Many Westerns shot at Arizona's Apacheland Movie Ranch

Elvis Chapel

At one time Apacheland Movie Ranch had dreams of becoming the Western movie capital of the world. That dream went up in smoke, though a respectable number of Western movies and TV shows were filmed here in the decades before fire destroyed the movie set.

 Apacheland was started in 1959 on Apache Trail Road, a scenic byway that runs through the Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix, Arizona.

Apacheland suffered a fire in 1969, but the one that pretty much destroyed the movie set happened on Valentine’s Day in 2004.

When the blaze ended, the only buildings left were the chapel, the barn/stable and the gallows. They were moved 10 miles down the road to the Superstition Mountain Museum.

The chapel is known as the Elvis Chapel because it was featured in Charro!, a movie starring Elvis Presley that was made here. Inside, on the altar, you’ll find a life-size statue of Elvis. The chapel is a wedding venue; a docent says many couples choose to be married standing next to Elvis, though he can be moved aside for the ceremony.

Aduie Murphy Barn

The barn is known as the Audie Murphy Barn because of a shootout scene filmed for Arizona Raiders. Inside, you’ll find pictures of actors and actresses who starred in movies and TV shows filmed here. There’s also the buggy that Doc drove in Gunsmoke.

Besides Elvis and Audie Murphy, the list includes Steve McQueen, Ronald Reagan, John Wayne, Clint Walker, Stella Stevens, Marty Robbins and Ida Lupino.

Stars at  Apacheland

Television productions include Have Gun Will Travel, Wagon Train, Gunsnoke, and Wanted: Dead or Alive.

Movies include Blood on the Arrow, Ballad of Cable Hogue, The Hunted and Broken Land.

The museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., though it does close on major holidays.

To get there take the Idaho Road exit off Highway 60 at Apache Junction. Stay on this road until you get to Highway 88/Apache Trail Road. The museum is about three miles from the intersection.

Small Utah museum showcases Western movie sets

Old movie sets at Little Hollywood

Southern Utah’s rigged terrain, clear blue skies and wide open spaces make it a natural setting for Western movies and television shows.

 

More than 100 movies have been filmed in the Kanab area, a small town not too far north of the border with Arizona.

 

The first movie was filmed here in 1924, Deadwood Coach, starring Tom Mix. Others that followed include the original Stagecoach, filmed in 1939; 1939’s Drums Along the Mohawk, and Westward the Women (one of my favorites) in 1951, and The Outlaw Josey Wales, starring Clint Eastwood. TV series filmed here include Lassie, Wagon Train, Have Gun Will Travel and The Lone Ranger

 

Some stars, such as John Wayne and Dean Martin were in several movies filmed here.

 

IF you’re driving through Kanab, Little Hollywood Movie Museum makes for a pleasant stop. This free museum has a small collection of building fronts used as sets in various movies.   Placards identify the movies the particular building front was in. Several of the sets are from The Outlaw Josey Wales.

 

The museum is located at 297 W. Center Street, which is also known as US Highway 89.