We love hiking and watching classic TV shows. So it was a no brainer to check out the Malibu Creek State Park hike to see the ghostly remains of the MASH set. The land was once a private movie ranch owned by 20th Century Fox Studios. But later converted over to Malibu Creek State Park, where the public could just stroll onto the set during the middle of taping. Could you imagine just walking onto a working set these days? I guess, things were different back in the 70s. Today, you can hike to the actual filming location and wander around the old props and set pieces — in a location that seems worlds away from anything.
Follow our journey along this 4.75-mile round trip hike to the MASH set. This is one of the most unique hikes we’ve done in Los Angeles — and perfect for families or friends of all physical activity levels. It’s mostly flat and very easy to follow with signs marking the trail the entire way.
Malibu Creek State Park Hike: Arriving At The Trailhead
Upon arriving at Malibu Creek State Park you’ll come to a ranger station where you’ll need to pay for parking. You have the option to either pay by the hour ($3 per hour) or a flat fee of $12 that will last all day. We weren’t exactly sure how long our hike would take us — plus, let’s just say, we’ve been known to get lost on hikes in the past! The flat fee is just the easiest so that’s what we decided to do. Like those old late-night infomercials, we’d rather just set it and forget it!
As you pull through the gate, you’ll be struck by this park’s incredible beauty. We could immediately tell how much effort has been put into keeping the area clean. It is about a 5 minute drive from the park gate to the hiking trailhead. Do not park in the first lot — keep driving down the path until you reach the second parking lot. We were initially confused on where to go. You’ll also find bathrooms at both parking lots. An inside tip — the first parking lot’s bathrooms are a little cleaner.
The Journey: Malibu Creek State Park Hike To Famed MASH Set
The trail is wide and flat at the start, allowing you to keep plenty of social distance from others. There is also very little shade at the beginning. For that reason, we suggest doing this trail on a cooler day. As with any hike in California, be sure to bring plenty of water to stay hydrated.
We got such a kick out of the setting — and how it screamed southern California to us with its dry conditions and rolling hills. MASH was set in Vietnam, which looks nothing like the dry desert conditions you’d find here. But whatever, I guess most people didn’t really question it. Plus, California is so much easier to shoot in.
As you make your way to the MASH set, you’ll cross streams and eventually come to some shade. Kevin and I weren’t expecting the actual hike to the set to be all that scenic. But this would be a fantastic hike even if there wasn’t a big payoff at the end.
Congrats! You Made It To The MASH Set
Okay, I’m almost afraid to admit this. But I actually never watched a full episode of MASH. In fact, it reminds me of my childhood and being stuck inside at home after school. Even the theme song sort of drives me crazy! So why do a hike here? We say why not? This is one of the longest-running series on television — running from 1972 to 1983. Plus, how many ghostly television sets can you still wander through today from that era?
The site has historic markers and signs giving the back story on the TV show’s filming. Turns out, shooting MASH on location was much like a real MASH unit would operate. Electricity was sourced from powerful generators, water came from tanker trucks. And maybe most painful of all? The bathrooms weren’t much more than porta potties like you’d find on construction sites (although maybe a step up from the dirty latrines on the show).
Not all the scenes were filmed here though. Part of the series was shot on Stage 9 at 20th Century Fox. How can you tell? If it’s an exterior scene (not in tents), look for the actors squinting and shadows on their faces from the bright sun. If they’re not squinting, they are on the soundstage. Then look in the background behind the tents and you’ll see a (not very good) painted diorama of the mountains to make it look like they are standing outside. Oh, the magic of Hollywood in action!
Over the years, nature began to reclaim the famous set. An ambulance left behind by the studio became so overgrown that it couldn’t be seen by visitors standing just by a few feet away. Recognizing the show is beloved worldwide, State Parks officials authorized an environmentally sensitive, partial restoration of the set in 2007 that cleared some of the overgrowth and made it easier to see where tents and buildings were placed during the show. Today, you’ll find the iconic signpost along with information panels and photographs from the original taping. We spent about an hour here — taking photos and taking in all the history.
It’s A Wrap: Grabbing Late Lunch At Idle Hour in North Hollywood
After the hike, you’ll certainly be hungry (at least we were!). To keep up with the vintage LA theme, we drove about 30 minutes to North Hollywood for a late lunch at Idle Hour. The spot was first opened in 1941 and an example of “programmatic” architecture — basically meaning, what you see is what you get. In this case, an eye-catching giant barrel of whiskey.
Following a $1.4 million dollar restoration in 2015, Idle Hour is back open for business and looking as spectacular as ever. Head towards the back patio for al fresco dining below the pipe-smoking canine, a replica of the original Bulldog Cafe, which operated until the mid-1960s before being demolished.
I opted for the semi healthy mixed with not healthy option of a kale salad and the giant soft pretzel served with hot melted cheese. Both were tasty and highly recommend. And if you’re nice, they might even bring some extra cheese since someone (eh hem, Kevin) started dipping his french fries in it! It sounds gross, but don’t judge until you try it! Hey, we earned this after hiking 5 miles.
Looking for other unique ideas for things to do in Malibu? Check our hike to the secret swings in Malibu, perfect for a date. Speaking of date ideas, you won’t want to miss this Malibu mystery picnic, where you’ll solve clues to find our next picnic basket item. Finally, if hiking is more your speed, have a look at all of our hike recommendations in California and beyond on our hiking section.
