Marin County and the Presdio
Checking out a few locations while driving through the Bay Area
I was driving through the Bay Area a couple of weeks ago and decided to stop by a few locations along the way. We didn't have a lot of time to try to line up exact shots, but I was focusing mostly on locations from the Ewok TV movies.
There is more info about them here in a previous article:
Ewok TV movies - http://www.starwarslocations.com/article.php?story=ewok_adventures
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The addresses visited are marked in Google Maps in this list:
https://goo.gl/maps/muvnnQPUUWmSvD3Z7
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A few related notes in "Growing Up in a Galaxy Far Far Away" by Eric Walker
Roy’s Redwoods Preserve – Located roughly ten minutes away from Skywalker Ranch, this preserve was used as the primary location for the movies, and it is easy to see why when you spot the large redwoods. Park your car at the parking place along the Nicasio Valley Road and take one of the many trails to immerse yourself in the park and imagine you are on Endor. It was here that the Towani children are seen running from the boar-wolves, the exterior of the starcruiser, Kaink’s Cluster, and where Noa’s hut stood.
https://www.marincountyparks.org/parkspreserves/preserves/roys-redwoods
Big Rock - hiking trail - Ewok movie location
Kent Canyon, which is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, was listed in the shooting permit as the “mirror glint†location, which most likely refers to the glint of the starcruiser the Ewoks see while hang gliding.
Bolinas Ridge Road (37°58’6.78″N, 122°41’35.51″W) – While the hang gliding itself took place on this road, which is not far from the Roy’s Redwood Preserve.
Mount Tamalpais State Park – The East Peak was listed in the shooting permit as the location where some of the cliff scenes took place. This most likely refers to the cliff side scene where Wicket and his brothers are found by Deej. This State Park is not often visited by tourists who instead go to the nearby Muir Woods National Monument.
San Rafael – While ILM originated in Van Nuys, California, they moved in 1978 to Kerner Avenue, San Rafael. It was here that ILM worked on the special effects for The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and both the Ewok movies. The Ewok movies feature a lot of scenes shot here. Basically everything that required a set was filmed on either an indoor main stage or on Cookie Bay. The sets of the Towani starcruiser (interior) and the tent camping scene where Mace and Cindel meet Izrina were filmed on Cookie Bay.
The nearby San Rafael Basalt Rock Quarry was the location for the outside of the Gorax Castle and some of the trek through the Desert of Salma.
* Growing Up in a Galaxy Far Far Away
* Growing Up on Skywalker Ranch
* Caravan of Courage
* The Battle for Endor
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Here is a 30 minute video of the entire drive around some of the areas if anyone is interested.
Exit off the 101 S
Lucas Valley Rd with a stop at Big Rock and the Skywalker Ranch gate
Nicasio Valley Rd with a stop at Roy's Redwoods Preserve
Finally down Sir Francis Drake Blvd on the way back to the 101
https://youtu.be/fh2oBnlafDA
There is more info about them here in a previous article:
Ewok TV movies - http://www.starwarslocations.com/article.php?story=ewok_adventures
Roys Redwoods Preserve
Mount Tamalpais East Peak
Skywalker Ranch gate
Big Rock
San Rafael - ILM
Presidio - ILM
-------------------------------------
The addresses visited are marked in Google Maps in this list:
https://goo.gl/maps/muvnnQPUUWmSvD3Z7
-------------------------------------
A few related notes in "Growing Up in a Galaxy Far Far Away" by Eric Walker
Roy’s Redwoods Preserve – Located roughly ten minutes away from Skywalker Ranch, this preserve was used as the primary location for the movies, and it is easy to see why when you spot the large redwoods. Park your car at the parking place along the Nicasio Valley Road and take one of the many trails to immerse yourself in the park and imagine you are on Endor. It was here that the Towani children are seen running from the boar-wolves, the exterior of the starcruiser, Kaink’s Cluster, and where Noa’s hut stood.
https://www.marincountyparks.org/parkspreserves/preserves/roys-redwoods
Big Rock - hiking trail - Ewok movie location
Kent Canyon, which is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, was listed in the shooting permit as the “mirror glint†location, which most likely refers to the glint of the starcruiser the Ewoks see while hang gliding.
Bolinas Ridge Road (37°58’6.78″N, 122°41’35.51″W) – While the hang gliding itself took place on this road, which is not far from the Roy’s Redwood Preserve.
Mount Tamalpais State Park – The East Peak was listed in the shooting permit as the location where some of the cliff scenes took place. This most likely refers to the cliff side scene where Wicket and his brothers are found by Deej. This State Park is not often visited by tourists who instead go to the nearby Muir Woods National Monument.
San Rafael – While ILM originated in Van Nuys, California, they moved in 1978 to Kerner Avenue, San Rafael. It was here that ILM worked on the special effects for The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, and both the Ewok movies. The Ewok movies feature a lot of scenes shot here. Basically everything that required a set was filmed on either an indoor main stage or on Cookie Bay. The sets of the Towani starcruiser (interior) and the tent camping scene where Mace and Cindel meet Izrina were filmed on Cookie Bay.
The nearby San Rafael Basalt Rock Quarry was the location for the outside of the Gorax Castle and some of the trek through the Desert of Salma.
* Growing Up in a Galaxy Far Far Away
* Growing Up on Skywalker Ranch
* Caravan of Courage
* The Battle for Endor
-------------------------------------
Here is a 30 minute video of the entire drive around some of the areas if anyone is interested.
Exit off the 101 S
Lucas Valley Rd with a stop at Big Rock and the Skywalker Ranch gate
Nicasio Valley Rd with a stop at Roy's Redwoods Preserve
Finally down Sir Francis Drake Blvd on the way back to the 101
https://youtu.be/fh2oBnlafDA