The Painted Turtle: Film, TV, Commercial, Photo Location
A 173-acre cinematic playground, built like a studio backlot

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One Private Backlot. Multiple Locations.

173 acres in North Los Angeles County built like a studio backlot, not a single set: lakefront, forest, ranch, campus, and more, all on one secured property 90 minutes from Hollywood.

The Painted Turtle offers filmmakers, photographers, and production teams exclusive access to one of Southern California’s most versatile shooting locations. From lakefront docks to mountain chaparral, working equestrian facilities to a full clinical set, our 173 acres deliver an unmatched range of looks without ever leaving the property, all while supporting our mission of providing free camp experiences to children with serious medical conditions.

Location Overview

Set within the Angeles National Forest near Lake Hughes, California, The Painted Turtle is a fully private site designed by the architects behind the Getty Center, built for scale, flexibility, and privacy that’s rare this close to Los Angeles.

Aerial overview of the 173-acre site
Aerial Overview
Map of The Painted Turtle
Site Map 
Front Gate
  • 173 production-ready acres, fully gated and private
  • 90 minutes from downtown Los Angeles
  • Flexible footprint accommodating small crews to full-scale productions
  • Experienced hosting professional film, television, commercial, and photo productions

Several Locations. One Backlot.

A single site visit can cover an entire shot list. Available looks and sets include:

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Lakefront, Waterfront, Swamp, Boathouse & Docks
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Roads and Forested Paths
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Open Chaparral, Rolling Hills & Mountain Backdrops
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Rustic Cabin & Residential Settings
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Full-size Gymnasium & Dining Hall
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Medical / Clinical interior set
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Barn, Paddock & Equestrian Center
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High Ropes Course, Pool, Arts & Crafts, Woodshop
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Existing buildings & infrastructure
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Large Parking & Staging Lots

Production-Ready

Beyond the visuals, the site is built to support real production operations:

  • On-site space for crew, equipment, catering, and production operations
  • Dedicated parking, staging, and crew areas
  • Power access on site
  • On-site overnight lodging for cast and crew
  • Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity

Filming at The Painted Turtle was a dream! We got all the shots we needed in one place.  - Hulu

Location Scouting

Ready to scout The Painted Turtle for your next production? Reach out to schedule a site visit or request photo package.

Every production filmed at The Painted Turtle helps provide free, life-changing Camp experiences to children with serious medical conditions and their families.