Growing up, my family and I would always go to Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park for Easter. The rock formations were fun to climb on and explore as a child. Whenever we’d leave I would look back at the rocks wistfully, looking forward to the next time I could come back. We would walk on the trails and discover the little caves in the canyons. Now that I’m a hiking enthusiast, Vasquez Rocks is definitely one of my favorite hiking destinations.

According to the Department of Parks and Recreation County of Los Angeles, Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park is 932 acres of rock formations. It is located in the high desert near Agua Dulce Springs. The first inhabitants to live there were the Tataviam tribe from protohistoric times. The word "Tataviam" means "people of the south-facing slopes." They were gatherers, hunters and traders. In the 1700s, the Spanish converted the native peoples and so they adopted Spaniard ways. Because of the growing population of the Spanish, many tribes intermarried with them. However, there are still people that are related to the tribe that live on. The reason why the park was named Vasquez Rocks is because of Tiburcio Vasquez, who was known as one of California’s notorious bandits. He used the rock formations to hide from law enforcement and so now the geological site was named after him.

Vasquez Rocks is also known as a popular location for many movies and TV shows. According to moviesites.org, "Vasquez Rocks is one of the movie industry’s most recognizable film locations." It became a frequent backdrop for Westerns like "The Texas Ranger" (1931), "The Golden Trail" (1940), Blazing Saddles (1974), and "Dakota Trail" (1945). Some TV shows that filmed episodes at Vasquez rocks are "New Girl," "Buffy The Vampire Slayer," "Star Trek" and "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers."Because it is so close to Hollywood Studios, it is a perfect location.

Not only is it a great place to hike and explore the many trails, it is very rich in history. It makes me appreciate it even more. It is a very popular destination for families, but the park is so large, when hiking you hardly come across other people. It’s very peaceful and quiet even though there is a freeway that runs along one side of the park. You don’t even notice it because you’re too busy admiring the beautiful rock formations. If you go deep enough into the canyons it feels like you’re in a whole other world. There is nothing like leaving civilization behind and being able to appreciate nature at its best.