Tilted sandstone rock formations rising from dry desert chaparral under late afternoon sun

Where Was Star Trek Filmed?

From Desilu stages in Culver City to Toronto's Star Trek Stage, here is where every era of Star Trek was actually filmed.

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The Short Answer

Star Trek has been filmed mainly in Los Angeles: the original series shot at Desilu/Culver Studios and Paramount Studios, with outdoor scenes at Vasquez Rocks and Bronson Canyon. The 2009 film reused California locations, and recent live-action series such as Discovery have been made primarily at Pinewood Toronto Studios in Ontario, Canada.

Star Trek has traveled the galaxy on screen since 1966, but production has stayed remarkably grounded. The original series and many of the films were shot on Los Angeles studio lots and at desert and park locations within easy reach of Hollywood. As the franchise moved into its modern era, production shifted north to Ontario, Canada.

For travelers, that means two distinct trips are possible: a Southern California circuit of public parks, a university campus, and a working studio with tours, or a Toronto visit built around the studios hosting the newest series. Many of the classic outdoor locations remain freely accessible today.

Some famous sites are gone. The RKO Forty Acres backlot, which stood in for several alien worlds, was dismantled in the 1970s. Other locations, like the Anheuser-Busch Brewery that served as the Enterprise engine room in 2009, are private facilities with limited access. Here is what was filmed where, and what you can actually see.

Every Location At A Glance

LocationWhereWhat was filmedAccess
Vasquez Rocks Natural Area ParkAgua Dulce, United StatesArena episode (Gorn fight), Vulcan surface in 2009 filmFree to see
Bronson Canyon (Griffith Park)Los Angeles, United StatesCave scenes in multiple episodes like This Side of ParadiseFree to see
Disney's Golden Oak RanchSanta Clarita, United StatesOmicron Ceti III village in This Side of ParadisePrivate property
Former RKO Forty Acres backlotCulver City, United StatesMiri, Return of the Archons, Errand of Mercy, City on the Edge of ForeverClosed
Pinewood Toronto StudiosToronto, CanadaStar Trek Stage sets for Discovery and new seriesPrivate property
Anheuser-Busch BreweryVan Nuys, United StatesEnterprise engine roomPrivate property
Delmar T. Oviatt Library (CSU Northridge)Northridge, United StatesStarfleet Academy groundsFree to see
Long Beach City HallLong Beach, United StatesStarfleet Academy meeting roomFree to see

Filming Locations Map

8 locations. The map loads when it scrolls into view.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Location By Location

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park, Agua Dulce
Location 01

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park

California, Agua Dulce, United States Free to see

Filmed here: Arena episode (Gorn fight), Vulcan surface in 2009 film

Vasquez Rocks is the single most recognizable Star Trek location in California. The tilted sandstone formations appeared as the battlefield for Captain Kirk's fight against the Gorn in the original series episode Arena, then returned decades later as the Vulcan surface in the 2009 film. The park is public, located in Agua Dulce north of Los Angeles, and open to visitors year round with hiking trails. Fans can walk directly to the rock formations seen on screen, and the site remains a popular filming spot for other productions.

Bronson Canyon (Griffith Park), Los Angeles
Location 02

Bronson Canyon (Griffith Park)

California, Los Angeles, United States Free to see

Filmed here: Cave scenes in multiple episodes like This Side of Paradise

Bronson Canyon, a section of Griffith Park in Los Angeles, provided the cave interiors used across multiple original series episodes, including This Side of Paradise. The cave mouth sits at the end of a short walk from the park's canyon road and is easy to reach on foot. Because Griffith Park is one of the largest municipal parks in the country, visitors can combine the cave with hikes, the observatory, and other stops in a single day. Access is free and the area is popular with hikers and film fans alike.

Disney's Golden Oak Ranch, Santa Clarita
Location 03

Disney's Golden Oak Ranch

California, Santa Clarita, United States Private property

Filmed here: Omicron Ceti III village in This Side of Paradise

Golden Oak Ranch in Santa Clarita stood in for the Omicron Ceti III village in the original series episode This Side of Paradise, the colony where Spock falls in love. The ranch is owned by Disney and operated as a private production facility, so it is not open to the public and there is no visitor access. Travelers hoping to see it can only view the general area from public roads nearby. Most fans instead spend their time at the public Vasquez Rocks and Bronson Canyon locations in the same region.

Former RKO Forty Acres backlot, Culver City
Location 04

Former RKO Forty Acres backlot

California, Culver City, United States Closed

Filmed here: Miri, Return of the Archons, Errand of Mercy, City on the Edge of Forever

The RKO Forty Acres backlot in Culver City was one of the most heavily used Star Trek locations, appearing in the episodes Miri, Return of the Archons, Errand of Mercy, and City on the Edge of Forever. Its standing sets doubled as alien cities and ruined planets across the original series. Unfortunately for visitors, the backlot was dismantled in the 1970s and the site has since been redeveloped, so nothing of the Star Trek sets survives. Only the address and archive photographs remain for those tracing the franchise's history.

Pinewood Toronto Studios, Toronto
Location 05

Pinewood Toronto Studios

Ontario, Toronto, Canada Private property

Filmed here: Star Trek Stage sets for Discovery and new series

Pinewood Toronto Studios in Ontario has become the home of modern Star Trek. Discovery built its sets here, and the new series Starfleet Academy follows. The studio renamed one of its stages The Star Trek Stage in 2024 in recognition of the franchise's presence. It is an active production facility with no public access, so visitors cannot tour the stages themselves. Film fans visiting Toronto can still explore the city's broader screen culture on guided film and television location walks downtown.

Anheuser-Busch Brewery, Van Nuys
Location 06

Anheuser-Busch Brewery

California, Van Nuys, United States Private property

Filmed here: Enterprise engine room

The Anheuser-Busch Brewery in Van Nuys served as the Enterprise engine room in the 2009 Star Trek film, its industrial pipes and tanks giving the starship a grittier mechanical look than earlier versions. It remains a working industrial facility with limited public access, so it is not a practical stop on a fan itinerary. Travelers can view the exterior from public streets. The brewery is a short drive from other San Fernando Valley locations used in the film, including the CSU Northridge campus.

Delmar T. Oviatt Library (CSU Northridge), Northridge
Location 07

Delmar T. Oviatt Library (CSU Northridge)

California, Northridge, United States Free to see

Filmed here: Starfleet Academy grounds

The Oviatt Library at California State University, Northridge appeared as the Starfleet Academy grounds in the 2009 film, with its distinctive brutalist architecture standing in for the future. The campus is public and its walkways are accessible to visitors, making this one of the easiest Star Trek locations to explore. Fans can photograph the library and surrounding plaza much as they appeared on screen. The university sits in the San Fernando Valley, roughly a half hour drive from downtown Los Angeles without traffic.

Long Beach City Hall, Long Beach
Location 08

Long Beach City Hall

California, Long Beach, United States Free to see

Filmed here: Starfleet Academy meeting room

Long Beach City Hall provided the Starfleet Academy meeting room interiors in the 2009 film. As a government building, its exterior and some interior areas are viewable to the public during normal business hours. Visitors can reach Long Beach easily by transit or car from downtown Los Angeles, and the city hall pairs well with the waterfront and the Aquarium of the Pacific nearby. It is one of the few Star Trek interior locations that requires no booking or special arrangement to see.

Where It Is Set Versus Where It Was Filmed

The stories in Star Trek are set across the galaxy, with key Earth scenes placed in San Francisco, home of Starfleet Headquarters and the Academy, and in Iowa, where the 2009 film shows James Kirk's youth. Almost none of this was filmed where it is set. San Francisco street scenes were shot on Los Angeles studio backlots, and the Iowa farm country was recreated at California locations. Modern series set across the galaxy are filmed on stages in Ontario, Canada.

The Studio Side

Three studios anchor the franchise. The original series pilots were filmed at Desilu's Culver Stage 16 in Culver City, later known as Culver Studios, which is not open to visitors. Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, which hosted the original series and many films, runs a public Paramount Studio Tour that takes visitors past historic stages, including Stages 11, 12, and 14 and the studio water tank. Pinewood Toronto Studios hosts Discovery and Starfleet Academy and named a stage The Star Trek Stage in 2024, though it has no public tours.

Tours That Visit These Locations

Two bookable experiences connect directly to Star Trek's production history. Neither is a dedicated Star Trek tour, but both include places tied to the franchise's filming story.

Paramount Stages And Backlot Tour

Paramount Pictures Studio Tour

91 reviews

PriceLive on listingCheck availability

Downtown Toronto Film Sites Walk

Toronto: Hollywood North Experience Film & TV Tour

This guided walking tour of downtown Toronto covers film and television landmarks including David Pecaut Square, Union Station, and Nathan Phillips Square, giving fans of the newer series a sense of the city where Discovery and Starfleet Academy are produced. It costs 34.36 USD and has drawn 63 reviews, making it an affordable add-on to any Toronto trip built around Star Trek's Canadian home.

63 reviews

From$34Check availability

Frequently Asked Questions

Where was the original Star Trek series filmed?

The original series was filmed in and around Los Angeles. The pilots were shot at Desilu's Culver Stage 16 in Culver City, with series production at Paramount Studios. Outdoor scenes used locations including Vasquez Rocks, Bronson Canyon in Griffith Park, Golden Oak Ranch, and the RKO Forty Acres backlot.

Can you visit Vasquez Rocks, where Kirk fought the Gorn?

Yes. Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park in Agua Dulce, California is a public county park open to visitors. The rock formation from the Arena episode can be reached on foot, and the same site appears as Vulcan in the 2009 film.

Where are the new Star Trek series filmed?

Recent live-action series, including Discovery, Strange New Worlds, and Starfleet Academy, are filmed primarily at Pinewood Toronto Studios in Ontario, Canada. The studio renamed one stage The Star Trek Stage in 2024. There is no public access to the working stages.

Is the Paramount Studio Tour worth it for Star Trek fans?

Paramount Studios in Los Angeles hosted the original series and many of the films. The tour takes visitors past historic stages including 11, 12, and 14 and the studio water tank, giving fans a direct connection to where Star Trek history was made.

Was Star Trek actually filmed in San Francisco?

No. Although San Francisco is Starfleet's home city in the story, those scenes were filmed on Los Angeles backlots and at California locations. Long Beach City Hall and the CSU Northridge campus stood in for Starfleet Academy in the 2009 film.

What happened to the Forty Acres backlot?

The RKO Forty Acres backlot in Culver City, used in episodes such as City on the Edge of Forever and Miri, was dismantled in the 1970s. The land was redeveloped, and nothing from the Star Trek sets survives today.

Star Trek's filming footprint splits neatly into two trips: Los Angeles for the classic series and 2009 film, and Toronto for the franchise's current era. In California, pair the Paramount Studio Tour with free public locations like Vasquez Rocks, Bronson Canyon, the Oviatt Library, and Long Beach City Hall. In Toronto, the studios themselves are closed, but a downtown film locations walk gives fans a way into the city's screen production scene.

Keep Exploring

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