Big Sky Movie Ranch

Located in Simi Valley, the ranch offers over 6500 acres of varied backdrops and environments.

From the official website (offline since 2020):
“Big Sky Movie Ranch is the oldest and largest Movie Ranch still in operation in Southern California. The Ranch has been host to countless feature films, television series, commercials, music videos, still photography campaigns and special events over the past fifty years.
Big Sky Movie Ranch is a private Movie Ranch located within the Los Angeles 30 Mile Studio Zone. The land was originally owned by J. Paul Getty. The ranch is extremely diverse with hills, valleys and secluded meadows making it a perfect location for filming.”

Many of the standing sets were destroyed by a fire in October 2003 [news story].

The proximity of the site to the Santa Susana nuclear field laboratory (the site of a covered-up partial nuclear meltdown in 1959) has raised questions about increased cases of cancer in those that worked on projects at the ranch. [investigation website]

Locations

  • Old Ranch House sets
  • Giant Old Oak Tree
  • Lone Oak Trees
  • Natural Grass Meadows
  • Dirt Helipad with Vista View
  • Sunset Vista Views
  • OHV Dirt Trails
  • Rocky Outcroppings
  • Oak Tree Forest
  • Big Meadow Valley
  • Several (Seasonal) Ponds
  • Vista Overlook Mountain
  • Rally Dirt Roads

Productions shot at Big Sky Movie Ranch

Feature Film (3)

TitleReleasedDirectorIMDB
Transformers2007Michael BayIMDB Database page about Transformers
Wild Bill1995Walter HillIMDB Database page about Wild Bill
Coming to America1988John LandisIMDB Database page about Coming to America

TV Series (7)

TitleReleasedCreator / ShowrunnerIMDB
Carnivale2003-2005Daniel KnaufIMDB Database page about Carnivale
Carnival location (Season 2) and New Canaan town.
Tales from the Crypt1989-1996IMDB Database page about Tales from the Crypt
Quantum Leap1989-1993Donald P. BellisarioIMDB Database page about Quantum Leap
Dallas1978-1991David JacobsIMDB Database page about Dallas
Little House on the Prairie1974 - 1983VariousIMDB Database page about Little House on the Prairie
Rawhide1959-1965Charles Marquis WarrenIMDB Database page about Rawhide
Gunsmoke1955Charles Marquis WarrenIMDB Database page about Gunsmoke

Additional Movies shot at the Big Sky Movie Ranch

The Miracle Worker (1962)
Sidekicks (1974 TV Movie)
Caddie Woodlawn (1989)
Call From Space (1989 Short)
The Gambler Returns: The Luck of the Draw (1991 TV Movie)
Gang of Roses (2003)
The Way Station (2004 Short)
Big Bad Wolf (2006)
A Gunfighters Pledge (2008 TV Movie)

TV Shows shot at Big Sky Movie Ranch

Bonanza (1959)
Rawhide (1959)
Father Murphy (1981)
The Thorn Birds (1983, Mini-series)
The Yellow Rose(1983)
Highway to Heaven (1984)
Jericho (2006)
True Blood
The Dudesons
100 Lost