Temescal Gateway Park will reopen to the public Friday, marking a major milestone in the recovery from the Palisades Fire that devastated the coastal community 18 months ago.
The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority said the park will reopen at 8 a.m. Friday following months of fire suppression efforts, storm recovery work, emergency operations and restoration projects.
Visitors will once again be able to hike the rebuilt Rivas Trail to scenic overlooks or continue on to Will Rogers State Historic Park, officials said. The Sunset Trail will also reopen, restoring access to Temescal Ridge Trail and Topanga State Park.
The Sycamore Grove and Rubell picnic areas will also be available for public use.
The popular Temescal Canyon Trail leading to the waterfall, however, will remain closed indefinitely because fire damage created unsafe trail conditions, officials said.
During the January 2025 Palisades Fire, the park served as a critical staging area for firefighting operations and later became one of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ principal recovery sites supporting debris removal efforts throughout Pacific Palisades.
For months, the park functioned as the Corps’ central command site for cleanup operations involving thousands of fire-damaged homes and vehicles in the community.
“Temescal Gateway Park has long been a place where people come to experience the beauty of the Santa Monica Mountains,” Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Chair Miguel Luna said in a statement. “Reopening this park reflects the resilience of both our natural landscapes and the many public agencies, nonprofit organizations, volunteers and community partners who worked tirelessly to make this day possible.”
Restoration work included trail repairs, visitor facility improvements and the removal of hazardous trees damaged by the fire.
Officials noted that visitors will continue to see evidence of the wildfire throughout the park, including the loss of several mature oak trees, although natural recovery is already underway and habitat restoration efforts will continue.
Visitors were urged to remain on designated open trails, obey closure signs and be aware that restoration work will continue in some areas of the park.