Point Mugu State Park

🐬 Point Mugu State Park is a gem along the California coast, offering stunning ocean views, scenic hiking trails, and a peaceful beach escape. The variety of landscapes—from rugged mountains to sandy shores—makes it perfect for both outdoor adventurers and relaxation seekers. Just watch out for the dolphins; they’re always showing off with their flips, making the rest of us look bad! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.

What a neat little cove beach along California Hwy 1. Waves are rough so I wouldn’t recommend swimming but you can walk along the edge of the water just fine. This is a good picture spot. There are grills you can use to cook some food and porta potty toilets. Drinking fountains are available as well.

I go every week with my 88 year old Dad to see the water. Didn't give 5 stars as too many people don't clean up after themselves. It's OK to enjoy drunks, but take your garbage!!! I pick it up, put it in my trunk, and THROW IT AWAY!!! Beautiful place!!

I absolutely love this park beach!! The views are fantastic. It was one of the many stops we made on our pacific coast highway trip. Highly recommend.

Gorgeous beach, small, fun rocks to explore, a bit of sea life and most importantly not crowded! There is a BBQ area and picnic tables along with shaded trees near the parking area. Very nice touch!

I'm not sure how badly this park faired after the surge of the Paciffc on 12/29/2023. Before we were told to leave. The campsites were 35' wide and comfortable. The mixture of RV'S and tent camping was 50/50. To be able to camp on the beach was an experience that I had waited for my lifetime from Connecticut.

Nice beach. Specially during the sunny day. Parking available. Easy access to the beach. There were big waves when we went there so be careful. Overall enjoyable.

Love the advanced hike on the left side rite befor the park if you coming from camarillo, these pics are from thst hike, very steep ,beach is beautuf water is ushually dangerous

A stroll to this quiet and tranquil trailhead is mesmerizing and satisfying. It could be a meditating stroll or self reflecting walk, alone in the wood, marine layer filled arena, and/or desert like eco system depending on how far you want to go. I recommend to go at least 1 mile to feel the all the eco system. It also depends on the season, burning hot, artic cold or monsoon wet. On good days, one can see the Channel Islands rising above silky emerald blue water. Hear and feel the vibration from helicopters and fighter jets engine from Point Mugu Naval Station. Occasionally, you may encounter horse back riders, trail bike riders, chayotes, snakes, rarely birds, visiting campers, and fire crews. Btw, no phone service on most trail Have fun trailing...

What a lovely lovely place! I am so lucky to live so close to this Park. State Parks can be pricey, but to hike here it's only a few dollars to park. We went to the La Jolla parking lot - there is a little computer parking machine there - and went on a 5 mile hike. It's out and back, so you can make it as long as you like. Regardless of the lot you choose or the trail, you will see amazing views of the ocean, and, if you go in Spring like we did, amazing flowers and bumble bees. This was a great place to see the blooms after the big CA rainy season.

This is my go to biking area. It's relatively close to where I live and has some very good trails. Sycamore Canyon Access is basically the starting point from either HWY 1 or from Newbury Park. Overlook climb will take you up the mountain about 1000ft toward Backbone which is an amazing Blue Trail or climb an additional 500ft up Guadalasca for another very good trail but very rocky compared to Backbone. The end of both of these trails lands you back on Sycamore Canyon Access. If you take a left and ride for approx 30 to 40 minutes which includes another climb, you will see Art's Trail on the right. Take Art's, to Sin Nombre before finishing off on Two Foxes. If you take a left and then a right at the T, you'll head back toward the HWY 1. This entire loop can get you roughly 2,000 ft of elevation and roughly around 20 miles. It's a very good area to level up your skills and getting comfortable on your bike before hitting up any black or double black diamond trails in Oak Park and/or Simi Valley.

I am revising the beaches at Point Mugu. Beautiful beaches, clean'ish facilities. It's hard to recommend and review public spaces. This is why, I am constantly disappointed in the general public and their inability or refusal to be considerate of others and clean up their messes and garbage. So...the beaches were a mess with humanities garbage. The army of state park attendants really does a great job of cleaning up the beach facilities each morning. It's too bad they have to work so hard EVERY MORNING cleaning. Come on everyone, these beaches deserve 5 stars. Remember you mother's wise words, "CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF!"

Great camping right on the beach!! Camp fires allowed in fire ring if fire risk warnings are low. Visited 3 times and have been able to have fire for cooking. If fire risk is high, gas cooking or charcoal is only permitted.

Great place to come and hike. My son and I love hiking here. Great place come and hike if your ever in the area. Great views and scene. It's like a 3 hour hike. An hour and a half to get to the top we're the flag is at and an hour in a half to get to the bottom. They have to two bathrooms located in the parking lot too. If your ever in the area check out the Chumash Trail at the Point Mugu State Park.

I can't believe how lucky I am that this literally is my backyard. People drive for many miles to enjoy these trails and drink in the amazing beauty. Without a doubt you will always see coyotes, and sometimes deer. Beautiful birds and beautiful people who truly care about nature. I love this place! Thanks to all the rangers, volunteers and conservation minded citizens who pitch in to help keep these trails beautiful. Bambi, Thumper and Wile E. all give their most sincere thanks.

I really wish I can give it more than 5 stars bc this was one of the best state parks I've been to! Let me preface this with the fact that I also went camping here (at Sycamore Campground- which I also highly highly recommend) so I spent a whole weekend here than just a day trip. Anyways, the campground itself is super nice! The spot we got was huge (I think it's for a max of 6 ppl? But we just had 2 for the weekend), and the fee is only $45 per night. The bathrooms and showers were nearby, and they were super well maintained. They even had soap and mirrors by the sink which I loooved! There were lots of different trails, but my favorite was the scenic overlook! It keeps going for a little bit but at the end of it you get an amazing view like this. The other trails were nice too but this was probably my favorite.

Been coming here for YEARS, but it's amazing what one year indoors, cut off from the world, nature and people will do. Out and about with a mask on setting foot on this wonderful spot. Such enjoyment at its purest.

This is always a good spot if you wanna be on the water or just to get away. Everytime I've been here it's never really been busy so that's a plus. This place is an easy local getaway for me and is along the coast so you're right up on the shore. The only issue I have with this place is that you have is people who smoke weed openly and trash the place. Trust me I have no issues with stoners just be respectful of our land.

The Chumash Trailhead is the starting point for the Mugu Peak Trail. Be careful parking here (as per the posted signs). When full, park further up the road along the beach. The beauty and quality of The Chumash/Point Mugu Trail vary greatly depending on how much rain has recently fallen (which tends to be rare). Normally, I consider this trail a solid 3-stars, mostly for the views from the top. However, the recent fires that hit this mountain, followed by abundant rainfall has created an explosion of color! The trail is moderately easy for most of the length, with a few fairly steep sections. Suitable for any age group other than young children. The initial climb is steep and leads to a "T". Go right for the longer gentler ascent or go left for the steep and shorter climb (you can also just do a loop, in which case I recommend climbing the steep ascent and walking down the gentler slope). The gentler ascent actually has notably better views. Ocean views, the naval air field, and one of the most scenic stretches of the PCH in California await. If adventurous, take the 6-mile loop trail around the summit before ascending. Gorgeous flowers (after a spring rain), mountain vistas, and various wildlife (including rattlesnakes) await.

You can't book ahead is always full very disappointing they said to call 6 months in advance and still full

I am 80. I love all parts of this park even though I hurt my knees. Going back tomorrow.

Beautiful park, great hiking with expansive ocean views. Pay by the hour for parking.

Poetic justice was filmed here this was one of the places they stop and had a little fight around the big rocks in the picture really nice beautiful scenic area to stop if you were coming or going from Oxnard take the coast and feel great about what is real life and it's always beautiful when land and water connects

Beautiful scenic camp are with views of the ocean (10' away) and gorgeous mountainside. The dolphins and sea lions are abundant. Just watch out for the mosquitoes when it's humid.

Fairly easy hike if you take the shorter route. There's one route that can take you straight to the beach but I believe that's 11 miles. This area is straight out of the Sound of Music. It's quiet, scenic, and has breathtaking views. We saw a few rabbits and two snakes And we found a little waterfall at the end! Highly recommend!

Very chill place specially on the weekdays to have a date. Quiet , romantic and have some shades .

One of my favorite trails! Easy 5 mi(sh) roundtrip hike with breathtaking views of the ocean from one side and mountains the other. Parking is relatively easy as there is a designated spot inside but make sure to come in early as it can get packed at around 10am. Trail can get confusing towards the very end as there are 2 options: a very steep quick incline or an easy roundabout, if you can choose the steep incline for a better view.

Beautiful park, a piece of paradise far far away from the city. Drove up here with a group of friends for surfing, and boy did it take a LONG time from LA. From Santa Monica, it was a good hour up PCH. Since it's so far away, there was hardly anyone there, so we had the whole beach to ourselves. Free parking in the parking lot. We got to meet a couple of the lifeguards and they were super knowledgeable of the break and gave us some tips on paddling in and the rip current. The waves were huge the day we came, easy paddleout if you time it right. Very strong shore break that is definitely more for advanced surfers. Beginners should not surf here at all. Even during low tide, the wave is really heavy so I recommend a larger board.

First time hiking the trails in these beautiful mountains. Love my California coast on one side and the mountains on the other. The recent rains have left everything just so beautifully green and clean. There's a small camp ground at the entrance. Yes, you can park on the street and avoid paying $12 day fee, but with two little ones we decided to play it safe and park inside. If you want a map it's an additional $2, however, you are more than welcome to take a picture of the posted map by the campground ( see picture). We loved the fact that it did not feel crowded. We were hiking alone most of the time. At a couple of spots we passed hikers coming back but pretty much you're on your own. We took a path were dogs and bikes were not permitted, Serrano canyon trail, leading to old Boney trail. There is another path were lots of mountain bikers took. That would be awesome to do in the future with the boys, especially when it's all muddy haha. Again, recent rains kept everything clean and green. We were greeted by pretty birds, even spotted some parrots! We did not take the most common path that leads to the Flag (Chumash trail) since you have options on different paths. Worth our 30 mins drive from Ventura. Great way to open your appetite, too.

11/13/2016 The name is believed to be derived from the Chumash Indian term "Muwu", meaning "beach", which was first mentioned by Cabrillo in his journals in 1542. I could have stayed all day, perched on the flat rock, perfect for sitting, gazing at the shoreline, watching the waves crash, the pelicans fly by and the wind move the trees. Very peaceful and picturesque. Makes me feel more in tune with the magnitudes of life. So when ever I may need a spiritual lift, this place called the beach, makes everything seem so much brighter. You never know what you'll find on the shoreline. Beautiful rocks, seaweed or possibly the elusive shell. Used to find them by the dozens when I was a kid, not so much anymore.

It's a great beach for fishing, walking along the shoreline, and enjoying the sunset. There's no swimming allowed here (there's a deep drop), and there's sharks!

I saw a sea lion and a couple of acid dripping hippies throwing rocks in the water. $3 for an hour to park. Cool Spot.

We came here on 9/1/18 BEWARE THE MOSQUITOS. I just wanna make sure everyone knows the parking area is infested with these blood suckers. In the 5 minutes it took us to park the car and pay for parking I got 11 bites. (Parking was $8 for the day, $3 for the hour but that wasn't available due to the holiday. Take a pic of your license plate before going to the kiosk!) Once we got on the trail, their were no more mosquitos. We did the Ray Miller trail on the recommendation of a fellow hiker. It was steep but the view was amazing. There weren't very many hikers or runners out but everyone we encountered was super friendly. Overall this is a great place to do some hiking/exploring. The only reason it's getting 4 stars out of 5 is due to the mosquitos - it made a good conversation starter with everyone on the trail but between my sister and I we have 27 bites. There needs to be a sign to warn people. Oh and the trail map displayed was tipped/fallen behind the glass so we kinda went in blindly. It would have been nice to see what the path of the trail was gonna be before we took off.

This is definitely a great hiking trail to check out a place that you will enjoy especially if you go on a not busy day when it's not packed which usually it isn't anyways but I like the hype without people around you know what I mean

EXCELLENT PARK.excellent scenery not done the mountain trailers no plans on it.crew I work with do the hicking and say it is great.i like the low land the beach scene.

5 stars to the awesome ocean views one has, while trekking up and down throughout. There were a few trails that were closed off due to dangerous conditions. It's a State park, so fees apply. However, if your like the rest of us that try to park a little further to save up for food or drink after (in our case, it's always booze), there's parking alongside PCH. We made the mistake of wanting to start our New Year that very next day hiking; All local and accessible trials were flooded with the resolutioners; No, that is not an "oxymoron", we hike throughout the year. But since my better half is not really a morning person, so we headed out late morning and got there right after 1pm, not anticipating the whole area of inlander's heading out alongside the coast to check out the beaches New Years Day. I have to admit, it was a gorgeous day! The trails are moderate to steep (Chumash for one, being steep). I didn't get that far and I don't remember the name of the trail we went on, but it was moderate climb and did about 7 miles round trip. There's no shade, so sunscreen, hat, etc. Where we went, there were two porta potty's, otherwise make sure you plan accordingly. Now, why one star? They don't allow doggies :( Although I did see someone else with their doggy, but people kept staring at them, I just don't think anyone had the heart or guts to tell them there's no dogs allowed. No bikes allowed either. But we did notice the bike treads....Lol yeah I don't think there's no such thing as "No" in this world anymore. One last note, people on the trails were absolutely friendly and extremely well mannered. It's on my list of faves!

My wife and I mountain bike here. Nice 4 mile trek up a fire road followed by a couple miles of bombing down some fun single track. You can park in Mugu camp ground now! Have to pay by hour but worth it for the ride and amazing views. A favorite spot for sure. See you on the trails.

Went on a whim, best decision ever. It's right next to a dog park, has a camping area, and several trails. The parking pass is $3 an hour or $12 for all day. We picked all day because we weren't sure how long we'd hike. The rangers were super helpful. They sent us on a short scenic hike up a mountain. The hike is very easy, families with kids of all ages can do it. Once you get to the top, you're rewarded with some of the most beautiful landscapes of ocean and mountains, great for pictures! After clImbing back down, we spent about an hour enjoying the beach. Cheap & fun!

Ugh, this place is beautiful! I was looking for a new place to go trail running a couple months ago and decided to give this place a visit. It's about 40 minutes from Venice/Santa Monica and it doesn't even feel like it because the drive is gorgeous. I've never camped here, so I can only speak for the trails. But if you come early, you don't need to pay for parking in the lot. You're able to park right out front on PCH, but be sure you look at the signs. The part that's closer to the park is no parking at any time, but the part that's about 20 feet past that is open parking. On my way out of the park I saw the cars up front with tickets, but mine didn't have one because I was further back. So just check those signs. I went on the Ray Miller trail and it was gorgeous and the exact workout I was looking/hoping for. I ran six miles round trip and it was so gorgeous the whole time. There was plenty of flowers since SoCal was in the middle of the super bloom. Once you get about a mile/mile and a half up you get a nice view of the ocean! It's got a decent elevation gain which is nice and then it flattens out a bit and then turns to rolling hills. This trail was perfect and I really can't wait to come back!

Great hike. Best in the morning. Definitely a challenge but great workout. Poles help, especially with knee issues. Views are beautiful.

After having a gluttonous Easter morning, I must go for a hike and burn some calories. Texted my cousin and we headed out for a hike. I love this trail! Beautiful beach views and never gets too hot, because of its location. It looks like the trails got recently landscaped, as a lot of the shrubs got cleared away and more caution signs are up- as to warn hikers to not deviate from the path(s). Anyhow, the beginning is a steep incline - awesome workout... got my heart pumping! The trails level out at some areas, in which one could start running these parts of the trail. My cousin and I were chatting it up, so we walked. Bring a sweater, as it gets cool because of the location and the body cools down when walking the "easy parts" of the hike. When you reach the area with the flag, someone put an abdominal workout machine there! -I regret not taking a picture of it! I didn't see any snakes ...just a little lizard. He was harmless, probably use to hikers and his pic being on Instagram, Facebook, now Yelp!

Good in a rugged, sea swept sort of way. Great place to park and watch the waves, but the available sand and swim thing isn't the best. You can see some great, pristine beaches to the north, but they are behind the fence that guards the Navy base...probably only there because the base prevented development! Goofballs are constantly climbing up the rock and falling off or needing rescue. There is a large boulder on the far side of Mugu Rock that I enjoyed bouldering on when I was younger, but I think they frown on that now.

We hiked the Ray Miller Trail and let me tell you, it was a very challenging steep fun trail. Definitely wear the correct hiking shoes because you get to step on a lot of rocks. The trails are mostly narrowed and they are very, VERY, steep. You definitely get a great work out and all this sweat is worth it when you reach the top of the mountains. You are awarded by the beautiful view of the ocean.

I was asked about my favorite scenic hiking trails N of Malibu and Point Magu/Point Magu State Park is one of several favorites. Despite the past recent fires there is a stark beauty to the mountains that contrasts with some incredible views of pristine Pacific Coastline. There are numerous trails and you can easily adjust the length and difficulty of the trail to your needs. There is also a small campground here just across from Point Dume beach that is a real hidden gem. Quiet, peaceful and shaded with beautiful old sycamores! There was a storm coming in from the North the day we visited. It was a bit overcast with a nice breeze. Perfect weather for this hike. Bring hats/sunglasses/sunscreen/plenty of water/snacks as other than the campground it is an unshaded hike. Sadly, many of the old Sycamores in the canyon were consumed by the fire. The review and photos are from our hike 11Dec2014. For more pics of this hike ( See Point Magu Album) and some of my other hiking reviews on my FB page: https://www.facebook.com/SoCalHikerGirl/

Very clean and safe and beautiful! The port a potties were so clean I could not believe it. We stayed there overnight in the RV park right on the beach for $35.00 per night and we had a great time. Across the highway there was a very nice and easy trail that went on for miles. I highly recommend this spot if you like to be right in the beach.

My husband and I went hiking this past weekend in Malibu and discovered some trails in Point Mugu State Park. There is an entrance to the park off PCH, and it costs $12 to park inside the parking area. However, the kiosk ranger told us that we can opt for the FREE parking route by parking along PCH (up the hill a bit from the park's parking lot). Once we ventured past the Sycamore Campgrounds, we proceeded up a trail to our left called "Scenic View Trail". This trail takes about 20 minutes to get to the top - where you're greeted with a magnificent view of the ocean and PCH below you. You can even venture up a higher hill to your left (follow a slightly paved trail) that takes you southward and upward. The higher elevation will present you with even more gorgeous views of the ocean/sky, etc. In fact, we even saw helicopters (they were probably doing tours?) at our eye-level once we climbed to the highest peak (via Scenic View Trail). It was stunning - see the photo I took for what I mean. Overall, we spent a good 1.5 hours here, since there is need to stop and see the sights, bask in the healthy breezy air, and just take our time walking through the trail. There were many other trails that spun off from our trail, which we didn't have time to visit this time around. However, I would be more than happy to come again in the future for further exploration of the remaining trails! So thrilled that we visited this State Park and look forward to returning!

Beautiful hike! It helped that it was cloudy and not too hot the day that we went, so there was a pleasant breeze. We did the Ray Miller trail, because one of the other trails was closed because of some damage. It seems like you can hike as far as you want to go, we did a 6 mile-ish hike. And then stopped to eat in a little area. This trail has beautiful ocean views! The incline is gradual so doesn't wear you out that much. I would recommend parking on the street because the parking lot costs $8

I fish here regularly and love this little low key beach! Great parking and views of marine life from the bluff. Rocks to climb. Dog friendly. Best fishing! Cheap parking. Bathrooms available. Rangers patrol for crime.

I came here to bike Sycamore Canyon trail which is part of the park. As far as mountain biking goes it's good, most of the bike trails are paved so for my hard core mountain biking buddies they're a little disappointed because the dirt tracks are all off limits to bikers. Aside from that, coming from a non-dedicated mountain biker it was hard enough to challenge me but still easy enough to keep it fun. I was a little disappointed to see that so many of the trails were off limits to bicyclists, though. The views were amazing though and the main trail is long enough that it would take a couple hours out of your day, it's a good day trip on the weekend and you could cool off at the beach which is right across the street. The park covers a lot of area.

Just moved back to Calabasas and wanted to take my dog to the beach-found out this place is dog friendly- someone posted here it's not- website says it is!!! (it seems most around the Malibu coast line are not-totally understand)went on a Monday -very quiet -few people around ,picnicking ,running around and dogs too. It was really nice -everyone was friendly and my dog had a blast. Forget the ocean, all he wanted to do was climb around the rocks. I highly recommend the beach to anyone who just wants to hang out and have a barbecue or have a nice fun day with your dog.

I loved Point Mugu! I honestly was not ready for how much of an incline it was going to be but it was a pleasant surprise. A nice workout early in the morning never hurt anyone. I highly recommend it! A lot of families and people jogging up.

The family enjoyed a nice brisk hike today. The ranger was readily available to help us out with our questions as we had never been there before. Easy access to the entrance, parking, and trail head. The bathrooms were clean and nicely kept. The trail we walked on was nicely kept, marked and beautiful scenery. It's also a campsite, so definitely interested in camping there over the summer.

Located at the very north end of what most people think is Malibu, the Point Mugu State Park/Beach is a relatively uncrowded hidden gem. Yes, there are bigger/deeper beaches like Zuma. Yes, there are bigger camping areas like Will Rogers. Further north there is my personal favorite Carpinteria... but there isn't anyplace that puts you literally right on the beach like Point Mugu... nowhere!

Definitely go during spring time when flowers are blooming. There are multiple trails in the park, short and ling, so you can choose what distance you want to hike. Ocean views are spectacular!

So many trials. So many choices. So much to see. At first, the fire trail doesn't give any indication of any scenic views, but once you make a decision on what trail to take, be prepared to be amazed at how amazing the view becomes. Simply majestic.

This is my favorite local trail on the PCH. I love that it's only about 15 mins from my house and the drive there is beautiful. I went for a hike today after not being here for many months. There were so many new changes. After the continuous rain, the trail was fixed and it is now looking mighty nice. Firstly, the entrance is now more organized and they now have signs. What I love about this trail is that you have choices. After the grueling uphill start which is about 3/4 of a mile, you can go to the left and do the 7 mile loop or go to the right and do the 3 mile trek to the Mugu Peak where the flag is. I opted for the latter today because it was so windy and I kept getting knocked down. It's so beautiful while you trek so you almost forget about the struggle of going uphill. If you opt for the long way, there's a bathroom about a mile after you get to the top of the first part. I mention this because some people leave tp on the trails. Ugh. I don't get why it's so hard for people to pick up after themselves. Today alone I saw a bunch of empty water bottles and leftovers of fruits that were consumed like bananas and oranges. Clean up after yourselves people. Thank you to the people who fixed up the trail.

Really pretty park. We did 4.5 mile loop. From the beginning it was very steep straight to the top, but the view from the top is rewarding. Beautiful blue Pacific Ocean. We even saw dolphins from the top! The other side mountain side is very pretty, too. Definitely 5 stars!

This is probably my favorite hike next to Escondido Falls. It's difficult to judge the two side by side because they are both so different. Point Mugu trails leaves you with several options depending on your fitness level, but the views are beautiful all around. Where mountain meets sea, you'll observe miles of ocean and depths of mountain ranges. The trail we did was adventurous, challenging, and breath taking - all things I always look forward to when I hike. The way down is easy for a cool down but not too easy that you feel you've been cheated out of a workout. If at all possible, check out this trail and tell me what you think! Share your experience and spread the love - @thehelpful.hippie