Vasquez Rocks, Agua Dulce CA

• 5-star hike
• 0 to 4 mile options
• Easy difficulty | Gain 0 to 620 feet
• Agua Dulce, CA | Los Angeles Region
. A natural landscape during sunset with prominent rock formations and a dirt path surrounded by shrubs and yucca plants. The sky has soft pastel colors.

A natural landscape during sunset with prominent rock formations and a dirt path surrounded by shrubs and yucca plants. The sky has soft pastel colors.

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4★ Vasquez Rocks Park Loop
3.6 mi loop, easy, gain 620 ft
AllTrails · GPX File · Directions

One of the United States' most recognizable movie and television backdrops is only a short drive away from Hollywood itself. People come here not just for the photo and hiking opportunities, but also to climb the rocks, film their music videos and recreate the most realistic fight sequence of all time.

You may recognize this place from westerns such as Gunsmoke, Blazing Saddles and Westworld, but also Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey, Austin Powers, The Flintstones and of course many Star Trek series and movies. It's a well-used location not just for its striking features but also because it's within the TMZ - the thirty mile zone within which Hollywood union labor agree to work with no additional location charges.

Vasquez Rocks is more of a destination than a hiking location - in fact, you can drive straight up to the rocks and admire them without stepping out of a vehicle. However, we think this is a great location for a hike, and we recommend a loop trail around the park. Our loop trail not only gives you panoramic views of the star attraction - the Vasquez Rocks spires - from all directions, but it reveals that the rest of the park's rocky outcroppings are a great supporting cast too.

A panoramic view of a desert landscape during sunset, with sandy grounds, sparse vegetation, and large, tilted rock formations under a soft blue sky with golden light on the horizon

The famous spires of Vasquez Rocks.

Our loop trail is great in either direction, but it's easiest to pick up on the well-signed Pacific Crest Trail and head clockwise. We'd rate the trail itself as a 4-star attraction but labeled this with 5-stars because the this place is not to be missed.

Entry and parking is free. Be aware that the entrance gate and visitor center for Vasquez Rocks is closed on most Mondays and Tuesdays. We arrived on a Monday not knowing this, but was able to park on the roadside by the entrance and enjoyed a relatively quiet park experience. There are no apparent parking restrictions around the park entrance, though we can't vouch for this and encourage you to observe all posted signs.

A person walking on a rocky trail towards a large, pointed rock formation under a blue sky with scattered clouds. The terrain is rugged and barren with various shades of brown and tan rocks.

Climbing rocks appears acceptable, though we keep it to a minimum.

A vast landscape with a large, smooth rock formation in the foreground, green vegetation and small trees in the middle ground, and rolling hills leading to mountains under a partly cloudy sky. The scene is a warmly lit late afternoon.

Mountain ranges surround the park.

Tangents:
• Official: Vasquez Rocks Natural Area
• Public Map at AllTrails: Vasquez Rocks Extended Loop
• Movies Filmed Here: IMDB
• Facebook Group: Comment on this article

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