Paramount Ranch

A trail to the right follows trees and rolling hills with a mountain view in the background
Medicine Woman Trail gives sweeping views of open grassland with mature valley live oaks located near Western Town.
 
 

Paramount Ranch offers opportunities to learn about film history while spending time in the beautiful environment. Several miles of easy to moderate scenic hikes meander 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, coyotes, and deer. Be on the lookout for our two native oak species—coast live oak and valley oak. Experience the rare valley oak savannah and be transported to far off destinations.

When Paramount Pictures leased the ranch in 1927, they began an era of film production that continues today. You can experience the area where Bob Hope starred in “Caught in the Draft” (1941) and Jane Seymour had the leading role in “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman” (1993-1998). In the 1950s, Western Town was created for television shows, such as “The Cisco Kid” (1950-1956). More recent productions at Paramount include HBO’s “Westworld” (2016-2017) and “American Sniper” (2014). Read more about Paramount: Past, Present, and Future.

In November 2018, the Woolsey Fire swept through Paramount Ranch and destroyed much of what was known as Western Town. The train depot used in the “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman” series and the chapel used in HBO’s “Westworld” survived the fire and remain on site.

Construction to replace some of what was lost at Paramount Ranch will begin in spring 2023 and wrap-up in fall 2024. The Ranch and its hiking trails will remain open during construction, but visitors will be diverted around the construction closure.

 

Activities

  • Hiking
  • Picnicking
  • Mountain Biking
  • Horseback Riding
  • Dog walking
  • Wildlife Viewing

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.

Site Map

Paramount Ranch

Good to Know

Parking

Yes

Ample parking everywhere.

Restrooms

Yes

Water

Yes

Pets

Yes

Dogs are allowed but must remain on a leash, not to exceed 6 feet, at all times. Please pick ­up after your dog.

Cell Service

Yes/No

Depends on cell service provider. Unreliable cell service in the backcountry.

 

Additional History about Paramount Ranch

The Paramount Pictures Era

When Paramount Pictures leased the ranch in 1927, they began a historic era of film production. You can experience the area where Claudette Colbert was sentenced as a witch in 1692 Massachusetts in "Maid of Salem" (1937). Bob Hope played the part of a vain movie star whose biggest fear is to be drafted into the U.S. Army in "Caught in the Draft" (1941).


A veritable "who's who" of Hollywood practiced their craft here for almost a century. From actors Gary Cooper, W.C. Fields, Marlene Dietrich, and many more!

The diverse landscape, however, was the real star of the show. It offered filmmakers the freedom to create distant locales such as colonial Massachusetts to 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 moviemaking 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.

Hertz Era Western Town

An ardent fan of movie westerns, Hertz 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., and it closed 18 months later after two fatal crashes occurred 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.

National Park Service Purchases Paramount Ranch

After purchasing a portion of the original Paramount property in 1980, the National Park Service revitalized the old movie ranch.

In the early 1990s, Jane Seymour and Joe Lando captured hearts in "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman" (1993-1998), a television show that used Paramount Ranch as their permanent, everyday set. Members of the public would often camp out for the day and watch the show get created in real-time!

More recent productions at Paramount include "The Lake House" (2006) starring Sandra Bullock, HBO's "Westworld" (2016-2017), and "American Sniper" (2014). Find a more detailed list of films and TV shows filmed at Paramount below.

 

 
A wooden bridge welcomes you into an old western town
The famous Western Town, lost during the 2018 Woolsey Fire, consisted of historic buildings from the Paramount Era, as well as sets constructed from the 1950s Hertz Era through the 1980s and 1990s.
 
an illustrated film strip atop a photo of a western town
Paramount: Past, Present, and Future

Lights, camera, action! The story from beginning to end.

Burned housing structure with a fireplace in the center.
2018 Woolsey Fire

Learn about the Woolsey Fire, which burned almost 100,000 acres of land and changed the park.

Last updated: December 5, 2023

Contact Info

Mailing Address:

26876 Mulholland Highway
Calabasas, CA 91302

Phone:

805 370-2301

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