Re ST TOS- What were those scrubby hills they used for most "planetside" shots?

Cafe Society
1

Apparently 90% of all human habitable plants look like this outside. They must have used these scrubby hills for 70% of all rugged terrain “planet-side” shots. Where were they actually located?

2

That’s actually what a lot of California looks like, particularly southern california. One of its best-kept secrets is that most of the state is a freaking desert.

So, you just leave town and drive east for an hour or two so there’s not a cellphone tower or a Starbucks in the background, and suddenly you’re on Mars.

3

Near Los Angeles? The ridge in the Gorn episode is now near a parking lot it is said. It was featured in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure.

4

Most planetside shots of alien worlds took place in the same California semi-desert that hosted Lucas McCain (“The Rifleman”, the Cartwright boys, and Hawkeye & gang on MASH.

5

It’s Vasquez Rocks, a national or state park or something like that. Batman, The Wild, Wild, West, Star Trek - It was the preferred location for '60’s TV.

I think MAS*H was filmed somewhere else, though.

6

Oops, sorry. I was referring to **carnivorousplant’s ** post and the Gorn episode - I don’t know where the shot the OP is talking about is from, except it’s almost certainly southern California.

7

The episode Arena (based on an old science fiction short story called Arena written by Frederik Brown and published in 1944; placed in the Science Fiction Hall of Fame) was shot at a location now known as the Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park. It is owned by the County of Los Angeles, acquired by them in the 1970’s. I used to drive by it all the time on my way from my home as a child in the Indian Wells Valley to the Los Angeles area; the Antelope Valley Freeway (State Hwy. 14) goes right by it.

Here is a pretty good article at at Wikipedia on the park.
MASH* was filmed at Fox Ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains west of Los Angeles. I believe it is now part of Malibu Creek State Park.

8

I don’t see no big lizards…
Thanks!
Is there a parking lot near the particular ridge?

9

And I got the film wrong.
Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey

10

Between “The Twilight Zone”, “Star Trek” and “Firefly”, it’s amazing how many planets look like California.