Aaron Adams’s Blowhard Blog

Today, as part of my Los Angeles whirlwind tour, I got to visit the location of the camp from M*A*S*H. Click the “read more” link for the story and some pictures.

One of my goals visiting LA was to hit the set of M*A*S*H, one of my favorite TV shows. I’d never read anything about what happened to the set after the final episode, and I figured there was a spot at a park somewhere in the hills near town where a camp was set up and it would be a short drive and we’d be there in the still-existing camp taking pictures. It wasn’t quite that way.

The camp is located about 25 miles outside of town at Malibu Creek State Park. It’s $8 to get into the park, which is absolutely beautiful. There is a hike of about 3 miles into the canyon where the remains of the set are located. During the filming of the final episode, a brush fire destroyed the set and only a couple of things remain to indicate that M*A*S*H was ever there.

This picture shows the camp as it was when the show was being filmed.

Here is the camp from an angle a little further back as it stands today. Much of the camp is overgrown and unrecognizable.

This view of the camp is from the ledge that served as the helipad where the injured were flown in. You can see the burned-out jeep that seems to be located next to where the Swamp was. There is also a picnic table at the foot of the ledge, and today two riders parked their bikes against it. The far background behind the jeep is where the tents from the first picture were located. It’s hard to tell where anything was because of all the vegetation that fills the area 20 years later.

In the bushes behind the jeep in the previous picture is a burned-out ambulance.

This is a closer view of the remaining toasted jeep.

Todd took a picture of me driving the burnt out jeep. I’m like, cool and stuff.

After seeing what there was (wasn’t?) of the site, we hiked the 3 miles back again in the California heat. When we got back to the car we were sweaty and covered by a thin layer of dust. You need to be in decent shape to make the 6 mile trip, and a good deal of it is uphill, but if you’re a M*A*S*H fan the effort is worth it.