Vasquez Rocks

Editor’s note: This story originally appeared in the December issue of Angels Flight, the quarterly newsletter of the USS Angeles.

By Commodore Dave Mason

AGUA DULCE – We hiked where Capt. Kirk fought the Gorn.

Four USS Angeles members and a guest beamed down Nov. 16 to Vasquez Rocks, which served as the planet for the fight with the Gorn in the “Star Trek” episode “Arena.”

The Los Angeles County park near Agua Dulce also served as the planet Vulcan, both in “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home” (1986) and the 2009 “Star Trek” movie directed by J.J. Abrams. To fans’ delight, it appeared as Vasquez Rocks in a 2020 episode of “Star Trek: Picard.” USS Angeles First Officer Jeremy Kranz, though, discovered an opening wide shot was actually of Montana. That’s Hollywood for you!

After we hiked from the Vasquez Rocks interpretive center to the iconic rocks, Jeremy scanned through episodes on his smartphone and saw where Kirk (William Shatner) and the Gorn (Bobby Clark) stood in “Arena,” in the main parking lot next to the rocks. Other original series episodes filmed there included “Friday’s Child,” “A Private Little War” and “Shore Leave,” in which Kirk fights a Starfleet Academy classmate from his past. The more forested parts of “Shore Leave,” by the way, were filmed nearby at the former Africa U.S.A. site in Acton, which has been among locations visited by the Angeles.

Jeremy also played part of “Who Watches the Watchers?,” a “Next Generation” episode filmed at Vasquez Rocks. Capt. Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) has to prove to people in a pre-warp civilization that he’s not a god.

After the quick scan of his phone, Jeremy looked at the sky and got a bird’s-eye view by hiking up the rocks. You don’t need ropes, but it’s a steep angle.

Fellow members Marianne and Roberto Quintero climbed higher, and Jeremy’s friend Diego Garcia made it all the way to the very top of the most iconic peak.

Diego told me afterward he’s climbed mountains.

I ventured a short distance up the slope, but left the real climbing to Diego and others. Janice Willcocks and I appreciated our view from terra firma.

In addition to “Star Trek,” movies filmed at Vasquez Rocks have varied from the Mel Brooks-directed Western comedy “Blazing Saddles” (1974) to the 2001 “Planet of the Apes” remake starring Mark Wahlberg. Vasquez Rocks also served as Bedrock in the 1994 live-action “Flintstones” movie.

The USS Angeles has visited Vasquez Rocks many times. The last time before our November expedition was in March 2023. Once, member Jon Lane filmed Angeles members there for a video to Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” song from the 2013 animated movie “Despicable Me 2.”

Vasquez Rocks also was a filming site for “USS Angeles: The Price of Duty,” a movie that Janice directed and former member Rob Caves produced. 

During our Nov. 16 mission, Janice pointed to the area where other Angeles members and I knelt behind a rocky slope in “Star Trek” uniforms and fired phasers at Cardassians. The saucer of the USS Angeles also crashed at Vasquez Rocks.

After our latest exploration of the site — no Cardassian troops this time — Janice, Jeremy and I enjoyed a delicious dinner at Maria Bonita Mexican Restaurant, operated by a family in Agua Dulce.

USS Angeles Founder Janice Willcocks visits Vasquez Rocks, a frequent “Star Trek” filming site. The rocks behind Janice have appeared in movies such “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home” (1986), in which this was the planet Vulcan. (Photos by Dave Mason/USS Angeles/Angels Flight)

From left, USS Angeles members Roberto and Marianne Quintero, Jeremy Kraniz and Diego Garcia visit Vasquez Rocks.

USS Angeles First Officer Jeremy Kranz enjoys his hike up the best known part of Vasquez Rocks. A wide shot in front of this rock face has appeared in TV shows and movies including those from “Star Trek.”