Corriganville Park & Movie Ranch
This week we’re visiting a local spot I’ve loved for years. I’m lucky enough to live within driving distance for day trips to seven incredible national parks, but I also love spending time at my local state & regional parks. So if you don’t live close to a giant national park, forest or reserve, I hope this week’s post will serve as a reminder for us to seek out and find adventures wherever we go…even if it’s a city park in our own neighborhood. 😉
Location & History
Corriganville Park can be found just off the Ronald Reagan 118 freeway in Simi Valley, California. The park area was first used by local Chumash Indians, and it’s believed they used Corriganville for temporary camps. During the Spanish and Mexican settlement periods, travelers used the area as a route down this canyon. In 1937 actor and stuntman Ray “Crash” Corrigan purchased this land to be transformed into a movie ranch. Bob Hope purchased the land in 1965, renaming it “Hopetown”, and in 1988 he sold 190 acres to the city of Simi Valley to be used as the regional park we see today.
Corriganville Movie Ranch
It’s said that Ray “Crash” Corrigan was on a hunting trip with Clark Gable when he got the idea to build a movie ranch here in Simi Valley, and in 1938 Corriganville Movie Ranch premiered. It soon became known as the Hollywood home to western pictures and western stars. It’s estimated in between 3,000 & 3,500 films, television shows, and commercials were filmed here over the years. Major movie stars including John Wayne, Gene Autry, and Roy Rogers often filmed here. While the ranch was most famously known for its western backdrops, all types of classic movies were made here, such as The Creature from the Black Lagoon, Gene Kelly in The 3 Musketeers, Humphrey Bogart’s Academy Award winning performance in The African Queen, and Howard Hugh’s tumultuous crime drama Vendetta. Famous T.V. shows like The Lone Ranger, The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, and Star Trek also called the movie ranch home.
Tourism
In 1949 Ray Corrigan opened Corriganville to the public as a western themed movie ranch on weekends and holidays. For the admission price of about a dollar, visitors could roam the western sets, take stagecoach rides, row out on the man-made lake, and enjoy Western movie stunt shows and shootouts, which Corrigan himself often participated in. In fact, it’s been reported that for the first two years Disneyland was in operation, Corriganville drew more crowds and customers with an estimated attendance of over 20,000 visitors every weekend. Known as “Silvertown,” an entire western street front was built with shops, horse stables, a church, and even a school house. There was a professional movie sound stage, a man-made lake for underwater shooting, and a special set constructed for John Wayne’s Fort Apache movie. Unfortunately all the historic sets and wonderful buildings burned down during multiple fires in the 1970s, and now only a few cement foundations remain.
Trails
Corriganville Park is home to 4 main trails, each a wonderful adventure. My favorite afternoon walk is the Interpretive Trail, which is a gentle 1.2 mile hike that enters through the 100 year old oak trees, lovingly referred to as Sherwood Forest, before circling around to the now empty man-made lake. This trail includes nearly 20 interpretive signs with information about the plant and wildlife in the area.
The Loop Trail is another great 1.2 mile hike which heads into the middle of the park. Here you can explore the old Silvertown cement foundations and plaques about the movie history here. The trail also loops around the sandstone rock outcroppings, so it’s a great opportunity to scramble around and explore the old movie caves.
The Wildlife Corridor Trail is the most challenging park trail. It’s just under a mile, but it has steep slopes that cut underneath the Ronald Reagan freeway. If you reach the wildlife corridor, you can then continue onto the Rocky Peak Trail by taking the path to the right at the fork in the trail.
The Lower Stagecoach Trail is 0.8 miles, and it can be a bit challenging to follow as a section of the route has been washed away over the years.
Greg Anderson and Dawn during his monthly walking tour
Guided Movie Ranch Walks
The Corriganville Movie Ranch Site was designated a Historical Point of Interest by the Ventura County Cultural Heritage Board in 1982, and subsequently designated as a Historical Landmark in 1995. Many of the interpretive panels lining the park include classic movie photos that were acquired by Simi Valley local Gene Anderson. Mr. Anderson was involved in the creation & preservation of this city park, and was even a western stunt performer here back in its heyday. Currently, Mr. Anderson gives guided walks at 10am on the 3rd Saturday of every month. He not only discusses some of the fascinating movie history, he also shares extensive movie photographs and the locations of each shoot. I highly recommend joining him for a step back in time here.
Know Before You Go
• Proper footwear is important for exploring here (preferably with good ankle support) as the terrain is varied from sandy paths to gravel trails and substantial sandstone rock formations.
• Official park hours are 6 AM to dusk.
• Dogs must be kept on leash at all times and bikes are only permitted on designated trails.
• This area is home to a wide assortment of plant life, such as elderberry, willows and eucalyptus, as well as poison oak. Animal life is plentiful and varied as well…rabbits, birds and bobcats to the slightly less pleasant ticks and rattlesnakes. The park is even home to the rare sighting of mountain lions, so it’s important to always pay attention to your surroundings here.
• Always carry and drink plenty of water, bring hats and sunscreen, especially in the Summer months when temperatures can reach triple digits.
• Please follow the Leave No Trace Principles to keep this place beautiful for all to enjoy.
In Summary & Behind the Blog Video
Thanks so much for joining me this week at Corriganville. For a virtual visit of this historic spot, see my Behind the Blog YouTube video below. Until next week, I truly hope you find adventure and encouragement wherever you go!
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