# Re ST TOS- What were those scrubby hills they used for most "planetside" shots? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 6, 2006, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-st-tos-what-were-those-scrubby-hills-they-used-for-most-planetside-shots/338805 "2006-01-06T22:12:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-st-tos-what-were-those-scrubby-hills-they-used-for-most-planetside-shots/338805/1 "2006-01-06T22:12:35Z")
Apparently 90% of all human habitable plants look [like this](http://sttos.epguides.info/ViewImage.asp?ID=3178) outside. They must have used these scrubby hills for 70% of all rugged terrain “planet-side” shots. Where were they actually located? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-st-tos-what-were-those-scrubby-hills-they-used-for-most-planetside-shots/338805/2 "2006-01-06T22:18:38Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-st-tos-what-were-those-scrubby-hills-they-used-for-most-planetside-shots/338805/3 "2006-01-06T22:24:18Z")
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_. ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-st-tos-what-were-those-scrubby-hills-they-used-for-most-planetside-shots/338805/4 "2006-01-06T22:25:38Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Just1Lurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c0e974/32.png) [@Just1Lurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just1Lurk)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-st-tos-what-were-those-scrubby-hills-they-used-for-most-planetside-shots/338805/5 "2006-01-06T22:51:57Z")
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 M_A_S\*H was filmed somewhere else, though. ---
**Author:** ![Just1Lurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c0e974/32.png) [@Just1Lurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just1Lurk)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2006, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-st-tos-what-were-those-scrubby-hills-they-used-for-most-planetside-shots/338805/6 "2006-01-06T22:56:22Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-st-tos-what-were-those-scrubby-hills-they-used-for-most-planetside-shots/338805/7 "2006-01-07T00:02:15Z")
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](http://parks.co.la.ca.us/vasquez_narea.html). 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](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasquez_Rocks) on the park. _M_A_S_H\* 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. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-st-tos-what-were-those-scrubby-hills-they-used-for-most-planetside-shots/338805/8 "2006-01-07T00:13:49Z")
> [@Just1Lurk](#): > > I was referring to \*\*carnivorousplant’s \*\* post and the Gorn episode - I don’t see no big lizards… Thanks! Is there a parking lot near the particular ridge? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-st-tos-what-were-those-scrubby-hills-they-used-for-most-planetside-shots/338805/9 "2006-01-07T00:18:08Z")
And I got the film wrong. Bill and Ted’s [Bogus Journey](http://www.vb-h.net/dvd/billtedbj05.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2006, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-st-tos-what-were-those-scrubby-hills-they-used-for-most-planetside-shots/338805/10 "2006-01-07T00:42:47Z")
Between “The Twilight Zone”, “Star Trek” and “Firefly”, it’s amazing how many planets look like California.