Selected Motion Pictures Filmed in State Parks
State Parks have been the site of some notable entertainment projects. Hollywood has converted our locales into Cape Cod, Tarzan's jungles, the Planet of the Apes and many more far flung sites, as well as the expected Old West. Over 150 motion pictures have been filmed in Red Rock Canyon State Park locations, including blockbusters like Jurassic Park. Some of the many motion pictures filmed in State Parks are listed below.
I Know Who Killed Me
In this 2007 movie, an idyllic small town is rocked when Lindsey Lohan’s character is abducted in this Tri Star Pictures release. Directed by Chris Siverton, portions were filmed in San Luis Obispo and San Simeon State Park.
Scorpion King
The Scorpion King was a 2002 film starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Kelly Hu. Directed by Chuck Russell, the film was a spin-off prequel to The Mummy series and portions were filmed in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
Vin Diesel’s Triple-X
This 2002 action movie featured Vin Diesel and was marketed as a James Bond style film, featuring similar gadgetry and elaborate stunts. One of the film’s major stunts was a Corvette automobile jump filmed at the Foresthill Bridge in Auburn State Recreation Area.
Outbreak
The 1995 suspense film featured Dustin Hoffman and Morgan Freeman, was directed by Wolfgang Petersen, and focused on an outbreak of a virus. Its primary settings included the fictional town of Cedar Creek (
Jurassic Park
The 1993 science fiction film directed by Steven Spielberg was based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. This motion picture used Red Rock Canyon State Park and locations in the North Coast Redwoods State Parks District among its many filming locations.
A Few Good Men
This 1992 film was adapted from a Broadway play, written by Aaron Sorkin, and featured blockbuster performances by Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson and Demi Moore. Produced and directed by Rob Reiner, portions were filmed in Crystal Cove State Park.
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
In the Leonard Nimoy directed 1986 film, Kirk and his crew must go back in time to save Earth from an alien probe and retrieve beings who can communicate with it, humpback whales. The crew lands a ‘Bird of Prey’ warship in what is Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. Actually, the Golden Gate Park in the movie is the polo field at Will Rogers State Historic Park in Pacific Palisades.
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
The 1983 American Space Opera film was directed by Richard Marquand and written by George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan. It was the third film released in the Star Wars Saga. The now classic “Speeder Chase” portion of the movie was filmed in Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park. The movie used Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park and Patrick's Point State Park for location scenes. Other movies in the film series also used California State Park locations.
Westworld
In this 1973 action, sci-fi thriller, "Westworld" is an amusement park for rich vacationers. The park provides its customers a way to live out their fantasies. Two vacationers choose a wild west adventure and are stalked by a rogue robot gun-slinger (Yul Brynner) throughout various locations in Red Rock Canyon State Park.
M*A*S*H
For the 1970 movie, directed by Robert Altman, and the acclaimed CBS television series with Alan Alda (1972-1983), the 'South Korean' tent encampment was built on a Twentieth Century Fox Movie lot in Malibu Creek State Park.
Planet of the Apes
A number of scenes of the 1968 movie were filmed in Malibu Creek State Park. The classic final scene was filmed on the beach of Point Dume State Beach.