Topanga State Park has one campsite inside its boundaries – Musch Trail Camp. I’ll go over everything you need to know to successfully camp at this unfrequented site in the Santa Monica Mountains.
Backpacking To Musch Trail Camp
The very first thing you need to know about camping in Topanga State Park is that you have to backpack into the campsite. This is not a car camping site. Nor are you allowed to bike into this site.
This means you have to pack everything you’re going to bring with you into a backpacker’s backpack, at least 50L in size, preferably a little more if you’re not going ultralight, and hike into camp.
How To Get To Musch Trail Camp
There are two main ways to get to Musch Trail Camp; one easy, and one hard.
The easy way is to park at Trippet Ranch parking lot and walk one mile on Musch Trail into the campsite. The Trippet Ranch parking lot address is 20825 Entrada Rd, Topanga, CA 90290. Instructions for finding the Musch Trail trailhead can be found on my article on the trail, or my article on beginners backpacking camping at Topanga State Park. But the trailhead is only a 2 minute walk from the parking lot.
If you’re a glutton for punishment, then you could also park at Will Rogers State Park and hike the Backbone Trail into the campsite. But if you’re that dedicated, then likely you’re thru-hiking the Backbone Trail to Point Mugu, and are prepared for the double digit mileage gain between Will Rogers and Musch Trail Camp. Same holds for a thru-hike starting in Point Mugu and heading towards Will Rogers.
Reservations For Camping At Topanga State Park
You do not need reservations to camp at Topanga State Park at Musch Trail Camp. You can just park at Trippet Ranch, pay the $10 per day parking fee, at the solar powered kiosk in the parking lot, then pay your camping fee at the same kiosk, for up to 3 days of camping, at $7 per night, per person.
If you’re not coming from Trippet Ranch, then there are envelopes you can fill out at Musch Trail Camp, on the outer, back wall of the bathroom, at the self registration station. You’ll need physical money and exact change. Just fill your envelope out, place your money in it, and put it in the collection tube at the station. You’ll also need to bring a pen to fill out the envelope!
Camping Limitations On Stay
You can only camp for 3 days in a row at Topanga State Park, then you have to vacate the campground for at least 48 hours before you can camp there again. Your cumulative yearly stay can not exceed 12 days.
Checkout Time
Checkout time at Musch Trail Camp is 12pm noon. If you are still at camp past 12pm, then you are expected to pay another $7 fee.
Age Restrictions at Musch Trail Camp
Campers 17 year of age and under must be accompanied by an adult. If the adult they are with is not a parent or guardian, then they must have a signed permission slip.
Rules for Camping at Topanga State Park
As of the start of 2023, portable gas stoves, like a Jetboil or MSR backpacking stove, are no longer allowed. Further, campfires, barbecues or other means of burning wood, or charcoal are not permitted.
Read my Topanga State Park Camping News for 1st quarter of 2023 for more info on the portable backpacking stove ban.
Cutting up, digging up, or otherwise collecting natural material from the forest, for the purposes of burning or otherwise is not allowed.
Smoking is not allowed. This is a dry, arid environment that has a high fire risk, especially in the summer and fall seasons.
No dogs are allowed at camp or on the trail into camp.
No weapons and/or hunting is allowed. No firearms, traps, bows/arrows, pellet guns, sling shots, large knives, spears, etc. are allowed.
Noise
No electronic devices, like radios or blue tooth speakers, are allowed as this camp is credibly compact, and you could disturb others with such.
No power tools that also are noisy are allowed.
Quiet time starts at 10pm.
Potable Water at Musch Trail Camp
There is a water fountain/spigot combo at the outer corner of the horse corral, across from campsite #1 at the camp.
There is also a water fountain at the beginning of Musch Trail at Trippet Ranch, one mile away from camp, but that one does sometimes have water pressure issues, and it’s difficult to fill up a water bottle during those times.
The bathroom at Musch Trail Camp also does have running sink water.
Bathrooms at Musch Trail Camp
There is a bathroom at Musch Trail Camp. It has two separate, running water toilets, in two separate rooms, and usually the park is good at keeping the toilet paper stocked in them.
The toilets don’t flush that good, so don’t attempt to flush trash down them. Sometimes you have to flush them twice for them to full work.
There is a running water sink out front of the bathroom structure, but it provides no soap or hand drying device or towels.
Campsite Information for Topanga State Park
There are 8 campsites at Musch Trail Camp. They are fairly small sites made for backpacking style camping. The sites are separated by large sawed up logs placed on the ground between them.
Each site has its own picnic table that has a number on it, that corespondents to its site number. Some of the numbers have been removed by vandals.
Site #1, which is right next to the bathroom, is probably the best out of the 8 sites. It has a good amount of room, it’s shaded by some Eucalyptus trees, and has flat areas under those trees for a tent. It’s also the closest site to the water fountain/spigot.
I’ve left a little more detail about the different sites on my original Topanga camping article, with accompanying pictures.
Musch Trail Camp Video Walk Through of Campsites
Cell Service at Musch Trail Camp
There is AT&T cell service at camp, but it doesn’t work everywhere in the park. I’m not sure about the other carriers, as I’ve only always used AT&T with an iPhone.
Predators in the Area Around Musch Trail Camp
Your main predator in the area is the coyote. I’ve left more info about Topanga coyotes and hazing them at my original Topanga camping article.
There are also mountain lions in the area, but I’ve never seen or heard one, even at night.
There are no bears in Topanga State Park.
Still it’s a good idea to throw your trash away in the trash can farthest from your campsite. Also use scent proof food storage bags and store your food sack away from camp. Take a moment to research hanging a food bag in the backcountry to keep animals from getting it at night. And if you camp in site #1, use site #8 to cook and eat, unless you’re in a large group and that site is occupied. These practices will keep animals from disturbing you at night.
Further Reading
For more articles on all things Topanga, check out my Topanga State Park page. Again check out my guide to easy and cheap camping at Topanga for gear recommendations if you’re getting into backpacking, and want to test things out in this easy to get to camp, and activities to do when camping there.