Malibu Creek State Park is a popular destination for campers and hikers who want to experience the beauty of Malibu’s mountains and canyons. The 7,000-acre park boasts a good amount of trails, including the popular hike to the former set of MASH. Located just 35 miles from downtown Los Angeles, Malibu Creek State Park offers a quick getaway for residents eager for a night in the outdoors.
The year-round campground boasts 63 sites, offering picnic tables, fire rings, flush toilets, coin showers, and a dump station. For a good overview of the facilities, review this park brochure.
A view of the campground
There are two drawbacks to camping at Malibu Creek:
- $35 per night and $12 per additional vehicle is a lot to pay to sleep on the ground
- Wood burning is prohibited, so campers are resigned to burning charcoal in the fire rings instead of having a true campfire
Aside from those negatives, the campground provides the setting for an enjoyable weekend escape with friends and family. This is a popular campground, so reserve a site online before heading to the park.
To get to the Campground: Malibu Creek State Park is ten minutes inland from Pepperdine University and the beaches of Malibu. The entrance to the park located on the west side of Las Virgenes/Malibu Canyon Road between the 101 and PCH, 5.7 miles from the coast, and south of Mulholland Drive.
Use the map below to create your own directions:
View Los Angeles Hikes in a larger map
Nearby Trails
 | Talepop Loop This 4.75-mile hike climbs 500 feet over a scenic mountain between Liberty Canyon and Las Virgenes Canyon on the north end of Malibu Creek State Park. |
 | Grassland Trail to Crags Road and Rock Pool This easy 3-mile hike enters Malibu Creek State Park on South Grassland Trail, then forms a loop around Crags Road to visit Rock Pool, a popular park retreat. |
 | Malibu Creek Traverse This adventure hike explores the C-shaped gorge between Rock Pool and Century Lake in Malibu Creek State Park. |
 | Cistern, Lookout, and Cage Creek Trails This team of single tracks make a scenic descent to Century Lake in Malibu Creek State Park, providing a short loop or longer hikes to other destinations. |
 | Lake Vista Trail This 4.1-mile hike crosses the west end of Malibu Creek State Park and climbs to a scenic view over Malibu Lake. |
 | M*A*S*H Set This hike visits the site where the exteriors of the television show MASH were filmed, a 4.75-mile trek from the park entrance. |
 | Lost Cabin Trail This 1.5-mile round trip extension to the MASH set hike dead-ends in a mountain canyon at the site of a now nonexistent cabin. |
 | More trails in the Santa Monica Mountains Explore other destinations in the range. |
Nearby Campgrounds
 | Leo Carrillo State Park Campground This coastal Malibu campground offers 135 sites with easy beach access and nearby trails. |
 | Hermit Gulch Campground on Catalina Island This 43-site campground on the edge of Avalon provides access to Trans-Catalina Trail and other island attractions. |
 | More campgrounds around LA Check out a few other places to camp in Los Angeles County. |
