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Vasquez Rocks

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Vasquez Rocks was a location on the planet Earth .

In 2399 , Raffaela Musiker was living there when Jean-Luc Picard came to pay her a visit. ( PIC : " Maps and Legends ", " The End is the Beginning ")

• 1.1.1 History
• 1.1.2 Star Trek
• 1.1.3 Appearances in Star Trek
• 1.1.4 Other related appearances
• 1.2 External links

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ].

Vasquez Rocks in southern California

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park is a county park in Agua Dulce, California, roughly thirty miles north of Los Angeles. The area has been used in the filming of numerous Star Trek productions, including at least ten television episodes and two movies.

History [ ]

The familiar jagged rock face from "Arena", where Captain Kirk fought the Gorn

Vasquez rocks in "The Alternative Factor"

Filming "Who Watches The Watchers" at Vasquez Rocks

Vasquez Rocks is named after notorious bandit Tiburcio Vásquez , who used the rocky region to elude capture from California law enforcement in 1873 and 1874. On the television series Stories of the Century , Vasquez was portrayed by Anthony Caruso . Since 1928, nearly two hundred other film and television productions have been shot at Vasquez Rocks, including many westerns. The park was acquired by Los Angeles County in 1970.

Classic television shows such as Gunsmoke , Maverick , Bonanza , The Wild Wild West , and Kung Fu have all utilized Vasquez Rocks for filming, as have more contemporary hit shows like Airwolf , Alien Nation , Sliders , Buffy the Vampire Slayer , Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (the rocks were used for the location of the Power Rangers' Command Center, which was in fact the House of the Book at the Brandeis-Bardin Institute used for Camp Khitomer in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country ), Roswell , 24 , and CSI .

Films that have been shot at the region include the 1931 classic Dracula , Blazing Saddles (1974), Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991), Army of Darkness' (1992), Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997), Planet of the Apes , and Alpha Dog (2006).

Star Trek [ ]

The first episode to be partially filmed at Vasquez was " Shore Leave " (in which it depicted the Shore Leave Planet along with, Africa, USA ), spending two and half days on location, on Monday 24 October 1966 , Tuesday 25 October 1966 and Wednesday 26 October 1966 . In the next month, another two Star Trek episodes were shot there, " Arena ", spending two days at Vasquez, on Wednesday 9 November 1966 and Thursday 10 November 1966 , and " The Alternative Factor ". The latter also spent two days filming on location, on Tuesday 22 November 1966 and Wednesday 23 November 1966 . Star Trek returned to Vasquez for the second season , to film " Friday's Child ", which also spent two days on location, on Wednesday 24 May 1967 and Thursday 25 May 1967 .

For " Arena ", the destroyed colony at Cestus III was also filmed near Vasquez, at an outdoor fortress set, originally built by Screen Gems for the series Tales of the 77th Bengal Lancers . Filming there took place on Friday 11 November 1966 .

Vasquez was seen again almost twenty years later in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home , when some of the Vulcan scenes were filmed there. Three years later, in August 1989 , the Star Trek: The Next Generation third season episode " Who Watches The Watchers " was also located at Vasquez. Star Trek: Voyager also filmed scenes at Vasquez, including the barren moon surface for " Initiations " in July 1995 and the desert for " Gravity " in September 1998 . In late- July 2001 , Vasquez portrayed the Xyrillian homeworld in the Star Trek: Enterprise first season episode " Unexpected ".

In late- 2007 , director J.J. Abrams shot the Vulcan scenes of 2009 's Star Trek at Vasquez Rocks as an homage to its use in previous Trek productions. [1]

In January 2012 , Abrams filmed some scenes at Vasquez for Star Trek Into Darkness . [2]

Star Trek: Picard also used Vasquez as a location, filming the exteriors of Raffi Musiker 's home there for " Maps and Legends " and " The End is the Beginning " in early- May 2019 . For the first time, the Vasquez Rocks were portrayed as themselves instead of as a stand-in for a different location.

Appearances in Star Trek [ ]

• " Shore Leave " (as the Shore Leave Planet )
• " Arena " as (as the Metron planet )
• " The Alternative Factor " (as Lazarus' planet )
• " Friday's Child " (as Capella IV )
• " Who Watches The Watchers " (as Mintaka III )
• " Initiations " (as Tarok )
• " Gravity " (as Subspace sinkhole planet)
• " Unexpected " (as Xyrillian homeworld )
• Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (as Vulcan )
• Star Trek (as Vulcan)
• Star Trek Into Darkness
• " Maps and Legends " (as Vasquez Rocks, Earth )
• " The End is the Beginning " (as Vasquez Rocks, Earth)

Other related appearances [ ]

• Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey
• Free Enterprise
• Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (A diner in a scene filmed at the location was named "The Arena Diner", as an homage to the episode "Arena").
• Brandeis-Bardin Institute's House of the Book, digitally edited atop, to create the Command Center/Power Chamber for the first five seasons of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers
• The Big Bang Theory , Episode "The Bakersfield Expedition".
• Monk , Episode "Mr. Monk and the UFO".
• Bring Back... Star Trek
• How William Shatner Changed the World
• Star Trek: Of Gods and Men

External links [ ]

• Vasquez Rocks at SantaClaritaGuide.com
• Vasquez Rocks at Wikipedia
• Re-Uses of the Vasquez Rocks Location  at Ex Astris Scientia
• List of productions filmed at Vasquez Rocks at the Internet Movie Database
• 1 Abdullah bin al-Hussein

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Vasquez Rocks – More Than Just a Star Trek Filming Location

Last Modified: August 13, 2023 //  by  Anda //   2 Comments

Just 45 miles north of Los Angeles , in the Sierra Pelona Mountains, lies California’s most iconic Natural Area Park: the Vasquez Rocks. The Park is famous for its breathtaking rock formations that rise from the ground like whales peeping out from the water. Because of their strange angle, the rocks look almost unnatural, like something from outer space.

Table of Contents

Geological History of the Vasquez Rocks

How did the vasquez rocks get their name, famous rocks trail, vasquez rocks trail, pacific crest trail, vasquez rocks movies, the asher ranch at vasquez rocks, how to get to vasquez rocks, opening times, hotels near vasquez rocks natural area park, a final word.

The Park’s geological history is quite interesting. These dramatic sandstones are basically deposits of crumbled sand and rocks from the nearby San Gabriel Mountains. What we see today is the result of thousands of years of erosion, pressure and precipitations that caused the sand to compress and form flat layers of hard sandstone.

Because the slabs had different densities they eroded at different rates, thus creating a layer effect. As for the rocks’ angled projection, that is due to their location along the San Andreas Fault. The continuous movement of the fault causes the rocks to shift, which in time resulted in their extreme lift.

The Vasquez Rocks Natural Park were named after a bandit –Tiburcio Vasquez– who stole horses and robbed stagecoaches in this area, in the 1850s.

There are many folk tales about Vasquez and his band of thieves. And like all tales, some are true and some are not. But what’s surely true is that Vasquez used to hide from the sheriff among the jagged rocks that today bear his name.

One story says that Tiburcio Vasquez, who was also a womanizer, had an affair with the wife of one of his lieutenants. The jealous husband shot and wounded Vasquez, but couldn’t kill him. Furious that he failed, the husband informed the lawmen that Vasquez and his men were hiding among the rocks.

Two posses moved in and surrounded the gang in the natural amphitheater, just south of the tallest rock formation. During the attack Vasquez was wounded, but managed to escape to the Mohave Desert. However, the posse caught up with him eventually. Vasquez was tried in a court of law and hanged in 1875.

Even today you can still see traces of the bandits’ fires on certain rocks that form natural fireplaces.

Hiking Trails in Vasquez Rocks National Area Park

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park is a hiking paradise! The Park spreads over an area of 932 acres, so there are quite a few hiking and horseback riding trails around. Here are some of the most popular ones:

If you are looking for something short, you can enjoy the half-mile Famous Rocks Trail that will take you through the most recognizable rock formations in the park. This trail is mostly flat and doesn’t involve any rock climbing, so it’s ideal for families with young kids.

If you’re not up to the short half mile hike, you can drive down this dirt road to see the most important rock formations.

Climbing the Famous Rocks

If you are looking for something more adventurous, step out of the trail when you reach the parking area at the end of the Famous Rocks Trail. Here you can climb up the slanted rock on the west side of the formation. If you follow the sandstone incline, it will take you to the top of the rocks. Just make sure you wear shoes with good traction as the rocks may be slippery.

You can return the same way you came, which is what we did. Or you can scramble down the east side of the Famous Rocks.

This is a 2.7-mile loop trail that starts near Agua Dulce. The route is moderately challenging and takes an average of 1 hr 5 min to complete. Vasquez Rocks Trail is popular for both hiking and horseback riding, so expect to encounter many other people while on it.

The Pacific Crest Trail crosses the park and can be connected with a Foot Trail to form a 3.4-mile loop with 325 feet of elevation change. The route is considered moderately challenging and takes about 1 hr 45 min to complete.

The loop passes through impressive sandstone formations from where you can enjoy great views of the park. Keep your eyes open of some interesting petroglyphs (most likely from the Native Americans who inhabited this area).

As you may expect, the striking rock formations pointing at a 45-degree angle made Vasquez Rocks an extremely popular filming location. As a result, the Park was was the setting of countless motion pictures, TV shows, music videos, and video games.

The first movie ever filmed here was Warewolf in London , in 1935, followed by One Million B.C. (1940) and The Ten Commandments , in 1956.

Some of the movies filmed at Vasquez Rocks were The Flintstones ,  Planet of Apes ,  Austin Powers ,  Galaxy Quest , and Cars . But perhaps the most popular of all were the Star Track productions, which included ten television episodes and three movies.

If you stray from the Agua Dulce trail (at the back of the Visitor Center) you may notice the remnants of a stone fireplace at the top of a small knoll. This was once a 300 acres ranch, that even had a swimming pool overlooking the Vasquez Rocks.

The property was acquired by Jefferson Asher, a wealthy Los Angeles industrialist who built here the Asher Ranch, in 1934. The family used the ranch as a summer retreat, but also to raise cattle, pigs and horses. When the pool was built they discovered some old Indian burial sites around it.

In 1970, the Asher family sold the ranch to the county of Los Angeles, thus considerably increasing the size of Vasquez Rocks County Park. They also donated all the artifacts discovered on the site to the Los Angeles County Museum.

In 1971, after the ranch was sold, an earthquaked seriously damaged the house and all the structures around it. The county decided to bulldoze the building for liability purposes, as they feared people may want to climb on its rubble and get hurt.

Unfortunately, when the officials ordered the bulldozing they didn’t realize the pool was resting on an archaeological site that was part of the National Register of Historic Places. As a result, the site was destroyed and only bits and pieces could be salvaged.

Today, the only thing remaining from the Asher Ranch is the stone fireplace and a concrete platform.

Practical Information

It takes less than an hour to get to the Vasquez Rocks from Los Angeles, driving north on the Fwy 5 and east on Highway 14. The address is:  10700 West Escondido Canyon Road, Agua Dulce, CA 91350 . 

The Park is open every day of the week, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The trails are beautiful to hike year-round, except for a few hot days during the summer months. A trail map is available at the Visitor Center which is open Tuesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

I recommend stopping at the Visitor Center first and taking a map. There are many offshoots and foot paths in the Park, so it’s easy to get lost.

Also, the Visitor Center has some good exhibits of the birds and the snakes in this area. And, if you are curious, you can check all the movies that have been filmed in the Park.

No fee or permit is necessary for hiking. Dogs are welcome, but they must be on leash.

As Vasquez Rocks Park is less than an hour from downtown Los Angeles , you can stay in one of the hotels in the city, or stay in other areas of L.A. But is you want to be even closer to the site, you should stay in Santa Clarita. Here are some hotels around this area that you could try:

• (8.5 mi)  Triplodge of Santa Clarita
• (6.4 mi) Soledad Canyon RV & Camping Resort 
• (8.6 mi)  Super 8 by Wyndham Santa Clarita
• (10.5 mi) La Quinta Inn by Wyndham/Santa Clarita

Because of its proximity to Los Angeles, the Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park is a very popular weekend getaway for locals and visitors to California as well. So if you are a visitor and have more than just one day in Los Angeles , I encourage you to include this park in your itinerary. Much like Death Valley , which is one of the few  National Parks close to L.A ., Vasquez Rocks is a fascinating and unique place that you won’t soon forget.  

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Anda is an award winning travel writer, avid globetrotter and passionate photographer. She is the voice behind "Travel Notes & Beyond," a collection of stories and travel impressions from her wanderings around the world. When she is not busy writing, traveling, or editing photographs, you can find her hiking in the foothills behind her house together with her husband and their dog.

Reader Interactions

April 6, 2023 at 2:41 am

I went to Vasquez rock last Saturday morning. It is said to be one of the must-see natural attractions in South Bay. The must-see Natural Wonder is also the location of many movies, including StarTrek. It feels like a very suitable place for walking and hiking out of the city. The closest natural beauty outside of Los Angeles. It is less than an hour’s drive from downtown Los Angeles. The park is not big. It consists of several flake rocks that can be climbed. It is very characteristic and many people climb up. If you have less time, you can choose to simply climb directly and take pictures below.

April 6, 2023 at 4:56 pm

You are right, the park is not big which makes it a great day trip from Los Angeles.

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Home > Road Trip Itineraries > West Coast > California Road Trip Itineraries > Southern California Road Trip > Vasquez Rocks: Discover the Rocky Desert Where Star Trek was Filmed!

Vasquez Rocks: Discover the Rocky Desert Where Star Trek was Filmed!

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When you enter Los Angeles , which is a massive city, you can immediately feel the atmosphere of the movie set and may be eager to meet some Hollywood stars on the streets of Burbank or on the Walk of Fame. You may think to yourself, “The movie sets where the American films that made history were shot have never been so close”, as you ride the train through Hollywood Studios on a tour of the most famous scenes of American cinema.

Perhaps not many of you know that not far from Los Angeles, there is another wonderful movie set that has been the setting for many movies, but the difference is that it is a completely “natural” set. It is called Vasquez Rocks and we want to tell you about it in this article.

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park: A Desert of Rocks…In Motion!

Vasquez rocks: star trek and other movies shot here, vasquez rocks hike: pacific crest trail, useful recommendations, accommodations near vasquez rocks.

The Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park is located north of Los Angeles, in the Sierra Pelona Mountains, near the city of Agua Dulce , no more than 40 minutes from Hollywood. Bikers enjoy its scenery on the nearby Antelope Valley Freeway.

Coming from Los Angeles, you’ll have to drive to Agua Dulce. Simply take I-5 N and drive to the Palmdale/Lancaster junction (Exit State Route 14N/Antelope Valley). From there, continue for 14 miles on CA-14 N. Once in Agua Dulce, you will find the entrance to the valley on Escondido Canyon Road .

There is no entrance fee for Vasquez Rocks Natural Area . However, please note that the park entrance closes at 7:00 pm from March to September and at 5:00 pm for the rest of the year. Camping inside the park is not permitted.

The list of films and TV series is very long, for example, Werewolf of London (1935), but also famous movies like The Flintstones , Planet of Apes , Austin Powers , Planet of Dinosaurs , Cars , and even the popular TV series Big Bang Theory (in the episode titled The Bakersfield Expedition ). Vasquez Rocks will also look familiar to Futurama and Shrek fans.

But what is the origin of the name of this valley Hollywood directors love so much? Long before the cinema, Vasquez Rocks had already been the scene of escapes and hideouts. In 1874, the famous California bandit Tiburcio Vasquez used these rocks to hide when he was running from the law. There is a trail that traces the steps of Vasquez and we will talk about it in a moment.

• Length : 5.65 miles
• Elevation Gain : 650 feet
• Duration : 2-3 hours
• Difficulty : Medium

This trail starts near the Visitor Center, where maps are available, as well as a very useful relief map of the whole area that shows the stops on the trail. It is a relatively quick trail that will take you through ridges, hills, rugged desert areas, tunnels, and small canyons. You will be immersed in deep silence as you observe the wonderful and surreal views with beautiful rock formations decorated with ancient petroglyphs.

The trails of Vasquez Rocks are not difficult, but don’t forget to wear suitable clothing and footwear for walking on rocks. There is a water fountain near the visitor center. Make sure you get gas before going to Vasquez Rocks, because you will be entering a desert area.

The Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park can be easily visited in one day during your stay in Los Angeles and is a great way to get out of the city. Here is an article that will help you choose the best area to stay in Los Angeles.

Tips on where to stay in Los Angeles

Warning: Operating hours can change and closures for extraordinary events can occur, so we strongly suggest to check the venues official websites.

Bernardo Pacini

I am an enthusiastic traveler. I have also published some poetry. Besides traveling, my interests include literature, prog music and good food,.

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3 thoughts on “vasquez rocks: discover the rocky desert where star trek was filmed”.

One site I desired to bring to your attention, is the bottle houses near Rhyolite, California. It may be the least explored. And then there are the crawling rocks in what is it, Mojave? Ooppss, then there are the Intaglio lines similar to the Nazca lines of South America.

Hello! We talked about it here .

The Star Trek episode is known informally as “Gorn Home”!

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How Vasquez Rocks, L.A.’s onetime outlaw hideout, became ‘Star Trek’s’ favorite alien landscape

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park in Southern California has been used as a location on Hollywood productions dating back to the 1920s.

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The mission, from the day “Star Trek” premiered on America’s televisions on Sept. 8, 1966, was ambitious: “to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.”

Where did Gene Roddenberry’s TV series go to find that world?

Often as not, it was a piece of alien-looking geology right here in Southern California — amid the jagged, sandstone boulders of Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park, a Santa Clarita Valley desertscape of prehistoric waves, frozen in time, that has done star turns in Hollywood productions since the 1920s.

It’s where Capt. James T. Kirk famously battled a seemingly indestructible green lizard called a Gorn in the episode titled “Arena,” and it represented planet Capella IV, where Kirk and Dr. McCoy helped an Amazon-like Queen give birth to a warrior prince in “Friday’s Child.”

FULL COVERAGE: The 50th anniversary of ‘Star Trek’ »

“Star Trek” fans can recall Kirk staring in confused wonder as one of the loves of his life, Ruth, inexplicably emerges among the rocks on planet Omicron Delta, ostensibly many light years from Earth, in “Shore Leave.” In the same episode, Kirk engages in a rough-and-tumble brawl around the rocks’ distinctive angles and crevasses with a trouble-making upperclassman who used to taunt him at Star Fleet Academy.

Probably equally important as its otherworldly topography, Vasquez Rocks, just off the Antelope Valley Freeway en route to Palmdale, sit just at the edge of what’s known as the Thirty Mile Zone, a radius around Hollywood in which union actors and technical crew can report for work before pay premiums kick in and jack up the costs of production.

That has made it a favorite location for film and TV directors for decades, going back to Saturday-morning westerns of the 1920s and ’30s — such as “The Texas Ranger” in 1931 and “The Girl and the Bandit” in 1939 — through latter-day productions shot there including the 1994 film version of “The Flintstones” and “The Big Bang Theory.”

Roddenberry and the “Star Trek” family quickly zeroed in on Vasquez Rocks — so named for a late-19th century bandit who used the rocks as his hideout, Tiburcio Vasquez (a name tantalizingly close to Capt. James T. Kirk’s famous middle name, Tiberius).

The area made its series debut during “Star Trek’s” first season in the whimsical “Shore Leave,” about a planet where the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise encounter all sorts of fantastic characters and situations that turn out to be the products of an extraterrestrial amusement park. Call it Deep Space Disneyland.

The appeal of Vasquez Rocks as an alien environment is immediately apparent to anyone who visits the park, just off the Antelope Valley Freeway south of the town of Agua Dulce.

Slabs of rock stretch skyward at steep angles out of the dirt and scrub brush to create dramatic formations seen in more than 200 films and television shows. It’s a production set that took shape 25 million years ago with volcanic activity virtually on top of the San Andreas Fault, at the juncture of the North American and Pacific tectonic plates.

The tallest peak among the Vasquez Rocks juts up 150 feet above the canyon floor, but that’s just the tip of the tip of this rocky berg, which extends an extra 22,000 feet into the earth below.

A large number of people who visit Vasquez Rocks do ask about ‘Star Trek’ — people from all over the world.

— Kaye Michelson, of L.A. County Department of Parks and Recreation

Over the last 50 years, the site has also been used for episodes of the TV series “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Star Trek: Voyager” and “Star Trek: Enterprise” as well as the films, including “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country” and J.J. Abrams’ 2009 “Star Trek” reboot, where Vasquez Rocks served as part of the landscape for the planet Vulcan, in homage to the site’s recurring use in the original show.

A modest gift shop in the Vasquez Rocks Park Interpretive Center points to the “Star Trek” connection with a Starfleet Command/United Federation of Planets refrigerator magnet and a selection of tunic insignias for the different service positions (command, science, medical).

“A large number of people who visit Vasquez Rocks do ask about ‘Star Trek’ — people from all over the world,” said Kaye Michelson, acting public information officer for the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation. “The one scene in particular most of them ask about is the scene with Capt. Kirk and the Gorn.”

The location’s history as a backdrop for so many movie and TV westerns — among them “the Lone Ranger,” “Bonanza,” “Gunsmoke,” “Maverick,” “Blazing Saddles,” “The Wild, Wild West” and “Kung Fu” — made it a natural fit as a site for “Star Trek,” which Roddenberry originally pitched to NBC-TV execs as “‘Wagon Train’ to the stars.”

One irony about Vasquez Rocks as a favorite location for westerns is that some 2,500 years ago, it was home to the Tataviam band of Shoshone Indians, who referred to themselves as “People Facing the Sun.” (The last full-blooded Tataviam tribe member, Juan Jose Fustero, died in 1921, about the time the center of the film industry shifted from New York to Hollywood.)

In more recent times, Vasquez Rocks have served as the backdrop in episodes of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Monk” and even “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.” In this year’s Joel and Ethan Coen film “Hail, Caesar!,” a western scene is shot at Vasquez Rocks as a nod to all the cowboy films shot there in the past.

And geek-centric “The Big Bang Theory” chose to film an episode there in homage to the location’s previous use in “Star Trek.”

Vasquez Rocks attract hikers and rock climbers, but also remain highly evocative to “Trek” fans who recall Kirk’s life-and-death battle against the tacky but still menacing green dinosaur-like Gorn.

And it’s less than an hour’s drive from downtown L.A. by way of the Golden State and Antelope Valley freeways, barely .000000000002 of a parsec away.

REVIEW: See what critic Kenneth Turan thought of the most recent film from the franchise“Star Trek Beyond” »

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A Strange New World: A Visit to the Vasquez Rocks

By Chris Gore

Of all the otherworldly places the crew of the starship Enterprise visited, one of the most remarkable was the planet on which Captain Kirk fought the Gorn. The classic episode of the original Star Trek series “Arena” pits Kirk against a slow-moving, hissing, yet intelligent serpent creature on a strange new world. But this planetoid on the far reaches of the galaxy is located closer than one would think… right here on earth… in the state of California in fact, in the city of Agua Dulce just outside of Santa Clarita, in the Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park. Which means that earthlings like us can travel to this world and explore the awe-inspiring beauty of these unique rock formations.

This idyllic location for an alien world was literally millions of years in the making. The Vasquez Rocks were formed 25 million years ago due to rapid erosion and were exposed due to activity along the infamous San Andreas Fault. The name comes from local bandit Tiburcio Vasquez, who took refuge in that area from 1873 to 1874.

The setting of the Vasquez Rocks in the Star Trek episode “Arena” has made those rock formations iconic. But it is not an exaggeration to say that this place is a “rock star” having appeared in so many film and television productions. The “Arena” episode from 1967 was just the first time the rocks had starred in Star Trek. The location was used in Star Trek the Next Generation, Star Trek Voyager, as well as other Star Trek movies and as the planet Vulcan in JJ Abrams’ 2009 Star Trek movie. From the earliest Westerns to episodes of The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits, this desert paradise has been home to so many film and TV productions, it should have its own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Wayward Nerd visited the formations to marvel at their beauty and, of course, to take our own photos. For any nerdy traveler, I can’t stress enough how important it is to bring three things with you when visiting the Vasquez Rocks:

2. A camera

3. A Star Trek item to include in your photos

While many choose to bring Star Trek props or uniforms, we brought with us a custom Star Trek LEGO figure of Captain Kirk and an alien to accompany us on our journey. Our tiny companions made quite the stunning models on our adventure.

Before venturing to the canyon itself, take some time to explore the visitor center. There, you will find an impressive scale model of the entire valley along with displays that tell stories of the park’s rich history. There’s also a gift shop in the visitor center where Star Trek items are for sale. Be sure to sign the guest book on the way out where you may even find some famous names. Helpful park rangers are more than happy to answer all your questions, even the nerdy ones.

It’s difficult to describe the feelings you experience upon walking through this famous natural landmark. As a film fan, I can’t help but become giddy at discovering and remembering all the movies in which this park played an integral role—from “Planet of the Apes” to “One Million B.C.” to “The Flintstones” to “Galaxy Quest” to the indie film classic “Free Enterprise” and so many more. If you have the time to take screen captures of the famous Kirk versus Gorn scene from Star Trek, you can even locate the exact spot where William Shatner stood when he found the alien beast.

There is no fee to visit the Vasquez Rocks and you’ll find ample parking. According to the official site, the park is open from sunrise to sunset with seasonal hours listed. I cannot stress how important it is that you bring water as you will truly be surrounded by desert and nothing else. I would also advise calling ahead to be sure that your exploration is not limited by any film or TV productions that may be present, which actually happened on the day we visited. Lucky for us, they hadn’t started shooting yet, so we were able to continue our journey.

Travel safe… and live long and prosper.

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park

10700 West Escondido Canyon Road

Aqua Dulce, CA  91350

661-268-0840

http://parks.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/dpr/Parks/Vasquez_Rocks_Natural_Area

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Scout The Scene : Vasquez Rocks

In the original Star Trek series, Kirk battles the Gorn in the ‘Arena’ episode (first aired January 19th, 1967). Kirk battled the creature on this foreign alien looking planet with a darn near iconic rock formation. Turns out that alien looking planet was filmed less than an hour from Downtown Los Angeles.

How Do You Know These Rocks? From TV, Of Course!

Universal Pictures in 1935 assigned Stanley Bergerman as the executive producer of Werewolf of London . Bergerman suggested to use Vasquez Rocks to play Tibet. Since then the location as been in movies, television shows, and film/print commercials.

The rock formation prominently in the 1950s and 1960s in western TV shows that were popular in that time.

Showing up in shows like Outer Limits and multiple episodes of Star Trek (acting as multiple planets), the Rocks were just the science fiction scene-scape needs to ignite the imagination.

My first exposure to these rocks was in 1993 with The Mighty Morphing Power Rangers .  The giant rock formation served as home base for the Rangers and Zordon. As a kid and on t.v. these rocks looked massive. But again the rocks looked not earthly.

Flintstones used the location for Bedrock in the 1994 Flintstones  movie, building a full town on the site.

In 1999 The WB show, Roswell , used Vasquez Rocks as the base of their operations/where the aliens came out of their pods as children. The rock formation was supposed to play Roswell, New Mexico. That’s when I became obsessed with these things. I was obsessed with the show, and going to these giant rock formations got added to my bucket list.

Since then Vasquez Rocks have been used in Big Bang Theory , Westworld , New Girl , Teen Wolf , the new Star Trek movies, Hail, Caesar , and much more. If you watch television or movies you’ve seen these rocks.

Non-Movie History

The formation was created 25 million years ago when collision of tectonic plates uplifted along fault lines. It’s mainly course-grained conglomerate and breccia sediment. This is all really scientific and Wikipedia does a better job explaining than me.

Here’s what you need to know: land smashed together a long time ago and created a really pretty place. I felt like I needed to give some scientific background (because science fiction is science at the core).

Multiple Native American tribes lived in this area and around these rocks.

The rocks got their name after Tiburico Vasquez, one of California’s most notorious bandits, used these rocks to hide out from law enforcement between the years 1873-1874.

In 1972 Vasquez Rocks were added to the National Register of Historic Places because of the cultural significance as a prehistoric site to the Shoshone and Tataviam people.

The Actual Hike and the Good Stuff

Does it feel like I’m giving a lot of history and not a lot of passion? These rocks are so historical and significant to so many people I feel like I need to give you that history lesson. To get to Vasquez Rocks you first need get to California, then you get to Highway 14 and into Agua Dulce (yep sweet water in Spanish). You will see signs on the freeway to get to it (and in all fairness you will see the rocks from the freeway.). The directions are fairly straight forward. You will follow the signs until you get there, driving by some ranches and studio ranches.

Once you get to the actual park, park your car at the visitor’s center. The park is open from sunrise to sunset daily. The visitor’s center is open 0800 until 5pm, but is closed on Mondays. The water fountain is here, so make sure you pack your own water if you are there when the visitor’s center is closed (making sure everyone is aware).

Bring water with you either way, it gets hot. The visitor’s center is this really cool building that shows the history and all the cool bits about the park. The visitor’s center also offers guided hikes by the rangers, so if you are into that please check out the park’s website for more information on that.

After you go see the goodies at the visitor’s center, you get to hike. The park has 932 acres of land with trails to go through it all. If you want to see Vasquez Rocks, you will see the signs. It’s about a mile and change hike to Vasquez Rocks and her sister rock formation Friday’s Child. It’s kind of hilly and you need to watch out for rattlesnakes (not kidding. I wore knee socks), but it’s not a horrible hike. Kids can hike it.

Once you get to the rocks coming from the visitor’s center, on your right is the famous rocks. You know them. They are about 153 feet high at their highest and you can explore them up as high as you can hike (I didn’t because I’m clumsy and I was alone). On the left hand side is a really awesome rock formation called Friday’s Child.

I know Vasquez is iconic and dramatic with the sharp angles it jumps out of the ground at, but honestly I think Friday’s Child is more beautiful. But that’s me. Here you can set up a picnic, stage a sci-fi western photo shoot, whatever.

This hike is very manageable for someone out of shape or isn’t in the best shape. I packed my inhaler and a bottle of water. I wore new hiking boots, because I am an idiot.

Part of the Vasquez Rocks trail is also part of the Pacific Crest Trail, which is a legendary 2659 mile trail that goes from Mexico to Canada/British Columbia. Legendary. If you saw/read/heard about Wild that’s the hike the woman used to hike her crazy out.

My Personal Journey To The Rock

I’ve had Vasquez Rocks and seeing these rocks on my “bucket list” since I was 19.

I’ve wanted to see them and hike around them. They were so beautiful and mysterious I was drawn to seeing them. I figured I grew up seeing them, I should go visit them. Hiking at least part of the Pacific Crest Trail was also on the bucket list. But you guys know how it is, you put things off for a “better time.”

Two years ago my mentor at work died suddenly.

She was 55 years old. She had a full list on her bucket list, and kept putting things off until a “better time.” Excuses like “when I lose weight I can wear that,” or “when I retire.”

This really shook me to the core.

Two months later I boarded a cruise boat out of Vancouver BC, headed to Southern California to see my folks. I packed a bikini (because bucket list!), I began to check things off my bucket list. I road-tripped up California, Oregon, and Washington by myself (bucket list!), and did a pit stop to see these rocks. They were on my list for so long, I needed to see them.

Up Close They Are Smaller

They jut out of the earth at a 50 degree angle and you wonder how they can stay that way for 25 million years. They are gorgeous. I really felt small in the universe because (and I’m sorry if this offends anyone) God created these fantastical rock formation that have beauty and grace.

But then again if God created these rocks and created me (and all of us), there is something kind of magical and awesome in that. Maybe it was just me and the head space I was in. I cried. Walking even the smallest part of the PCT you feel part of something bigger. All the men and women, who have hiked where you are, what head spaces they were in…

It is really just a cool experience that I hope anyone who reads this and has wanted to see these rocks: please do. They are a part of film and television history, and just awesome.

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Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Vasquez rocks: the most important pile of rocks in motion picture history.

Tiburcio Vasquez vows vengeance against Anglos after his sister Dolores is killed. Matt and Frankie try to stop his years of terror in Southern California after a railroad agent is killed with the help of the local padre.

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Vasquez Rocks

Star trek (1966 - 1969).

Want to know more about Vasquez Rocks in , United States as seen in Star Trek starring William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy and DeForest Kelley? Just start scrolling.

Captain Kirk battles a seemingly indestructible green lizard called a Gorn. (Episode 1.18)

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LOCATION DETAILS

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park is a 932-acre (377-hectare) park located in the Sierra Pelona Mountains in northern Los Angeles County, California. It is widely known for distinctive rock formations, the result of sedimentary layering and later seismic uplift. Its repeated use as a filming location – especially for Star Trek – have given it the nickname Kirk's Rock. These rock formations were formed by rapid erosion during uplift about 25 million years ago. Vasquez Rocks are named for the outlaw Tiburcio Vasquez, bandit who used the rocks as his hideout.

(source Wikipedia)

William Shatner

Space. The Final Frontier. The U.S.S. Enterprise embarks on a five year mission to explore the galaxy. The Enterprise is under the command of Captain James T. Kirk with First Officer Mr. Spock, from the planet Vulcan. With a determined crew, the Enterprise encounters Klingons, Romulans, time paradoxes, tribbles and genetic supermen led by Khan Noonian Singh. Their mission is to explore strange new worlds, to seek new life and new civilizations, and to boldly go where no man has gone before.

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Rock Star: The True Story of the Vasquez Rocks

Posted on Published: April 30, 2013  - Last updated: August 29, 2015

Well, Sound on Sight’s Locations Month is coming to a close. A lot of good articles about iconic locations have gone up. But there’s one left. The big one. One of the most iconic and enduring locations in both film and television.

That’s right kiddies, it’s time to talk about the Vasquez Rocks.

The rocks took their name from Tiburcio Vásquez, who was either a brave freedom fighter crusading against the oppressive white man or a thieving, murderous outlaw depending on who you ask. Vásquez was active around the 1870s and used the rocks as one of many hideouts to evade the law. At the height of his infamy, Vásquez was known as the “Scourge of California”. Just let that sink in.

The first use of the Vasquez rocks in film is…hard to ascertain. Around the same time in 1931, two films were released that featured the rocks: The Hard Hombre , a b-western by The Allied Pictures Corporation, a briefly lived b-studio, and the original version of Dracula starring Bela Lugosi. Both films were released in Feburary 1931, and which one filmed there first is one of those mysteries for the ages hardcore film dorks will probably argue about till the end of time.

Over the next several years, the rocks would play host to several other Western and Horror shoots, including The Werewolf of London (1935) which was actually the first mainstream werewolf movie, predating Lon Chaney’s turn as the wolfman by six years. Later in 1931, the rocks would also play host to scenes from The Texas Ranger , starring b-western legend Buck Jones (guy made an average of six b-westerns a year between 1914 and 1942).

Why were the rocks so popular? Well, location is definitely a factor. Located a few hours drive from Los Angeles, the rocks are a fairly easy to access location. Plus, well….they look really cool. Jutting out of the ground about 150 feet high at a 45 degree angle, the rocks look iconic, unique and memorable. And cool…also cool.

Then in 1976 everything changed. The pop culture iconography of the Vasquez Rocks took on a whole new dimension, courtesy of a Montreal actor stage fighting badly with a guy in a rubber lizard suit, and a little show called Star Trek.

The classic Star Trek: The Original Series episode Arena filmed partially at Vasquez aired in July of 1976, and used the rocks as the backdrop for Captain Kirk’s now endlessly parodied battle with the Gorn captain. Since then, the rocks have become indelibly linked with Star Trek and nerd culture in general. To date, every Star Trek series has filmed at least once at the rocks, with the exception of Deep Space 9 , because that show didn’t play by anyone’s rules but its own. The rocks are now so much a part of the visual language of Star Trek that JJ Abrams created the digital background for the planet Vulcan in his 2011 movie entirely out of the Vasquez Rocks, repeated ad infinitum. Seriously. Whole planet’s just the Vasquez Rocks going on and on forever. Or was, until Eric Bana blew it up (Spoiler alert).

The scene has been affectionately parodied at the rocks in movies including Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey (1991) , Galaxy Quest (1999) and Paul (2011), and the rocks have become one of many stops on most Trekkies favorite tourist spots, and on-screen Star Trek fans have made the trek (see what I did there?) to the rocks in shows like The Big Bang Theory and movies like Free Enterprise (1998)

The Star Trek connection caused the popularity of the rocks to skyrocket and the distinctive peaks have become a staple of film and tv iconography ever since, with the sometimes named “Gorn Rocks” appearing in movies like Jingle All the Way (1996), Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001), Blazing Saddles (1974), Army of Darkness (1993), Austin Powers (1997), Hell Comes to Frog Town (1987) and Short Circuit (1986).

In the world of recurring outdoor locations, the Vasquez Rocks are either the king or the guy standing just behind the king ready to knife him in the back. Sorta like the Dick Miller of locations, the image of the rocks is probably familiar to many film and TV buffs, but probably often goes unappreciated and unnamed except for “oh, it’s….that place!”. But now you, the lucky Sound on Sight reader, know the full story. Now just imagine if we could get Dick Miller to film ON the Vasquez Rocks. The universe would probably explode just from how familiar it all is.

Custom photo by Iana Ka, with many thanks

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Vasquez Rocks County Park – Star Trek Film Location

Hiking Highlight

Recommended by 8 hikers

Location: Los Angeles County , California , United States

The County Park features some stunning rock formations created by the San Andreas Fault. It is no surprise that dozens of movies and TV series have been filmed out here. The Vasquez Rocks were used as background for Star Trek, Planet of the Apes, MacGyver, Bonanza, The Lone Ranger and Twilight Zone. Since this is a famous spot, you will find some water spigots with potable water as well as pit toilets.

May 3, 2020

The Pacific Crest Trail crosses here through the Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park. Nicknamed Kirk's Rock for its many appearances in popular culture it is a 932-acre (377-hectare) park located in the Sierra Pelona Mountains in northern Los Angeles County, south of the town center of Agua Dulce. These rock formations were formed by rapid erosion during uplift about 25 million years ago, and then later exposed by uplift activity along the San Andreas Fault. The Tataviam people were living here when the Spanish arrived. Their language was most likely a Takic Uto-Aztecan language. They lived in grass huts within villages. With the coming of the Spanish missions, some of these people were forced to work there. They eventually began speaking Spanish and inter-marrying with other tribes. The last of the Tataviam people died in 1916. In 1874, Tiburcio Vásquez, one of California's most notorious bandits, used these rocks to elude capture by law enforcement. His name has since been associated with this geologic feature. The land and rock formations were acquired gradually by Los Angeles County, beginning with a donation of 40 acres in 1971, with more parcels being added through 2001. Vasquez Rocks was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 because of its significance as a prehistoric site for the Shoshone and Tataviam peoples. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasquez_Rocks

May 4, 2020

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Shimmering Soon at the Otherworldly Vasquez Rocks: a Free Star Party

You can byot or enjoy the organizers' telescopes at the all-ages evening., by alysia gray painter • published february 16, 2023 • updated on february 16, 2023 at 12:55 pm, what to know.

• Saturday, Feb. 18 from 5 to 10 p.m.
• Free and open to all ages
• Participants are welcome to bring a telescope or peek through the telescopes provided by the event's organizers

Update: This event may be canceled due to weather; check first before attending.

What constellations, planets, and stars might be viewed while visiting Vasquez Rocks, the famous and striking formation that can be found just off Highway 14 in Agua Dulce, not too far from Santa Clarita?

That depends, of course, if you're talking about the celestial bodies that may be viewed from the cinematic version of the Vasquez Rocks or from the in-real-life formation as it appears on our planet.

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For the otherworldly location is something of a movie star — the formations have been seen a few times in various "Star Trek" properties — giving them an additional layer of cosmic, super-cool credibility.

And while we're not sure of the fanciful sci-fi worlds that can be seen from the movie version of the natural landmark, we do know that the Vasquez Rocks Star Party will look to the stars and sky that we might detect from our earthly vantage point.

The evening event will welcome astronomy aficionados, and anyone wanting a sublime and somewhat surreal space to observe the sky, on Saturday, Feb. 18.

It all begins at 5 o'clock, children are welcome, and paying admission? It's all free, a galactic gift to the community from LA County Parks & Recreation, The Local Group Astronomy Club of Santa Clarita, and the Vasquez Rocks Nature Center Associates.

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Have a telescope? Strap that to your starship and bring it along, if you like.

Hoping to peek through a telescope? There will be some dotting the gorgeous grounds, courtesy of the organizers.

Adding to the ethereal affair? "Experienced astronomy volunteers" will be there to describe what you're seeing and answer your universe-based questions.

Well, maybe not what the temperature is on Vulcan, where Tribbles come from, or if the Enterprise can fly backward.

But getting to set your own landing gear down at a stunning setting, a place seen in "Star Trek" and other iconic, out-there films and TV shows, is something plenty of people might cross the Solar System for, if they had access to a saucer or rocket.

No saucer is required, though: Vasquez Rocks Natural Area is right here in Southern California, and ready to star in its very own star party, one that's free and open to all.

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