Paramount Ranch: Where the Silver Screen Meets the Santa Monica Mountains

Paramount Ranch, located in the scenic Conejo Valley near Agoura Hills, California, boasts a rich history as a filming location dating back to 1927. Paramount Pictures purchased 2,700 acres of Rancho Las Virgenes to create a 'movie ranch,' where over 130 films were produced between 1927 and 1943. The ranch provided versatile landscapes, standing in for the American West, colonial Massachusetts, 13th-century China, and more. After 1943, Paramount sold the property, but filming continued under various owners. In the 1950s, William Hertz constructed a permanent Western Town, attracting television productions like 'The Cisco Kid'. The National Park Service acquired a portion of the ranch in 1980, preserving it as part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Sadly, the Woolsey Fire in 2018 destroyed much of the Western Town, but the train depot (built for 'Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman') and the chapel (built for 'Westworld') survived. Today, visitors can explore the remaining structures, hike the trails, and imagine the countless stories that have been filmed here. The park is open daily from 8 AM to sunset and offers free admission.