8 Places a Cowboy Would Love To Hang His Hat

Lights on Location on returns with yet another fascinating post, and today it is about Cowboys and Westerns!

                Ever felt like riding into the sunset with a trusty steed? If yes, then you've probably watched too many cowboy movies. But who wouldn't though? Cowboy films let us see another world full of action and adventure. Parts of this are the iconic filming locations that have been used in some of the most famous cowboy films. With that in mind, here are 8 of the places that a cowboy would love to hang his hat.

Grafton Ghost Town

The western film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid gave us the unforgettable bike scene with the song “Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head” playing. This town is where that iconic bike scene was filmed.  Head to the New Sheridan Hotel's bar and have a drink for the full cowboy experience.

Monument Valley

This valley is famed for its curious rock formations, and is named by the Navajo as 'Tsé Biiʼ Ndzisgaii' (Valley of the Rocks). Western director John Ford made use of the Monument Valley as house filming location for some of his best work, including the 1950's western flick starring John Wayne – The Searchers.

Bronson Caves in Los Angeles

Another filming location from the westerns of the past up to the present, the Bronson Caves found in Los Angeles is a great place for any cowboy to have a rest from the heat. This cave has been used by big feature films and low budget movies as well.

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

The 1976 movie starring Clint Eastwood titled “The Outlaw Josey Wales” was filmed in the Glen Canyon Recreation Area. The surrounding lake is a nice place for a rest and also for fishing all types of bass.

Columbia State Historic Park

The Columbia State Park is another place for filming a western. High Noon made use of this park as their backdrop. The 1982 film Shadow Riders were also shot in this very location.

Tree Canopy at Evergreen Plantation

One of the more familiar filming locations used in a western might be the Tree Canopy. It was recently used in Quentin Tarantino's grisly western film Django Unchained.

Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park

What better place to give a rousing speech to your gang than in the Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park. Hedley Lamarr and his gang were right in this spot when they shot the classic “Blazing Saddles”. Although the rest of the film was shot on soundstages, this location added to the realism tone of the instrumental scenes of the film.

Ouray County Courthouse

Prove your true grit by checking out the Ouray County Courthouse. The movie True Grit made use of the courthouse as one of their filming locations. And when you're feeling hungry, you can also visit the True Grit Cafe named in honor of the film.