Malibu Geography

Malibu is where the mountains meet the sea, resulting in an amazing variety of topography from deep, almost inaccessible canyons with sheer rock walls to wide sandy beaches for fun in the sun. The land rises from sea level at the beach to more than a half-mile altitude at the peaks, all within the Malibu coastal strip.

Malibu Geography

Malibu's geographical setting is dramatic and unusual, a narrow strip of beach at the waterline of mountains that rise abruptly from the sea. A product of the rapid rise of the Santa Monica Mountains, this geography was created by the same forces that continue to shape the land as they generate the California earthquakes. The powerful physical beauty of the Malibu coast is based on supremely powerful and dangerous forces that lurk within the earth's crust beneath Malibu.

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Traffic snakes along Malibu Canyon Road, deep in the gorge of Malibu Creek. This section of road is only a few minutes drive from the beach.

This section of MalibuComplete.com reveals the physical setting and layout of Malibu. Be sure to also read the Malibu Hazards section for more information on the human-scale difficulties that this rugged geography brings to the mere mortals who insist on living here.

These pages provide the details:

Physiography
Beaches
Canyons & Streams
Mountains & Valleys
Roads & Trails

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