our mission - introduce people to Topanga State Park

We're here to introduce Topanga State Park. It's the largest urban/wildland park in the world - it's 5% of the land area of Los Angeles. It's amazing!

We're volunteer nature walk leaders. The mild wet winters and hot dry summers of our Mediterranean climate make Los Angeles a beautiful place to live, but they put it in the most endangered ecotype on the planet.

join our easy family & school walks

Come see the our uniquely adapted Chapparal plants, Live Oak Woodlands and Coastal Sage Scrub.  See migrating birds on their way to Alaska and Mexico.  Learn about the native Chumash and Tongva people.  Learn about fire ecology - thankfully Topanga didn't burn this past summer, but October's Corral Fire in Malibu was just 10 miles away.  View the ocean, mountains and valley from our trails.  Come on out and get some fresh air!  Click Public Walks on the menu to find out more.

The Topanga Canyon Docents was started in 1974 by a group of friends and activists who wanted to share their love of nature and the Santa Monica Mountains.  We  lead public nature walks and give programs for school children.  We're committed environmentalists who've created a popular and fun educational program.  We don't have paid staff - we're all volunteers, and we'd love to have you join us.

we lead school field trips

Click School Walks on the menu to find out more.

explore the park on your own

There are three major entrances - off Topanga Canyon Boulevard, off Sunset Boulevard, and at the end of Reseda Boulevard.