# Trek Ref: Vasquez Rocks



## Model Man (Oct 1, 2007)

Hey all, 
My gf and I spent a very windy, pre-xmas afternoon at the one and only Vasquez Rocks State Park, just north of Los Angeles.

I put together some clips of the Gorn fight area, but several other eps from all star trek series and movies were shot in the immediate vicinity. Next time I go, I will be armed with tos screen grabs at the very least. Of course, this location has been used for 100yrs of film history, so by no means is this locale unique to Trek.

Hope this helps with any dioramas you may have in mind!


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

You've been to TrekMecca!!


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

Nice video's.

I've been 2 times in the last 18 months and will be going again on Jan 6th.

The large slanting formation is of course Gorn rock. Just below, on a small rise is the large flat rock where the gorn capt was making his stone dagger.

Just across the access road is another formation, that is where Fridays Child was filmed. You can easily find table rock, where Kirk and Spock place their communicators to create the sonic explosion.

On the 6th when I go back I'm going to try and find the cave entrance from Fridays Child.

Other episodes filmed there are

The Alternative Factor and Parts of Shore Leave.

2 episodes of The Invaders, The Saucer and The Leeches were also filmed there.

It's a really nice day trip. If you are in the L.A. area you should try and go.


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## rkoenn (Dec 18, 2007)

I've been on highway 14 driving past that area a half dozen times on the way to EAFB to support shuttle landing operations but I have never gotten off at the park. I will go back out there someday so that will now be on my agenda. Another neat place to visit in that general area is the Devil's Punchbowl. I would assume the production studios filmed scenes in that area as well.


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

"I'm not a plebe!"


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## Jafo (Apr 22, 2005)

John P said:


> You've been to TrekMecca!!


awesome!


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

On a related note, Does anyone know where Africa USA was? Trek filmed there before it was washed away. Supposedly its very close to Vasquez rocks.


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## Trek Ace (Jul 8, 2001)

mach7 said:


> On a related note, Does anyone know where Africa USA was? Trek filmed there before it was washed away. Supposedly its very close to Vasquez rocks.


Africa USA is (was) in Soledad Canyon northeast of Vasquez Rocks on the opposite side of Highway 14. About ten miles east of the Soledad Canyon exit. It is now a wildlife sanctuary owned by Tippy Hedren (_The Birds_) called Shambala Reserve. The landscape is barely recognizable to the way it appeared over forty years ago in the time of _Star Trek_ and _Daktari_ due to floods and mud flows that wiped out most of the filmic terrain.

By the way, the best time to visit Vasquez Rocks is within a few days of a good rain. The dust accumulates on the rocks and makes them a bit difficult to get good footing on. After a rain storm, the rocks are washed clean of the dust and makes them a lot safer to scale. After all, you don't want to end up like Lazarus and do a Wiley Coyote off the peak!

I'm now an old man, and I can still scale those rocks almost as good as I could as a younger man - though carrying much lighter cameras, now!


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

Thanks very much!

Another place to visit, it looks like a great place.


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## mach7 (Mar 25, 2002)

I had a nice trip to Vasquez. 

I found the rock where Kirk and Spock place the communicators to cause the explosion in Fridays Child. ( actually I found that on a previous trip)



I found the cave entrance area.



The slope Kirk climbs up and Dr. Mccoy claims he is a Dr. not an Escalator.



A nice shot of the rock where the Gorn was working on hi dagger.



The ledge Kirk rolls the bolder from.



The kappelain pass



Where Lazarus's ship was.




I also found a few sites from The Invaders


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## bucwheat (Mar 9, 2010)

Some of that looks like where a few Bonanza episodes were filmed.


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