Westworld draws a huge audience for a reason, and, for us at least, it’s not just trying to suss out what the heck is going on. We love the promise of adventure in wild, staggering landscapes. And though Westworld itself may be a fantasy, its real-life Southwestern backdrop begs to be explored. Here’s your guide for adventuring in the show’s most awe-inspiring filming locations, minus the marauding robots.
Monument Valley, Arizona
Dolores Abernathy and Teddy Flood are often seen riding with the valley’s iconic sandstone buttes and mesas draped across the horizon, and you too can ride the landscape. offers outings that range from 30-minute jaunts ($45) to overnight excursions ($195). Or splurge on a trip with that will see you spending the night with the unrivaled panoramic views on Hunts Mesa, where your Navajo guides will tell stories of their tribe’s history and relation to the land ($400). If guides aren’t your thing, plan a sunset loop around West Mitten Butte on the four-mile Wildcat Trail, where you can spot desert cottontail, foxes, and wild horses.
Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah
A particularly savage scene where Ed Harris’ Man in Black scalps a robotic host takes place at the aptly named . This state park, 40 minutes from Moab, was once a natural mustang corral and today overlooks a dramatic bend of the Colorado River and the Island in the Sky portion of Canyonlands National Park. Nab a hike-in campsite at ($35), or book one of the air-conditioned ($140), conveniently located near the Pony Expresso Coffee Shop. Mountain bikers flock to the region for its amazing slickrock trails. You can rent a steed from Moab’s (from $60 a day) to explore Man in Black country on Dead Horse’s .
Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park, California
Wyatt’s Badlands are a remote and dangerous corner of Westworld plagued by bandits. For us, it’s , 932 acres of uplifted, jagged sandstone in California’s Sierra Pelona Mountains, at the north end of Los Angeles County. Real-life bandits have eluded capture among these rocks, but you can lose yourself in the sweeping high-desert views, prehistoric Tataviam pictographs, and rock scrambles along the park’s rolling trails.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, Utah
A slew of aerial shots (not to mention the appearance of the Ghost Nation warriors) flaunt the glory of , a rippling 5.8-square-mile arc of rose-hued dunes and rusty cliffs just 40 minutes from Zion National Park. Pitch a tent at the park’s campground (from $20) and wander the Navajo sandstone dunes at your leisure. Be sure to keep an eye out for the Coral Pink tiger beetle, which is endemic to the park.
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah/Arizona
Lake Powell features prominently in the show’s second season, and you have myriad options for exploring it. Go with an SUP tour through the reservoir’s Antelope Canyon with Page-based (from $95). Camp at spots like ($14), just north of the Utah-Arizona border, or go big at , a 600-acre luxury getaway at the base of 100-foot canyon cliffs, complete with seven Via Ferrata–style hiking routes and a 25,000-square-foot spa with flotation therapy and private plunge pools (from $1,400).
Fisher Valley, Utah
A smattering of panoramic shots feature Fisher Valley, home to Fisher Towers, a series of surreal, castle-esque sandstone pinnacles. Set up base camp at the primitive (first come, first served), or snag a spot at this of a vacation home (from $878). Hike the 2.2-mile (one way) , pedal the scenic 11-mile , or join on a full-day Class I/II float down the Colorado River through classic canyon country ($95).