Rustic Canyon is a residential neighborhood and canyon in eastern Pacific Palisades, on the west side of Los Angeles, California. It is along Rustic Creek, in the Santa Monica Mountains. Geography The residential neighborhood is bordered approximately by Sunset Boulevard to the north, Chautauqua Boulevard to the west, lower Santa Monica Canyon to the south, and Amalfi Drive and Mesa Drive to the east. The neighborhood is between the main section of Pacific Palisades and the Brentwood neighborhoods of Los Angeles, and the Santa Monica Canyon neighborhood of Santa Monica. It is distinctly isolated by its canyon geography and narrow streets. The canyon and creek, with less development, run north of Sunset Boulevard past Will Rogers State Historic Park, and into natural habitat within Topanga State Park. Rustic Canyon and Santa Monica Canyon are the southernmost of a series of coast-facing canyons which cut into the Santa Monica Mountains from Pacific Palisades through Malibu. Rustic Creek is one of the few in developed Los Angeles not in a concrete storm channel, until its confluence with Santa Monica Creek which flows into nearby Santa Monica Bay. The area is heavily wooded and lush with vegetation, including coast live oaks, California sycamores, various species of Eucalyptus, and many ornamental trees. The narrow canyon has a cooler and slightly more humid microclimate than most other areas of Los Angeles. Coastal fog is common throughout the year, winter lows rarely drop below 35 °F, and summer highs rarely exceed 80 °F. Due to its humid climate and the surrounding dense suburban development, the canyon is less threatened by wildfires than other communities within and adjacent to the Santa Monica Mountains. The properties in the canyon are within the 90272 ZIP Code of Pacific Palisades or the 90402 of Santa Monica, though all are within the City of Los Angeles. History The original inhabitants of the area were the indigenous Tongva people (after 1771 referred to by the Spanish missionaries as "Gabrieleño" because they were in the jurisdiction of Mission San Gabriel). The first Europeans to visit the area were members of the Portola expedition of 1769. The expedition sought to follow the coastline, but were stopped by the coastal cliffs of the Santa Monica Mountains. The next day they turned around and went inland, finding a way north through Sepulveda Canyon. Under Mexican rule, the land between Topanga Canyon and present day Santa Monica