When Paramount Pictures purchased the ranch in 1927, they began an era of film production that has continued into the 21st century. You can experience the area where Bob Hope starred in Caught in the Draft (1941) to Sandra Bullock in The Lake House (2006). In the 1950’s, the western town was created for television shows, such as The Cisco Kid and Hotel de Paree. More recent filming at Paramount Ranch has included Westworld, an HBO production, TV shows Bones, Castle, Scorpion and Escape the Night, a YouTube Internet series. Paramount Ranch offers several miles of easy to moderate scenic hikes through chaparral, riparian, and valley oak savannah plant communities. Equestrians and mountain bikers may access these multi-use trails. Wildlife sightings might include red-tailed hawks, acorn woodpeckers, blue heron and deer. Stroll through Western Town and enjoy a shaded picnic area. This real-life motion picture set is altered slightly with each production, yet retains a Western motif. Western Town is not the only icon of Paramount Ranch... be on the lookout for our two native oak species—coast live oak, and valley oak. Experience the rare valley oak savannah, which may become extinct within decades due to the effects of climate change. Brief History In 1927, Paramount Pictures purchased 2,700 acres of the old Rancho Las Virgenes for use as a "movie ranch." For 25 years, a veritable who's who of Hollywood practiced their craft at Paramount Ranch including actors Gary Cooper, Claudette Colbert, W.C. Fields and Marlene Dietrich. The diverse landscape was the real star of the show. It offered film makers the freedom to create distant locales such as colonial Massachusetts in The Maid of Salem (1937), ancient China in The Adventures of Marco Polo (1938), a South Seas island in Ebb Tide (1937) and numerous western locations including San Francisco in Wells Fargo (1937). The art of illusion was mastered on the landscape.
The golden era of movie making at Paramount Ranch came to an end when changes to the studio system prompted Paramount Pictures to sell the ranch. Paramount Ranch found renewed life as a film location when William Hertz bought the southeast portion in 1953. An ardent fan of movie westerns, he built a permanent western town utilizing Paramount Pictures' old prop storage sheds. As a result, television companies began shooting westerns at the ranch such as The Cisco Kid and Bat Masterson. William Hertz sold the property in 1955 to three businessmen investors who renamed it the Paramount Sportsman’s Ranch. The Paramount Raceway opened a year later. Some considered it one of the most challenging in the U.S. It closed 18 months later after two fatal crashes in December of 1957. The raceway was featured in The Devil's Hairpin (1957) and Disney’s The Love Bug (1968). Most of the track still winds through the grass and oak woodlands of the park.
From 1957 to 1980, the ranch would see more ownership changes, but filmmaking continued. After purchasing a portion of the original Paramount property in 1980, the National Park Service revitalized the old movie ranch. From 1992 to 1998, Paramount Ranch was used as the setting for the television show, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. Whether watching filming or exploring the area, experience the drama and grandeur of the Santa Monica Mountains. Visiting the Paramount Ranch Western Town Cross the bridge to get to the "Western Town." All trailheads extend from the Western Town, except the trail that goes toward Mulholland highway. Download Additional Information Activities
Directions 2903 Cornell Road, Agoura Hills, CA, 91301 GPS Coordinates: N 34.1181 W -118.7525 Take Ventura Freeway (U.S. 101) to Kanan Road exit. South on Kanan 0.5 mile. Left on Cornell Way and veer to the right. South 2.5 miles, entrance is on right side of the road. Good to Know
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Last updated: October 6, 2020