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We’re exhausted. The pre-dawn flight from the East to West Coast, is catching up with us, but we are determined to go hiking, to the M*A*S*H TV Set. 

Not always jetsetters, once upon a time, we are newly married, fresh out of college kids, intent, above all else, to pay off debt. This means, for several years, we engage in frugal activities. One Christmas, we receive the entire M*A*S*H television show, DVD box set. Once home, we load the dvd player. Between Christmas and New Year’s Day, we binge the first season, before binge watching was cool. Thus began a tradition. Each year we watch the next season of M*A*S*H, between Christmas and New Year’s Day, until season 11’s finale.

Knowing we are passing through Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, on our way to Ventura, California, we can’t pass up the chance, to see the largest, urban, National Park, in the United States. 

First stop, the Visitors’ Center, located in King Gillette Ranch. The former home of the razor entrepreneur. 

After securing our National Park stamp, we wander around. Like all National Park Visitors’ Centers, there are exhibits, educating guests, on the local plants and wildlife.

Unlike many National Park Visitors’ Centers, Santa Monica’s Visitors’ Center, dazzles park-goers with its Spanish-Revival, architecture. 

There are arbors, entwined, with dangling grape vines. 

Benches are set in shady spots, and next to the bubbling fountain. 

The M*A*S*H TV set, is located inside of Malibu Creek State Park, which is located inside of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. It’s hiking trail nesting dolls. 

Once we find the correct parking lot, we follow the signs, pointing to the start of the hike. 

I take photos of some of the scenic spots on the hike, but much of the hike is, hot, dry, dusty, trails. 

Whenever we start to doubt that we are going the correct way, a sign appears, providing direction. 

We turn a corner, and are standing in front of the truck.  We made it to the M*A*S*H TV Set. 

Fires ravaged the site in 1982 and 2018, so most of the pieces are recreations. The burnt-out truck, is an original. 

 I never thought I’d be here in person, staring at the mountains, in the opening scene. You can almost hear the helicopter, flying over, as the famous, theme song begins. 

There are signs, explaining where certain pieces of the set, were located. 

I imagined tons of other Hawkeye and Radar enthusiasts, trekking around the site, but we are the only ones milling about the M*A*S*H TV Set. 

There is a shaded area, with picnic tables, for lunching, and/or, a rest. 

You can’t visit the M*A*S*H TV Set, without getting a picture with the iconic, signpost.

Malibu Creek State Park, even provides hikers with a camera stand. 

It’s late afternoon, the day is waning. We want to get back to the car, before the daylight disappears. 

The M*A*S*H TV Set, is an out and back trail, so there is nothing different to see on the hike back. We hustle, on a mission to get back to the car. 

There is one more, California, screen location, to visit. Neptune’s Net restaurant’s claim to fame, is as a set location for the first, Fast and Furious, movie. 

The restaurant is a casual, seafood shack, with fantastic, sunset views. 

Though we are weary, as a pop-culture fangirl, hiking to the M*A*S*H TV Set, is a bucket list item, that wasn’t on my bucket list.  Visiting the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is worth making time for if driving the PCH and/or visiting California. 

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