For more than 25 years, Trust for Public Land has kept a watchful eye on the last two-mile stretch of private, untouched coastline near Malibu, hoping to write the final chapter of the property’s tumultuous past. Well known in local lore, this expansive 1,280-acre mountainous undeveloped oceanfront—a rarity in Southern California—has a deep and public history of ownership claims. The Mansdorf family originally purchased the property over a four-decade period with revenue from their aircraft business, which famously helped develop the Pregnant Guppy cargo plane. Since then, the land sat nearly vacant, occasionally posing as a backdrop for local car commercials.

In partnership with the National Park Foundation, TPL has launched a $30 million campaign to permanently protect public access to Deer Creek Beach. As an expansion to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, Deer Creek Beach will be utilized as a wild playground, creating a connection to the outdoors for southern Californians—an especially great need in this highly urbanized region.

As a future stretch of the proposed Coastal Slope Trail, backpackers will be able to hike more than 30 miles of California coastline without seeing a single beach house or sprawling mansion–just uninterrupted, breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. This land is bustling with biodiversity like mountain lions, deer, and bobcats despite its proximity to a busy metropolis like Malibu. Its protection means large habitat linkages will be safeguarded for better adaptation to hotter and drier climates. During the winter months, whale watchers can enjoy the magical migration patterns of gray and humpback whales through the area, while dolphins and sea lions teem on this largely undisturbed stretch of coastline. As a beautiful public space, it will serve nearly 6 million people who live within an hour’s drive to the property and connect more Californians to the outdoors. With your support, Trust for Public Land has the best chance to protect this land for generations to come so every visitor can experience the happiness nature brings.