Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
Backbone Trail Bridge
Backbone Trail Bridge
National Recreation Area
1978 Park Size 156,671 acres Annual Visitors 759,000 Park Fee none Superintendent Dave Schifsky (acting) Park Partner Santa Monica Mountains Fund Location Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, CA |
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area boasts miles of beautiful beaches and rugged mountains, which are a welcome respite from the urban center of Los Angeles.
The Backbone Trail runs for 68 miles along the spine of the Santa Monica Mountain range, and is one of the most popular hiking destinations in the park. In November 2018, the Woolsey Fire burned 97,000 acres of land, including 88% of Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. The Backbone Trail lost three footbridges in the blaze. The trail has been rerouted and reconstructed at two locations so that bridges are no longer necessary, while the remaining site required a replacement for the safety of all visitors, as well as protection of fragile riparian habitat. Over 10,000 visitors per year utilize that particular section of trail adjacent to Zuma Canyon. The Fund for People in Parks provided a grant to the Santa Monica Mountains Fund to help rebuild the bridge. The bridge was completed in June 2022 and all visitors now have easy access across Zuma Canyon. Project Cost: $100,703 Project Completed: 2022 The Fund for People in Parks: $10,300 National Park Service: $41,653 Ventura County Community Foundation: $20,000 REI: $19,750 Concerned Off Road Bicyclists: $10,000 |
We want to share our deepest thanks and appreciation to all of the donors who supported this project. The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area was devastated by the Woolsey Fire. We are working diligently to rebuild what was lost. We could not rebuild without the support of donors."
-Danika Globokar, Chief of Facility Management, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area