If this ranch looks familiar, perhaps it's because it was the backdrop for tons of great (and bad!) western movies. Gary Cooper, Roy Rogers and John Wayne have all galloped on horses through here, picking off bad guys.

Bought by Paramount Pictures in 1927 for shooting westerns, the ranch changed hands many times, becoming a facility for 1950s TV westerns--and an auto race track. In the process, it housed some of the most elaborate and picturesque western exteriors seen on TV shows like "Gunsmoke" and "Helter Skelter" (in which is served as the Manson Family hideout, Spahn Ranch). In 1980 the U.S. Government bought the ranch for the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, refurbishing the run-down western set at the center of the property. Recently, the ranch was used for the TV show "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman." But it's notable for more than the sets that you can explore; it also features several good hiking trails and a picnic area.