Boasting over 8,000 acres of beautiful scenery and 15 miles of streamside trail through oak and sycamore woodlands and chaparral-covered slopes, Malibu Creek State Park attracts locals and visitors alike on a regular basis like a moth to the proverbial flame – and for good reason. Dramatic, jagged peaks complement stunning canyon vistas while oak woodlands and rolling hills of tallgrass sit just beyond a large volcanic swimming hole – and that’s just the beginning.

 

Perhaps the most fascinating of all is looking at how the park has changed since the Chumash settled in the area 5,000 to 10,000 years ago; now a world apart from urban Los Angeles, yet only 30 minutes away, Malibu Creek State Park enjoys a long and proud history of Hollywood productions that began with the black and white silent films Daddy Long Legs in 1919 and Annie Laurie in 1927, which then transitioned into the sound era with Tarzan Escapes in 1936 and Blockade in 1938.

 

In 1946, 20th Century Fox Studios bought 2,000 acres of what is now known as Malibu Creek State Park to use as its “shooting ranch,” much like Paramount Studios did earlier with Paramount Ranch, not too far away. Fox used the property six years earlier to shoot its Oscar-winning classic How Green Was My Valley, with other films/shows using the park as a backdrop encompassing Mr. Blandings Builds His Dreamhouse (1948), Viva Zapata (1952), the Daniel Boone TV series (1964), Dr. Dolittle (1967), Planet of the Apes (1968), Love Me Tender (1956), Broken Lance (1954), The Seven Year Itch (1955), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) and, most recently in 1998, Pleasantville, starring Tobey McGuire and Reese Witherspoon.

 

From 1972 to 1983, the hit TV show M*A*S*H, following in the footsteps of its 1970 motion picture predecessor, used the area now known as Malibu Creek State Park for many of its outdoor sequences, and despite decades of growth and numerous fires, plenty of interested visitors still come to the site.

 

In this article, we’re going to take a look at some of the most fetching attractions of Malibu Creek State Park, running the gamut from its aforementioned TV show backdrop history to everything you need to know about the lake and famous trail.

 

 M*A*S*H Lives On

 

Still drawing visitors from all over the world decades after the program left the air, the M*A*S*H TV show set at Malibu Creek State Park has gone through an extensive restoration over the years, with the famous “Welcome Wagon” ambulance receiving a facelift through efforts from groups like the Southern California Military Vehicle Collector’s Club. In 2007, State Park officials authorized an environmentally sensitive partial restoration of the set that cleared some of the overgrowth, making it easier to see where tents and buildings were staged during the show. The vehicle road to the helipad, recognizable to all fans, was restored and is now the shortest hiking trail in the park.

 

Now on display is a recreation of the iconic signpost and information panels with photographs from the show.

 

More information can be found here.

 

Experiencing the Hike

 

Folks come from near and far to experience not only the M*A*S*H set site at Malibu Creek State Park, but to walk and hike the amazing trail in the vicinity. Here, you can take in the beauty of nature with wildlife including deer, vultures, and hawks while following the wide dirt road that leads to the rock pools and Century Lake.

 

One section along the way steadily climbs for about an eighth or quarter of a mile, but it’s not too steep, enabling even novice hikers to enjoy the scenery. Eventually, as you hike along the right bank of Malibu Creek, you will come across a big cement platform on your left that looks like the foundation of an old bridge – as charming as this is, we don’t advise going that way because it will lead to a dead end. Rather, stay on the right-hand bank for about 100 more yards, as the trail becomes a single-track hiking road that’s easy to follow to the M*A*S*H site.

 

Snacks, sunscreen, solid shoes, and water supplies are recommended.

 

There are also lots of “side” trips you can take on this hike; right after passing the stream, there’s an old water tower on the hill to the right – it’s hard to miss and offers a breathtaking view of the valley. Speaking of this valley, there are two ways to cross it: The northern route, which follows the main path from the parking lot (and which is mostly tree-covered), and the southern route, which branches off to the left of the main path and crosses a stream (or rocky, dry riverbed, depending on the season). The southern route is a bit shorter, offering a sweeping view of the mountains on the north side of the valley, but it lacks shade.

 

Continuing up a big hill, you get a nice view of the Century Lake Dam, which represents the last hill of the hike, until you head back, of course; you can go down there if you want, but you can’t go into the dam.

 

Rock Pool and Century Lake Trails

 

Remember when we mentioned Planet of the Apes at the beginning of this article? Well, Rock Pool and Century Lake trails is a 4.4-mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Calabasas that offers an array of activities and which is shared by beautiful horses in the area – and it’s here that you will witness rock climbers attempting to scale the Planet of the Apes wall, where the film of the same name was captured on celluloid.

 

An easy hike with lots of variety, the trails present an opportunity to walk down an oak-shaded lane, visit a stunning rock pool with vertical walls of volcanic rock, and sit by a picturesque lake pretty enough to be featured on a calendar or postcard.

 

If you take your time, it’s about an hour from the parking lot to the M*A*S*H set and roughly five miles round trip.

 

For more information about this entire experience, visit www.MalibuCreekStatePark.org.