Paramount Ranch has been a special place in film history since 1927, and it’s the National Park Service’s only site dedicated to interpreting American film history. What makes it unique is that it’s still a working movie ranch where you can actually watch filmmaking in progress while exploring the landscape that made Hollywood magic happen.

The property spans thousands of acres of varied terrain—chaparral, riparian areas, and rare valley oak savannah. You’ll find several miles of easy to moderate scenic hikes, most named after the TV shows and films shot here. Hikers, equestrians, and mountain bikers all use these multi-use trails. Dogs are allowed on leash at all times, kept to no more than six feet, because of the wildlife living in the area. Keep your eyes open for red-tailed hawks, acorn woodpeckers, coyotes, and deer. The valley oak savannah is particularly worth noting—it’s a rare ecosystem that may become extinct within decades due to climate change, so seeing it preserved here matters.

In 1927, Paramount Pictures purchased 2,700 acres of the old Rancho Las Virgenes as a movie ranch. For the next 25 years, the who’s who of Hollywood worked here: director Cecil B. DeMille, and actors like Bob Hope, Gary Cooper, and Claudette Colbert. The landscape itself became the real star. Filmmakers used these varied vistas to create distant locales—colonial Massachusetts for The Maid of Salem, ancient China for The Adventures of Marco Polo, South Seas islands, and countless western towns including a recreation of San Francisco for Wells Fargo.

The 2018 Woolsey Fire damaged many of the old structures, but restoration work is ongoing. You’ll see the landscape recovering alongside the rebuilt sets, which gives you a real sense of both Hollywood history and California’s natural resilience. Bring plenty of water for you and your dog—the trails can get exposed and hot, especially in summer.