Somewhere near L.A., there’s a place where wild hills, oak forests, and winding creeks feel completely untouched, yet Hollywood cameras have been rolling here for decades. It’s a rare corner where raw nature and movie magic coexist and golden sunsets meet walking trails.
Just 45 minutes from downtown Los Angeles, Malibu Creek State Park sits in one of the five Mediterranean climate zones in the world. That means mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers, a pattern found only in the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea of course, central Chile, southwestern Australia, and South Africa.
An outdoor sanctuary where life thrives
This special climate is a big reason why the park is so biologically diverse. Over its 8,200 acres, you’ll find more than 1,000 plant species, from chaparral and oak woodlands to coastal sage scrub, and over 400 species of birds, plus dozens of reptiles, amphibians, and mammals, including bobcats, coyotes, and even mountain lions.
During the winter, rains fill Malibu Creek and Century Lake, giving water to fish like the native steelhead trout and providing habitat for migrating waterfowl. Summer’s dry heat shapes the rolling golden hills, where wildflowers bloom in spring before the parched months arrive.
Hollywood’s natural backlot
Besides being a magical escape from the city hassle, this place is also a cornerstone of movie making history. Before it became a public park in 1976, 20th Century Fox owned the land and used it as a movie set. Over the decades, more than 100 films and TV shows were shot here.
The rugged hills became Korean battlefields in MASH*, alien worlds in Planet of the Apes, and Century Lake was used for river scenes in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Even How Green Was My Valley had a full Welsh mining town set built in the park’s meadows.
Even until our days, crews still film commercials, TV scenes, and movies here, drawn to its variety of scenery just a short drive from major studios.