How to Get a Malibu Creek Camp Permit
The Santa Monica Mountains' main state park campground, on the Backbone Trail, and now one of only four California state parks in the monthly Reservation Draw program.
Check Malibu Creek Camp permit availability1-7 nights
Duration
1.5 miles
Distance
easy
Difficulty
About Malibu Creek Camp
Malibu Creek State Park extends across the crest of the Santa Monica Mountains, encompassing over 8,000 scenic acres of craggy canyons, gorges and meadows, with 35 miles of fire roads and trails. The campground is a drive-in base in the range, with drinking water, flush toilets, showers, a dump station and fire rings, plus a walk-in group camp taking 10 to 60 people. The headline change is how you book it. Select campsites at Malibu Creek State Park are now part of California State Parks' monthly Reservation Draw program, described by the agency as a lottery-style system offering all visitors an equal chance to apply for reservations every month. You enter through the Camping and Lodging page on ReserveCalifornia, or by phone. The wider drawing rules apply: free to enter, applications up to eight months ahead with drawings seven months ahead, winners have 30 days to claim and pay, and any unclaimed inventory is released for reservation during the normal six-month rolling window. That last clause is the part that matters for anyone who did not win. Fires here follow a published tier. Firewood may be burned in the fire rings on LOW (green) fire safety days; firelogs and charcoal briquettes are allowed at MEDIUM (yellow) when weather permits; on a HIGH (red) day, wood, firelogs and briquettes are all prohibited. Check the sign near the campground entrance for the day's level.
California State Parks expanded its Reservation Drawing beyond the Steep Ravine cabins, and the park page confirms it: select campsites at Malibu Creek State Park are now part of the monthly Reservation Draw program. That puts a Los Angeles drive-in campground in the same allocation bracket as the Steep Ravine cabins.
The Experience
Chaparral, oak and volcanic rock an hour from downtown, with a creek running through the middle of it and film history everywhere. The Rock Pool and the M*A*S*H site are the two things everyone walks to.
The campground sits above Malibu Creek, split in the reservation system into a "Creek Campground" and a "Lower Loop," plus a walk-in group camp for 10 to 60 people. Sites have fire rings, drinking water, flush toilets, showers and a dump station.
The walking is short and the destinations are famous. Rock Pool and Century Lake are both rated easy by the park; the M*A*S*H site and the Lookout Trail are rated moderate. Malibu Creek slopes from west to east through the middle of the park, and the creek was dammed in the early 1900s to form the seven-acre Century Lake. The bridge to the M*A*S*H site was reinstalled in April 2026.
The Backbone Trail crosses Malibu Canyon 1.5 miles from the campground, which makes this the practical resupply and shower stop on a 67-mile route where camping is only allowed at designated campgrounds. From here it is 14.9 miles to Musch Trail Camp and 30.2 miles to Circle X Ranch.
What to Expect
A drive-in campground with drinking water, flush toilets, showers and a dump station
Select sites allocated by the monthly Reservation Draw rather than sold outright
A tiered fire policy posted daily at the entrance — wood, then briquettes, then nothing
Rock Pool, Century Lake and the M*A*S*H site all within a short walk
The Backbone Trail crossing 1.5 miles away, with the next camp 14.9 miles on
Dogs in the campground only, never on trails or dirt fire roads
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Permit Requirements
Check-out time is noon.
Quiet hours are 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Generators may be operated only between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.
The maximum speed limit in the park is 15 mph.
Limit of 2 vehicles per site; park only in your registered campsite and keep all vehicles on the pavement.
Dogs must be on a six-foot maximum leash at all times and must be inside a tent or RV at night. Dogs are NOT permitted on trails or dirt fire roads.
Campfires are permitted only in the metal fire rings provided. Wood may be used during low fire danger, charcoal during medium; no fires are permitted when fire risk is high.
Diving and jumping from rocks is prohibited.
Climbing and bouldering at the Apes Wall near the Rock Pool is allowed, but do not place pitons or anchors in the rocks.
Gear & Preparation
Required Gear
- •Sun protection — this is chaparral with little shade on the fire roads
- •More water than you expect for summer day hikes
- •A camp stove, since high fire danger days ban all fires
- •Warm layers for cool desert-edge nights
- •Leash for a dog that will be confined to the campground
Recommended Gear
- •Long sleeves and long pants against poison oak and ticks
- •Rock shoes if you plan to boulder at the Apes Wall
- •Firewood bought locally, in case it is a low fire danger day
- •A printed campground fire-level check on arrival
- •Trekking poles for the moderate M*A*S*H and Lookout trails
Hazards & Safety
Watch carefully for poison oak and ticks.
Swimming in Rock Pool is unhealthy due to high bacteria levels, and diving and jumping from rocks is prohibited.
Century Lake and the Rock Pool on Malibu Creek have poor water quality due to urban runoff from surrounding communities.
High fire danger days close the fire rings entirely, and the park posts Red Flag closure protocols.
Best Time to Visit
Late winter to early spring, when temperatures are cooler, days are longer and the vegetation is green and blossoming — the NPS names exactly this window for the Backbone Trail. Summer is hot and shadeless with the highest fire-danger restrictions. Because select sites go through the monthly drawing, apply eight months ahead or watch for unclaimed inventory landing back on the six-month window.
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This guide is based on personal experience obtaining wilderness permits and is regularly updated to reflect current policies and strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a Malibu Creek Camp permit?
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Malibu Creek Camp permits require advance reservations. Book online as soon as reservations open for your desired dates.
When is the best time to visit Malibu Creek Camp?
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Late winter to early spring, when temperatures are cooler, days are longer and the vegetation is green and blossoming — the NPS names exactly this window for the Backbone Trail. Summer is hot and shadeless with the highest fire-danger restrictions. Because select sites go through the monthly drawing, apply eight months ahead or watch for unclaimed inventory landing back on the six-month window.
How difficult is Malibu Creek Camp?
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Los Angeles families, Backbone Trail hikers wanting a shower and a resupply, and anyone who wants oak-and-chaparral canyon country an hour from the city.
What gear do I need for Malibu Creek Camp?
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Essential gear includes: Sun protection — this is chaparral with little shade on the fire roads, More water than you expect for summer day hikes, A camp stove, since high fire danger days ban all fires, Warm layers for cool desert-edge nights, Leash for a dog that will be confined to the campground.
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