Vasquez Rocks Natural Area and Nature Center

Well this was an absolutely fabulous hiking experience for all to enjoy there are many things to do rock climbing motor biking gorgeous hiking trails scenic picnic and camping areas and a nature center to explore the vast history. Many landmarks along the way number four on the list is the witch's hat you go right through the back door of the center and just under half a mile you'll be there for your photo shoot even saw plenty of dogs way high up on the rocks and even a baby in a backpack local biker club n plenty of families solos friends tourists something for everyone in this glorious outdoor wonderland! Oh and there's a water station inside the center if your out there are posted heat warnings that say limited shade but there's plenty of rock formations you can cool down underneath if need be bring sunblock my fine friends and happy exploring!

Beautiful park for a hike. Wide variety of trails of different levels of difficulty. Trails are all well marked and there are maps all around the park so almost no way to get lost. Easy to spend the better part of a day just in the park experiencing the different areas and viewpoints. The visitor's center was full of informative displays (historical, natural, etc) and the onsite staff were very knowledgeable. Restrooms were clean and well maintained. Plenty of parking, either by the entrance or closer to the rocks.

A Hidden Gem in the Desert An absolute must-see! Stunning rock formations and a breathtaking landscape — it almost feels purposefully designed. Be sure to wear long pants and bring a hat! It gets hot, and you might encounter snakes or other fascinating creatures. The visitor center is small but well-curated, and you can learn a lot about the area’s history. Parking is free.

Brought the family here and the kids loved being able to see the lizards running running around in thier homes when we first came in. I have been to Vasquez many times but never saw the visitor center. When I first came in the center was really nice on the inside better than I expected it to be and they showed the different types of animals and history of animals and past indigenous peoples that had lived within the area. The associates they're really nice and even took us to another room where they showed us a wolf and eagle taxidermies as well as tools that were used of the indigenous peoples during their time. Though I do wish there was more history on Vazquez and his posse during those times. Besides that we loved climbing the Rocks there and seeing art inscribed in those rocks from past indigenous people, really enjoyed our experience of being there.

Great park. Close to freeway access (4 mins from the 14). It has different trails. Make sure to bring water because shaded areas are scarce. You’ll see beautiful rock formations. it’s a wonderful landscape for the geologist, hiker, student, learner, etc

What a great museum showing history of the people and films Hollywood made there. Awesome rock formations and desert vegetation. Great hike on clean trails. Part of the Pacific Crest Trail.

There are bathrooms in this area and a gift shop that opens at 11 am. There are many trails, little difficult to navigate them even with the posts. But overall a beauty of a place to hike in. There is plenty of parking. I recommend to bring plenty of water and snacks. . Be careful with the snakes in the area and rattle snakes. You can see some wild cats here If you are lucky. . Informational booth area has wild animals on display and wonderful artifacts from local indigenous groups.

Vasquez Rocks Natural Park is a hidden treasure to visit and hike. Great place to take pictures. I highly recommend that you visit this unique park.

Free to enter, stunning park with a rich history. One can even experience the beauty by just driving to one of the many parking lots each with another unique back drop. Port a potties were port a plenty! And I found some Filming and Photography rules posted there lol (see attached pic I posted.)

nice "easy" hike. Good to get out and hit the trail on. It can be easy to get lost so be cautious about the directions you take or just let your partner lead the way to blame if the route ends up being incorrect, lol. Very scenic. Peaceful hike.

Cool place to hike with friends and family or even alone. Cool views and the mountain peak and red dirt gives a Utah feeling. Loved it.

What a hidden gem! This park is giving baby Joshua Tree vibes in the best way! With great views, well-marked trails, plenty of scrambling and hiking opportunities, plus an awesome interpretive center (with real bathrooms and a cool gift shop!), not too mention its super close to the Santa Clarita area, Vazquez Rocks is a great bang for your buck. I have thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon hikes here and think it's a great place to bring out-of-towners without having to drive too far from LA or climb up a dangerous mountain. I find that the longest loop is the most scenic and provides enough of a moderately steep incline to get your steps in and get your blood going! 10/10 recommend.

A magical piece of the planet that has hosted tons and tons of TV, film and photographic happenings. The silent film era covered it often and kept on attracting more visitors its tge location for the Flintstones feature film. A project I was called on to shoot was with an amazing mini movie for a company called GlamGlow.

So gorgeous. So much has been invested in this county park. A gorgeous place to visit and hike.

We love this area. The rocks are awesome and lots of parking close to the most popular areas. Our dogs loved it as much as we did but note that the trails are not always as well marked as I wanted to navigate around.

This is a beautiful area with a lot of parking! The majority of the paths we took were fairly flat, though with loose sand terrain. I found it similar to walking on a beach. There is a small picnic area as well as a lovely visitor area just to the right of the entrance. There are fully accessible bathrooms and air conditioning in this visitor center, as well as maps. Be prepared - there is little to no shade. Make sure to bring plenty of water and sunscreen!

I went to Vazquez Rocks recently. It was nice. I got flyers and a map from the visitor center before exploring the area. I climbed some rock formations for a bit. I walked some trails, including the PCT. Some of the signage for trails was confusing.

Nice trails, clean park and great information center with fun activities and live animals.

This place is beautiful. Crazy how something could be so close but you never had the chance to experience it. Well, this was one of them. Just going for the scenery alone is worth it. Just a little drive from the 14 fwy and yours instantly welcome into a whole different setting. The beautiful rocks formations and many hiking trails. Park does close at a certain time and parking can be limited. I believe there was a lot at the beginning, one along the road and then a there a main one towards the middle of the area. The trails are marked and pretty easy. The rocks are steep but manageable. Juts be cautious when climbing them. But once on top, the view is amazing. It does get pretty busy. A nice little day outing, hiking and so on. I remember seeing post of many wedding, engagement and photo sessions happening here. A beautiful place if you haven't been.

This review is for Vasquez Rocks Trail which was a ~3.3 miles round trip that took ~1.5 hours to complete. Trail was wide for the most part with some narrow sections. A few steep inclines throughout the trail. Follow the trail posts! Stunning views from beginning to end! Free parking inside the park or outside on the street. If you're lazy to walk a short distance to the rocks, you can actually park next to the rocks. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/LV29ErBaZUM

Amazing experience! We went last Saturday--even with a bit of rain and gloomy skies, the rock formations were stunning. Perfect spot for photos and a peaceful walk. Highly recommend!

This is such an amazing place! Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park is HUGE (a 932-acre park) located in the Sierra Pelona Mountains. There's lots of hikes, camping, the staff at the info center are really great & informative and a cool tidbit is there's a rich Hollywood history - TV & movies filming here (John Wayne, Lone Ranger, Blazing Saddles, Planet of the Apes, Flintstones, etc)! Only 30-40 min from LA and a really great day experience! FYI: stick to the trails and bring plenty of water!

Stopped by on 09/16/23 for the first time. I've actually never heard of this place before surprisingly and after googling this place, this is a very well-known and popular filming spot for notable movies such as Star Trek! Remember to bring a hat and comfy hiking shoes. Also water and sun screen! The trails are a bit difficult to navigate as there are multiple different pathways to select. There is also a very intriguing cave that we hiked towards to and a smaller cave embedded inside this seemingly larger cave (not sure what's inside but it was pretty dark and deep). Overall this is a great place to get your steps in, explore the spectacular area, and to take pics!

This is such a fun place to experience nature's beauty not too far from suburban life. Located about 25 minutes from Santa Clarita off the 14 freeway, this park has free parking and lots of hiking and sight seeing options. The rock formations look like a water valley was here thousands of years ago. For the adventurous hiking type, there are a few trails climbing up rocks with crazy cool views. It is fun for the kids to climb in little caves or simply play with the sand and take it all in. Our kids woke up the next day asking to go back!

Thank you, Natalie D! I wouldn't have known about this nature park if not for her awesome photos. It is located near the town of Agua Dulce, between the cities of Santa Clarita and Palmdale. I love visiting filming locations so we went for a drive, some 45 miles north of L.A. The park is famous for its rock formations and is a popular hiking and picnicking area. There is a wooden bulletin board near the beginning of the Nature Heritage Trail with photos of the scenes used for backdrops of movies (old and more recent) but it has also been used in TV shows, commercials, music videos and even video games. We did not do any hiking climbing at this time. Here is a short list of movies and TV shows: Over 60 films used the rock formations as their backdrop in scenes: Alpha Dog (2007) Apache (1954) Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997) Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey (1991) Blazing Saddles (1974) Dracula (1931) The Flintstones (1994) Holes (2003) Joe Dirt (2001) John Carter (2012) Little Miss Sunshine (2006) Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie (1995) The Muppet Movie (1979) My Stepmother Is an Alien (1988) Nickelodeon (1976) Planet of the Apes (2001) Star Trek (2009) Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) The Ten Commandments (1956) Over 100 TV Shows: 24 The A-Team The Bionic Woman Bonanza Buffy the Vampire Slayer CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Fantasy Island JAG Kung Fu Logan's Run The Lone Ranger MacGyver The Outer Limits (1963-65) The Rat Patrol The Wild Wild West Twilight Zone Zorro During our visit we saw two couples taking professional shots for prom. The hiking experience will have to be another time when we're more prepared with proper clothing and shoes. Pets are allowed but they have to be on a leash. Also, visit the Interpretive Center for interesting reads. Review #2956

Amazing hiking/walking trail. Don't go on a hot day. Definitely bring water. Parking is free just stay on the obvious road for cars and watch for people walking. While hiking many signs say stay on designated trails so try to do so. Climbing the bigger rock face was a bit sketchy but had very nice views

This place is absolutely breathtaking! There is a reason why many come for more than just hiking-everywhere you turn is just beautiful! Many places you can hike whether it's just a nature walk with the kids or climbing to the top! Lots of parking throughout the park, trail in the beginning is perfect with kids or if you don't want to do much but still get a good walk with a nice view in. Everywhere is a perfect place for photos. All the formations look amazing and the sky with it is just wow. Best part is that it's not as crowded as most hiking places but still a good amount of people just incase!

Beautiful park, easy to get to, great for photos, hills large enough for hiking. Semi off-roading experience.

This place is a must see for anyone visiting Los Angeles or driving between Los Angeles and the Bay area. It's a detour off of interstate 5, but it's well worth it if you have any interest in geology. If you're a movie buff, you'll also recognize the place from many a movie. Read up on the geology before you visit. There's a small but interesting visitor center with a very informative state of California worker. At the visitor center you'll see a couple of snakes a spider, and a 3D terrain model. There's also a nice bathroom. You can make the hike easily without hiking boots, but if you plan on climbing the rocks some sensible footwear is recommended. I visited on an absolutely beautiful October 2022 afternoon. Temperature was 75° with a light breeze. There is a reasonable chance you will see a snake. At the visitor center there are a couple of flyers, but they don't offer a lot of detail. If you're not up to the short half mile hike/walk, you can easily drive down to the most important rock formation.

Beautiful here! Came on a clear Sunday afternoon and there were a good number of cars parked here but this place is big enough to separate from other people. It was fun exploring and the scenery is just beautiful! This is a family friendly, dog friendly, people friendly National Park. It's a popular photography spot too so don't be surprised if you see girls in shorts and cowboy boots for their insta pic or photographers coming in taking couple pics. You can still find a spot of seclusion and serenity. I know this because we found a peaceful area to sit and relax. Our old Yorkie needed a nap, at almost 15 years old, he let's me know when it's "nap on mama's lap time" so he forces me to take breaks and enjoy while he catches up on some senior dog rest. I can see why this is/was a popular area for film (Trekky anyone?) Because you do feel like you're far away from civilization but in actuality, residential/ranches can be seen in the distance. Ample parking, adequate exploration and overall lovely & clean National Park that almost feels otherworldly.

PARKING: You have multiple options. There is a parking area by the nature center (currently closed) and a couple parking areas by the rocks / trails. When you arrive, go left toward the rocks (the nature center will be on the right) and keep going toward the end. You will find ample parking (with portable toilets nearby). HIKING: Many people come here just to explore the rocks. You can climb them but make sure you have proper footwear with good grip. There is a trail but it's a bit tough to follow as it's not marked. AllTrails maps really help here. Even with the AllTrails map, I struggled to find the trail at first. You can start the trail from the main parking area (by the portable toilets). You can essentially do a small loop or a large loop. I did the small loop and it was lovely. Also, what makes this trail cool is that for a portion of it, you're on the Pacific Coast Trail (PCT). This area is beautiful. You will likely see someone doing a photoshoot here as it's a popular backdrop. This spot has been used in a lot of films and TV shows. My favorite use is in Star Trek. Search "Star Trek Kirk vs. Gorn" on YouTube and you can watch the best worst fight scene. It was filmed right here. Enjoy!

An amazing place that makes you feel like you are on another planet. Not too many people and a good visitor center. You can drive up to the foot of the cliff. It's not at all difficult to climb onto it. The view is wonderful! , . . . . !

Yesterday was our first time visiting Vasquez Rocks as part of the Twilight Hike. We were really impressed with the park. The rock formation & hiking trails were really amazing! Our tour guide did a great job at providing historical information of Vasquez Rocks & pointing out the different types of plans along the trail. If you're looking for a nice hike check out Vasquez Rocks

Michael Jackson, Keanu Reeves and William Shatner among many other film and music video performers chose this amazing landscape as the backdrop for its unique features. Visit in real life to appreciate the size and color of the sandstone which juts upwards at an angle.

So much fun!! Free parking. Free admission. Dog friendly. It's a bit of a drive up the 14 but not too bad. Definitely worth it. We went in January around 9am and the temperature was perfect (around 60). If you go during the summer it'll get hot since no shade. Take pictures. The rocks are gorgeous. Wear long pants. There are a lot of prickly and overgrown bushes. Wear good shoes. You're be climbing hills and there are rocks. There is a trail but it's not clearly marked and we got a bit lost and kind of just winged it. Don't worry, you won't get lost lost as the park itself isn't that big but it was hard to find a path. My dog loved it and enjoyed herself. Remember to leave no trace. Note: Starting 1/10, due to Covid, they are closing the interpretive center. Also, due to Covid there are no bathrooms except porta potties. Enjoy! 2022 HIKE 1/52

One of my favorite hiking places. So beautiful and peaceful. A short drive from LA and you are here in this magical place. Breathtaking views from all around and many trails to walk thru even for beginners or for people who don't like to hike. Lots of free parking and some picnic tables around the park. It gets hot in the summer months so we usually go between fall and spring. Always a good time here. Family favorite. Kids love it as well.

As many Angelinos I have driven the 14 freeway multiple times and often glanced off to the side and seen these awesome rock formations vowing to visit one day. Well one day finally came and I decided to start my day by taking in the beauty of Vazquez Rocks. Upon entry to the park it's mostly gravel and typical desert scenery. As you start to walk through the park the formations become more prominent and you realize what you've missed out on. These are truly a product of Mother Natures beauty as they these have naturally formed throughout the years from the wind, rain, and tectonic activity. This is also a popular site for many Hollywood favorites such as Star Trek, The Flinstones Movie, and The Muppets. In addition it is also a popular spot to snap some pics or even an engagement photo session. The hiking trails are fairly easy, but be sure to have shoes with plenty of grip should you attempt to make it to the top of the peaks. Lastly be sure to pack some sunscreen as there is very little shade throughout the park

Such a beautiful place visit bc is it! I lived in Los Angeles all my life and didn't know this place existed until recently. I came here and stayed for two hours. We went on the trails and climbed the rocks. It felt like I was in Arizona! Super cool place. Would recommend bringing shoes with traction. It started to sprinkle and my sister slipped and got a big bruise on her butt. Lol Still would recommend!!!

If you don't like hiking bc it's just walking in nature you might like Vasquez Rocks. Almost all the rock structures are climbable and the pictures you take here are gorgeous. My kids loved it. If you go through the back exit of the visitors center, that area seems a bit more fun to walk through.

This Vasquez rocks natural area park is where filmed the original Star Trek episodes and jingle all the way as turbo man and booster fighting dementor and his demon team on Jaime's tv room. I love watching Christmas movies every mid November to December.

Beautiful views and not too long of a trail. Me and my gf loved it and took about 2-3 hrs to walk the trail

I didn't know about this place until my client mentioned it to me. After a long trip, My daughter and I dropped here. It was kind of busy but we were able to find a parking. It is visible from the 14 freeway. What a beautiful rock formations. It is good for photo ops and filming. We did climb the famous 'Lion King' rock and took some awesome pictures.

I highly recommend this spot. For me, this spot was just an hour drive and there wasn't any traffic to worry about. The parking is very plentiful; however, do be mindful that you will be parking on dirt. There were also public restrooms here. I'm a big fan of the scenery in southern California and the rocks were all very cool to look at. I'm also surprised that this area was still considered part of LA county. One thing to note is that you should be wary of all the horse or animal poop on the trail. I went on one trail of which I'm not sure what the name is, but it was an easy hike. I felt lost in a couple of parts, but there was a general trail to follow. If you're interested in climbing rocks there's also a spot here for that. I wish I tried climbing a rock, but it was either rock climbing or following the trail haha! Either way, the rocks here are a lot of grip, so you can find a random hill to climb! Just be careful because I can't imagine what would happen if you were to trip and fall. Overall, if you're dying to go outside because you've been stuck at home for this whole entire year being socially distant then I highly recommend Vasquez Rock Natural Area Park for your next outdoor excursion.

We came here in January of 2020 and I am just now writing the review a little over a year later. Don't take that to mean I didn't enjoy my visit, I most assuredly did. Parking- we got there pretty early and the gate to the parking lot was closed but we were able to easily find parking on the side of the road (Escondido Canyon Rd) Trail- we did a clockwise loop in which the first 1.5 miles was on the PCT; the trail was beautiful and the landscape looked other-worldly and it becomes immensely apparent why it was used to film TV shows/movies; your pictures will look amazing without the need for filters; the trail was easy to follow and none of it was too difficult and I think younger children and adults of not the best shape can handle this; we completed a little over 4 miles in 2 hours with many stops to take in the views and take pictures Visitor Center- we visited before the pandemic and the visitor center was open after we finished our hike and we spent about 30 minutes learning about the geologic history of the area and also the history of it being used for Hollywood productions

Iconic. Between it's geography in general, this is a special place. Add to that the amount of great filmed entertainment has gone on over centuries. Epic sunsets and a good place to come and recharge. You need this, yesterday...

There is no more fitting day to write about Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park than today, Indigenous People's Day (10/12/20). This site, named for a Californio desperado, had been occupied by Native Americans for centuries before it was used as a hideout by Tiburcio Vásquez. It's on the National Register of Historic Places due to its importance to the Shoshone and Tataviam people. And let's acknowledge that they sure knew how to pick good real estate. The striking formations of uplifted sandstone create a skyline like no other. It is flat out gorgeous and unique on Planet Earth. Its beauty has captivated Hollywood for years; check out scenes from Star Trek, Blazing Saddles and MacGyver, just to mention a few. During this pandemic, Vasquez Rocks offers the perfect day trip getaway. It's free. It's pretty close to the Los Angeles area. The air is clean and social distancing is a breeze. And it's the perfect place to walk off the quarantine fifteen. There are several well-kept trails, although it's also easy to drive right up to the rocks and not even leave your car. Take refreshments including snacks and plenty of water if you plan to hike. And don't forget your phone and/or camera for those stellar selfies and IG shots. Comfortable shoes with good tread are a must if you plan to hike or climb up the rocks themselves. I've been several times over the years and enjoyed each and every trip. My last adventure took me off the beaten path on the Nature-Heritage trail, away from the main area of the rocks but affording beautiful views from a distance. I saw several parties that hiked up to a ledge, took a blanket and a picnic, and hung out for hours. Great way to spend a pandemic, imho. The interpretive center is closed at the moment due to social distancing. Restrooms of the porta-potty variety are available and scattered about the site. Free parking in the lot or on the street; check signs for current hours (website may not be updated regularly.) Pack out what you pack in. Take nothing but photographs. Enjoy.

Great place to spend with the family, especially older children. Great way to spend a few hours getting some steps in, enjoy your view and exploring. It's pretty brutal in the summer heat, so bring a hat, sunscreen and plenty of water.

Beautiful right now (4/2/23). Lots of wildflowers and grasses, and the San Gabriels in the background still have a bit of snow. Looked like everything was in bloom except yucca (too soon).

Although summers are brutal here, vasquez rocks is one of my families fav places to spend a morning The kids love the challenge The adults love the almost no crowds Not a lot of benches but fun to picnic here!

The Vasquez Rocks does not disappoint. About an hour from downtown LA, these huge rocks jut out along the San Andreas fault line and have been used in the production of many films and television shows. Notably, Star Trek but it continues to be used to this day as a dramatic back drop. There is a beautiful visitor center which has information on the rocks along with some animals kept in captivity (rattlesnakes, notably.) I wanted to buy a souvenir from the gift shop but it was not open on a Friday afternoon, which was quite a bummer. Oh well. Several trails snake their way through the park and I happened to go on an exceptionally clear day. There was a photo shoot going on and several people were climbing the rocks; I wasn't equipped to do such an activity but I did walk for a few miles. Parking lot is quite large and there are clean restrooms inside the visitor center. The best part? It is free. Yes that's right, there is no cost to visit this park. It is also nestled in a beautiful part of the country and the drive is quite lovely (except for taking the 14...yuck.)

The Spacerock Half Marathon brought me out to this place. It's located on the north side of the 14 freeway in Agua Dulce. Coming out here reminded me of that episode of The Big Bang Theory: The Bakersfield Expedition where Leonard, Sheldon, Howard and Raj stop here to take some Star Trek pictures on their way to the Bakersfield Comic Con and were left stranded after their car was stolen. It's a must visit place for any Star Trek fan. It's also nice to run on the Pacific Crest Trail.

Wanted to do something special for my birthday that I normally would not have. So went on a hike with my man and one of our dogs. It was such a beautiful place to spend the day. The views were amazing, their were plenty of places to take really cool pictures and you could literally go exploring in many directions. They had lots of trails and the weather turned out to be perfect. We climbed to the very steep top of many cool rocks. Rocks that I have never seen shaped the way that they were. We also found some pretty cool caves that had shade for us to sit in and take in some views. Make sure to dress for what ever the weather is like and to wear shoes that are best for hiking. I recommend a book bag or fanny pack. You definitely don't want to slip! So the less your holding in your hands the better. I highly recommend if your looking for a cool spot to hike to, coming here. It's only about an hour from LA. Bring water! And in the future I will be packing lunch and snacks so we can enjoy lunch in a cave.

This spot is known for being in movies, commercials, and shows! A hour drive from Los Angeles, but definitely worth it. The structure of the rocks are one of a kind and enjoy every bit of the hike. Open from 8am-6pm, there is parking near the visitor center and two overflow parking areas. I used AllTrails for a hiking trail, however the site was poorly marked.

Pretty place. I know, it's a bunch of small, medium, large, big, and bigger rocks. Rocks of all sizes and shapes. However, you can get a pretty good workout by going up, down and around these rocks. People come here to hike, take pictures, etc. Come on a cooler day as there is minimal shade. Maybe also bring a hiking stick if you aren't the most stable and nimble on your feet.

Beautiful place to check out. My last name is Vasquez so naturally had to go visit since I was close by. Beautiful photo opportunities and some great history.

We visited on Sunday morning at dawn. The front gate was still closed, so we parked the car across from the main gate and walked 5-10 min to the actual rock formation. Beautiful walk on a chilly morning, not a soul in the park. Happened to watch E. Iglesias spot Be With You few days ago, and I happened to remember reading about the history of Vasquez rocks and the fact there was bunch of the movies filmed there. Do I have to have a better reason? Definitely didn't disappoint! Spent around 45 minutes walking around and climbing, loved every single minute. The most impressive fact was that the rock itself runs 22,000 ft under dessert floor, so we were practically on top of the world

This place is so magical! I have spent few hours of hiking and recharging. It is a perfect way to spend your Sunday, plus very short ride! :) It was not crowded at all and the hike and view was just wonderful. I will definitely be back.