HBO's Westworld. See it now, in Utah.
This scenic corner of Utah where director Jonathon Nolan films portions of HBO's Westworld is a place that evokes the mythological west of classic Hollywood Westerns, including John Ford's long love affair with nearby Monument Valley. It is the real West, but it is a place that feels otherworldly, almost impossible.
Castle Valley outside of Moab ("Westworld," 2016)
Photo: HBO
The much-acclaimed HBO series "Westworld" adapts Michael Crichton's 1973 screenplay and film into an interesting story updated for a modern audience and showcases some of director Jonathan Nolan's signature nonlinear storytelling. The setting is spellbinding, featuring rugged terrain and breathtaking vistas. Unforgettable Western backdrops bring the storytelling to life. But where was Westworld — both seasons one and two — filmed?
In season one, the sweeping place-setting camera shots of Castle Valley and Canyon Country (Dead Horse Point State Park and Canyonlands National Park) that Jonathan Nolan's production team cut into the "Westworld" narrative are fitting for multiple reasons.
This scenic corner of Utah, more than anywhere else on the map, is a place that evokes the mythological west of classic Hollywood Westerns, including John Ford's long love affair with nearby Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park in his depictions of the Wild West. It is quintessential western America, but these locations feel otherworldly, almost impossible. It is a natural amusement park of the highest order, home to Moab, Arches National Park, some of the West's best whitewater on the Colorado River and virtually limitless open space to roam.
"The sculptor here is the force of Mother Nature, whose patient hand harnessed wind, water, ice and time in the creation of Castle Valley, Utah."
("Westworld," 2016)
Photo: HBO
Meanwhile, the three scenic byways in this area link many of the film's best panoramas as they wind through red rock valleys. Production stills from "Westworld" show a flatbed trailer trucking the classic Fillmore & Western Railway train carriage set through Castle Valley to depict "Arrivals" to Westworld. A drive up the Potash-Lower Colorado River Scenic Byway is like arriving in the amusement park of Westworld. What adventures await?
Season two introduces new Utah landscapes, including Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, known for Lake Powell, and Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park.
Though many Utah landscapes are woven into the fabric of Hollywood, they are also travel destinations for your next outdoor adventure. Ready to start planning your visit? In the featured story below, you can explore itinerary ideas inspired by movies and television shows filmed in Utah and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Or, follow our Southwest Silver Screen itinerary through Southern Utah, which combines many of the best film destinations into one trip.
Interested in seeing more Utah movie-related destinations? Follow a Germany-based film enthusiast on her road trip to some of Utah’s most iconic silver screen backdrops.
Filmed in Utah: 7 Itineraries Through Hollywood's Most Iconic Settings
Whether hitting the Sundance Film Festival in Park City and Salt Lake City in January or visiting Utah throughout the year, you’ll find yourself near some Utah’s most iconic and most filmed places.
What's Nearby
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Dead Horse Point State Park
A broad peninsula of land jutting out over the spectacular White Rim of the Colorado River, Dead Horse Point State Park specializes in the type of sweeping, jaw-dropping views that make visitors run for their cameras to try and capture the area’s grandeur. In recent years, a tight network of fun singletrack trails has begun attracting mountain bikers who want epic views with moderate rides, increasing the popularity of the park.
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Moab
Moab is surrounded by a sea of buckled, twisted and worn sandstone sculpted by millennia of sun, wind and rain
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Southwest Silver Screen
See silver screen cowboys and real ones, too. This five-day itinerary will take you to famous film backdrops and to the real Old West.
Discover More
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Selfie at Forrest Gump Point
Take a selfie where Forrest Gump decided he was done running near Monument Valley in Utah.
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Sundance, Full Circle
When visiting the Sundance Film Festival in Utah, movies are only part of the experience.
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Sundance: The Story is Utah
For Sundance audiences and filmmakers, the Story is Utah, one with many visions and interpretations and where revolutions are encouraged.
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Kanab's Western Legends Heritage and Music Festival
Kanab's Western Legends Heritage and Music Festival is filled with round-the-clock Western-themed entertainment — think: music, cowboys and history.
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Robert Redford Sets the Sundance Scene
Watch the story behind Robert Redford's founding of Sundance Mountain Resort in Utah, and learn what makes this Provo ski resort stand out.
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Movies Filmed in Utah: Plotting a Cinematic Drive-Through
Follow a Germany-based film enthusiast on an extended road trip to discover the rich history of Utah cinematography.
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Filmed in Utah: 7 Itineraries Through Hollywood's Most Iconic Settings
Whether hitting the Sundance Film Festival in Park City and Salt Lake City in January or visiting Utah throughout the year, you’ll find yourself near some Utah’s most iconic and most filmed places.
-
Explore Utah Through the Lens of "Horizon: An American Saga"
It's no surprise that Hollywood has turned to Utah's stunning and untouched terrain time and again.
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On the Trail of Utah's Classic Movies
Germany-based film enthusiast Andrea David is back in Utah, embarking on a road trip to explore 100 years of Utah film history.
