Today I’m excited to take you to a local spot with a movie magic background and a bright future. Join me for a gentle hike at Paramount Ranch. The ranch offers miles of easy to moderate hiking, and is a popular place for mountain biking and horseback riding as well.

History

In 1927 Paramount Pictures purchased 2,700 acres of the old Rancho Las Virgenes to use as a “movie ranch” during Hollywood’s golden age. It welcomed film greats such as Cecil B DeMille, Bob Hope, and Gary Cooper. In 1953 William Hertz, an avid western movie fan, bought the southeast section of the ranch and built a permanent “Western Town” with the old movie prop sheds. From 1957-1980 the ranch passed though multiple owners while filming continued…and in 1980 the National Park Service purchased the land and renovated the property, which went on to star as Colorado Springs from 1992-1998 in Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, and more recently in the HBO series Westworld.

Woolsey Fire

In the early morning hours of November 9th 2018, the Woolsey Fire tore through the Santa Monica Mountains, and within a matter of hours over 30 structures and decades of movie history went up in flames. Only two structures survived the blaze–the old train depot and the much loved chapel. I am pleased to share that not all is lost though…in fact, plans are already underway to restore Hollywood’s Western Town within the original town’s footprint. If you’d like more information on how you can support the restoration, click here.

Know before you go

• While most of the buildings on the property burned in the Thomas Fire and are in the process of rebuilding, the grounds are still lovely to walk and explore, Just watch for signs about trail closures.

• Western Town is open to the public from 8am to sunset, 7 days a week.

• Dogs are allowed on trails when kept on a 6’ leash.

• Stay on established trails to avoid ticks and poison oak, and watch for snakes and wasps among other wildlife.

• See a full ranch map here

• Please be considerate of the Leave no Trace Principles to help keep this place beautiful.

In Summary & Behind the blog

Thanks for joining me today at Paramount Ranch. For more information see my behind the blog video below…and until next week, I hope you find adventure and encouragement wherever you go.

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