26, 2026
Official restrictionsAt National Park Service sites, dogs on a leash of 6 feet or less are allowed on trails, roads and developed areas such as campgrounds and parking lots, but not in buildings or where posted. State park land inside the recreation area has stricter rules: pets are not allowed on backcountry trails of Topanga, Malibu Creek, Leo Carrillo and Point Mugu state parks.[1] National Park ServiceOctober 26, 2026
LeashRequired[1] National Park ServiceOctober 26, 2026
Maximum leash length6 feet[1] National Park ServiceOctober 26, 2026

Rules to know

Source: [1] National Park Service, checked October 26, 2026

Location

Address not listed by the source. · Los Angeles County · California · Map (OpenStreetMap)

Managed by National Park Service. Official page

Sources

  1. Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area: Pets (page last updated December 3, 2025) (nps.gov), National Park Service. Government agency, checked October 26, 2026.
    In order to protect natural and cultural resources, pets are required to stay on trails, roads and developed areas (campgrounds and parking lots).

First verified October 26, 2026; re-check due November 25, 2026. Freshness: fresh. How we verify.

See something out of date? Rules change. If what you saw on site differs from this page, suggest a correction for Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area or email corrections@dogpolicies.com. We re-verify against the official source, usually within a week, and log the result on the accuracy page.

Cite this record

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area: Yes, with restrictions. At National Park Service sites, dogs on a leash of 6 feet or less are allowed on trails, roads and developed areas such as campgrounds and parking lots, but not in buildings or where posted. State park land inside the recreation area has stricter rules: pets are not allowed on backcountry trails of Topanga, Malibu Creek, Leo Carrillo and Point Mugu state parks. Source: National Park Service, checked 2026-10-26. DogPolicies record: https://dogpolicies.com/places/santa-monica-mountains-national-recreation-area/ (CC BY 4.0; cite with link).

This record as JSON (CC BY 4.0) · as Markdown · embed panel

More in Los Angeles County