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We like van camping at Malibu Creek State Park. This is a great place for outdoor activities near the bustling city of Los Angeles.
Since we live nearby, we come here as it’s close to the beach and mountains. We visit the historic park often, and the views are wonderful.
I’ll tell you about our experience, what to know and expect, and share personal pictures from our stays. You might make this a stop on your next road trip!
Getting There
We travel down the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway), Highway 1, to get to the state park. You’ll see beautiful ocean views down this road.
There’s always traffic this way, and we encounter less congestion by taking the 101 Freeway, aka Ventura Freeway, from the Valley. It’s not as scenic though.
The park is actually located in Calabasas and close to Pepperdine University.
Camping at Malibu Creek State Park
The park gates are open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. If you want to see nature, you can visit the park for the day.
The visitor center is open on Saturday and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. After entering the park, you’ll see it on the left past the main parking lot.
If you stay overnight like we do, you’ll probably want to know about the outdoor activities too. So, I’ll tell you about those.
Checking In
We had to make a reservation to stay at the campground. It costs around $50 a night with the reservation fee.
You’ll want to make reservations a couple of weeks ahead of time, as they may fill up. Although, I read on their website that they started a lottery for high-demand campsites.
Once you enter the entrance booth to pay, you’ll show the staff your registration. There are a couple camping areas, so know which one you’ll go to.
The staff working the booth told us where to go. We drove down the road, past the recreation area to find the campground.
Whenever we come here, we camp in our van. You’ll find people in tents, RVs, and camping out of trucks and cars.
Campground Amenities
You’ll find paved areas where you can park your vehicle. Otherwise, you can camp on the dirt or grass.
Our camping spot did not have a hook-up for electricity, but you’ll find spigots, or outdoor faucets. So, you’ll have access to water.
Luckily, we have solar and a water tank in the van. Such luxuries when van camping…
Whenever we’ve camped here, bathrooms have been out of order. They don’t tell you about this ahead of time, but they do have portables.
Luckily, our Sprinter van has a small bathroom. But we do like using the campground facilities because they’re more roomy.
Outdoor Activities
The park consists of nature preserves nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains. I love exploring this landscape that spans across a picturesque backdrop.
If you enjoy hiking, like we do, there are plenty of trails, 15 miles to be exact. You can walk along the flowing Malibu Creek and see some interesting things.
Every time we went hiking, we didn’t run into many people. So, it’s a nice place to find peace that’s not overrun with tourists.
Besides hiking, many people come to the park to ride bicycles and horseback. It’s also a great place to rock climb, fish, bird watch, and relax.
You’ll find rugged landscapes with volcanic rocks and sycamore trees. Once when I visited, sheriffs were conducting a search-and-rescue drill.
For a moment, I thought it was real… thank goodness it wasn’t! Hats off to them!
Whenever you think of Malibu, you probably think of beaches, right? And if you’re not a local, you might wonder if you’ll be close to the ocean.
Well, you won’t have beach access camping here. But, you can hike to some pretty waterfalls, though!
Historic Land
The land that comprises the park is historic in two ways. First, it’s where the Chumash Indians lived for hundreds of years.
So, it has Native American history and points of interest. It also has Hollywood history, as it was the former site of the 20th Century Fox movie ranch.
The TV series M*A*S*H, along with many other movies and shows, was filmed here. When walking in the park, you might find old Hollywood remains from filming on location there.
On our adventures, we haven’t run into any film crews like we have at other places. Yet…
Social Vibe
We’ve noticed that the campground has a very family-friendly and social vibe. We always find kids playing in the streets and families cooking around the campfire here.
And some people socialize well into the night. I’m not saying those are the families.
We camped here in the warmer months, and people played music and talked loudly well after 10 p.m. It’s a good thing the van buffers a lot of noise.
But in the cooler months, it was very quiet as the sun set early over the mountains.
We heard owls hoot, but no coyotes howling in the distance. Sometimes you might hear cars zooming by, since the main road isn’t too far away.
Travel Notes
One time we came here, some people car-camped during the day and left before night. They were riding bicycles, so the area makes a great base camp for day use.
In the spring, I trudged through long grass around the campground. I found huge holes, perhaps from groundhogs.
So, if you’re walking through the grass at the campground, watch out.
When we camped in the winter, there was barely any grass. But then again, it was after a dry season.
Speaking of which, you can burn firewood in the fire rings, but you must observe the Fire Safety Days. The last time we came, people were not allowed to use firelogs.
Final Thoughts
When we go camping at Malibu Creek State Park, we find peace just minutes away from the city. It’s a great place to hike, bike, and do other outdoor activities.
I plan to do more exploring and find new places to take pictures. And maybe I’ll catch some Hollywood action along the way!
More Travel Adventures
I have many other related posts on my blog. You may want to check out more.
- If you want to camp closer to the beach with pretty views, check out Surf Outpost.
- We went on a road trip and van camped beachfront right at Oceanside Harbor.
- You may want to check out our van travel lessons before your next trip.
I’d love to hear your travel stories!
Originally published: February 22, 2025
