Malibu Creek

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Malibu Canyon in the Santa Monica Mountains
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Malibu Canyon in the Santa Monica Mountains

Malibu Creek is a year-round stream in western Los Angeles County, California. It drains the southern Simi Hills and the westernmost San Fernando Valley, flows south through the Santa Monica Mountains, and enters Santa Monica Bay at Malibu Lagoon, in Malibu. The area was once a boundary between the Chumash tribes, who lived to the northwest, and the Gabrieliño to the south and east. Malibu Canyon is a chief pass though the mountains, and Malibu Canyon Road is a major north/south route connecting the coast to the inland valley. Malibu Lake is held back by the Malibu Lake Dam. Further downstream, the Rindge Dam is now filled with gravel and serves only to obstruct the movement of fish. Steelhead trout were once native to the creek, and it still supports many native and alien species of plants and animals.

Parklands in the creek's drainage include the National Park Service's Paramount Ranch, Malibu Creek State Park, and Tapia Park. The Gillette Ranch, once owned by King Gillette and later by Soka University, is being converted to parkland.


The park was the center of Chumash Native American life for centuries and numerous movies and TV shows were filmed there, such as Planet of the Apes and M*A*S*H.