Locations Guide - Battlestar Galactica Filming Locations

The Plan - Flashback Forest

9/5/2011

Wooded area, Capilano Park, 3735 Capilano Road,  North Vancouver

Travel Tips: This was used in a flashback sequence to 'Lay Down Your Burdens.' There is also a flashback to these woods in Robert Burnaby Park in 'The Farm.' More information is available for this park under the category 'The Farm.'

For this location, park in the Cleveland Dam parking lot. You'll be able to see 'The Lions,' the mountains used as the 'Gates of Hera' in the Kobol arc from there. Cross the Cleveland Dam bridge (another site from 'The Plan') and you'll see a path on the left leading up. Walk up the path. Right about where it begins to turn, you'll see a wooden post with a small yellow sign on it. Enter the woods here (there's an obvious path).

We found screen matching in this park very difficult (though we believe we were successful with a few Kobol shots). Did you have luck matching? Please contact us and share your pics and stories.

The Plan - Cylon Launch

9/3/2011

Cleveland Dam Bridge, Capilano Park, 3735 Capilano Road,  North Vancouver

The Cleveland Dam bridge at Capilano Park.

Travel Tips: When you get to Capilano Park, park in the Cleveland Dam parking lot (click the adjacent pic to enlarge). From there, you'll be able to see the Lions Mountains (from the Kobol arc). The bridge used in 'The Plan' takes you directly across the dam. The view and the sound there is amazing. If you continue across the bridge and up the gravel path, you'll be able to visit the Cylon missile site from Kobol as well. Just walk up the path and right about where it begins to turn you'll see a wooden post with a small, yellow sign on it. Enter the woods here (there's an obvious path).

The Plan - Pyramid Training Site

9/3/2011

Mid Valley in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve in North Vancouver. Take exit 22 from Hwy 1 at the north end of the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Bridge. A large green GVRD sign at the intersection of the parkway and Lillooet Road points straight ahead on Lillooet to the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve (Seymour Demonstration Forest). Click on the maps below to get a closer look.

Help Needed: We cut short our trip to the lookout at Mid Valley, site of the pyramid training camp, as the road to the site was gated and we didn't have time to hike the rest of the way. This location is just down the road from the Stables from 'Hand of God' and is fully public (and reportedly has an amazing view). If you hike up to the site, please contact us and share a pic for the website!

Miniseries - Ragnar Station

8/31/2011

Ragnar Station consists of two separate, private locations

Exterior: Vancouver Wharves, North Vancouver
Interior: Lantic Sugar, Inc., Vancouver waterfront

Unfortunately, public access to both locations is now highly restricted for security reasons.

Location Notes: The corridor scene for Ragnar was shot at the sugar refinery in a walkway that led from one building to another. There was a real problem with seagulls while shooting as they were landing on the walkway, squawking, running on the rooftop, and could be heard.

33

8/18/2011

This episode has two locations.
1. Forest where Helo shoots a Six
Lynn Canyon Park, 3663 Park Road in Lynn Valley
Take a virtual tour at the Lynn Canyon Park website.

Google Earth map provided by Kent Sponagle.

Find the gravel access road that runs through Lynn Canyon Park and follow it to the south end of the Bear Trail. Helo shot a Six here (it's also the main Kobol campsite). Matching this site in the park seemed near impossible, so the match above is similar at best. Did you have better luck? Please contact us with stories and photos!

On our first visit, we walked the Bear Trail (having asked at the Ecology Centre where productions usually film in the park) and, ironically enough, heard a very loud bear call at the bottom of the trail. I only knew what it was for sure because it sounded like Chewbacca, and I knew they used some bear sounds for him (I'm not particularly outdoorsy, lol). We made a lot of noise talking and jingling keys and high tailed it out of there! Especially if you're visiting on a weekday, when the park is not busy, consider bear bells or some other noise maker.

2. Baltar's house
Tidewater Way, Lions Bay

Travel Tips: Baltar's house at Lions Bay is another location not to be missed. Park in the public lot near the water, and use the public beach access. Don't be like us and spend at least half an hour taking pictures of the water, ourselves and the water, the rocks, ourselves and the rocks, and not notice the house behind you! Near the washrooms is a raised grassy area where you can enjoy a spectacular view of the house and the water, perfect for a picnic. (We've had two--one on each trip. :D) Even the ~35-minute drive from Vancouver is amazing--with a postcard view around every turn.

Six Degrees of Separation

8/14/2011

This episode has two locations.
1. Sharon and Helo on the Bridge/Sex Scene
Harbourview Park. The best access is by parking at Pet Smart, 1302 Cotton Drive, North Vancouver

Check out the story of the 13th Colony visiting this site on their blog.

Google Earth map courtesy of Kent Sponagle.

Travel Tips: The bridge and the sex scene were filmed in Harbourview Park. The bridge is currently being reconstructed, so there may be no reason to visit. Please contact us if you have any recent information. Thanks to the 13th Colony for the amazing pics!

2. Baltar's house
Tidewater Way, Lions Bay, BC

Travel Tips: Baltar's house at Lions Bay is another location not to be missed. Park in the public lot near the water, and use the public beach access. Don't be like us and spend at least half an hour taking pictures of the water, ourselves and the water, the rocks, ourselves and the rocks, and not notice the house behind! Near the washrooms is a raised grassy area where you can enjoy a spectacular view (the one on the bottom left) of the house and the water--perfect for a picnic (we've had two--one on each trip :D). Even the ~35-minute drive from Vancouver is amazing, with a postcard view around every turn.

Hand of God

8/13/2011

This episode has three locations.
1. Helo/Sharon at stable
North Shore Equestrian Centre, 1301 Lillooet Road, North Vancouver, close to Capilano University
North Shore Equestrian Centre Website

Travel Tips: This is a private business, but very welcoming to visitors. Use the website above to contact the owners before you go. When planning a trip to North Vancouver, click on its category on the right to see all the locations you can visit. The sites here are within minutes of each other.

2. Six on the Gravel Road
Inter River Park (visible from the Equestrian Centre), North Vancouver

Travel Tip: This site is visible from the Equestrian Centre, virtually from where Sharon was using her binoculars. It has changed somewhat over the years (now paved instead of gravel). To get a better match to the screencap, you would have to go to the park.

3. Baltar's House

Tidewater Way, Lions Bay

Travel Tips: Baltar's house at Lions Bay is another location not to be missed. Park in the public lot near the water, and use the public beach access. Don't be like us and spend at least half an hour taking pictures of the water, ourselves and the water, the rocks, ourselves and the rocks, and not notice the house behind! Near the washrooms is a raised grassy area where you can enjoy a spectacular view (the one on the bottom left) of the house and the water, perfect for a picnic. We've had two, one on each trip. :D Even the ~35 minute drive from Vancouver is amazing with a postcard view around every turn.

Fragged

8/10/2011

This episode has two locations.
1. Kobol - Cylon missile site
Capilano Park, 3735 Capilano Road,  North Vancouver

Click to enlarge

Travel Tips: Park in the Cleveland Dam parking lot. You'll be able to see 'The Lions,' the mountains used as the 'Gates of Hera' in the Kobol arc from there. Cross the Cleveland dam bridge (a site from 'The Plan') and you'll see a path on the left leading up. Walk up the path. Right about where it begins to turn, you'll see a wooden post with a small, yellow sign on it. Enter the woods here (there's an obvious path).

Although screen matching is difficult in this park, we believe we've matched the first pic, and the one where Baltar and I are on the tree. :) I would not recommend that anyone else try to climb on Baltar's tree. It's very slimy and it's easy to lose your grip! Did you have luck matching? Please contact us and share your pics and stories.

2. Baltar's House
Tidewater Way, Lions Bay

Travel Tips: Baltar's house at Lions Bay is another location not to be missed. Park in the public lot near the water, and use the public beach access. Don't be like us and spend at least half an hour taking pictures of the water, ourselves and the water, the rocks, ourselves and the rocks, and not notice the house behind! Near the washrooms is a raised grassy area where you can enjoy a spectacular view (the one on the bottom left) of the house and the water--perfect for a picnic. We've had two, one on each trip. :D Even the ~35-minute drive from Vancouver is amazing, with a postcard view around every turn.

Home I

8/9/2011

This episode has two locations.
1. Kobol - Galleon Meadow
Coquitlam, active gravel quarry, very dangerous

Travel Tips: This site is private and inaccessible along a gated road. The mountain in the foreground of the screencap on the right is from the quarry, the mountain in the background was comped in by visual effects.

2. Kobol - Elosha's death
Lynn Canyon Park, 3663 Park Road, in Lynn Valley, North Vancouver
Take a virtual tour at the Lynn Canyon Park website.
A great park map can be found here.

Google Earth Map provided by Kent Sponagle.

Travel Tips: Click the map to see a larger version. Find the gravel access road that runs through Lynn Canyon Park and follow it to the south end of the Bear Trail. Elosha died somewhere off the road (and the main campsite was at Bear Trail). Matching this site in the park seemed near impossible. Did you have better luck? Please contact us with stories and photos!

On our first visit, we walked the Bear Trail (having asked at the Ecology Centre where productions usually film in the park) and, ironically enough, heard a very loud bear call at the bottom of the trail. I only knew what it was for sure because it sounded like Chewbacca, and I knew they used some bear sounds for him (I'm not particularly outdoorsy, lol). We made a lot of noise talking and jingling keys and high tailed it out of there! Especially if you're visiting on a weekday, when the park is not busy, consider bear bells or some other noise maker.

Home II

8/9/2011

This episode has four locations.
1. Kobol - The Gates of Hera
The Lions (peaks), Capilano Park, 3735 Capilano Road, North Vancouver

Parking to view The Lions and cross the Cleveland Dam bridge.

Travel Tips: Park in the Cleveland Dam parking lot. On a clear day, the Lions are visible from the lot! Cloudy skies were the norm for both of our trips, so we had difficulty getting a good shot. Many thanks to The 13th Colony for the cloud-free pics! The Lions are in repose on their backs, noses in the air. You'll notice that production flipped the shot left to right.

2. Kobol - Camp Site
Lynn Canyon Park, 3663 Park Road in Lynn Valley
Take a virtual tour at the Lynn Canyon Park Website.
A great park map can be found here.

Google Earth map provided by Kent Sponagle.

Travel Tips: Find the gravel access road that runs through Lynn Canyon park and follow it to the south end of the Bear Trail. The main campsite was here (and Elosha died somewhere just off the road). Matching this site in the park seemed near impossible, so the matches above may be similar at best. Did you have better luck? Please contact us with stories and photos!

On our first visit, we walked the Bear Trail (having asked at the Ecology Centre where productions usually film in the park) and, ironically enough, heard a very loud bear call at the bottom of the trail. I only knew what it was for sure because it sounded like Chewbacca, and I knew they used some bear sounds for him (I'm not particularly outdoorsy, lol). We made a lot of noise talking and jingling keys and high tailed it out of there! Especially if you're visiting on a weekday, when the park is not busy, consider bear bells or some other noise maker.

3. Exterior Tomb of Athena

Travel Tips: This site is at a private, active rock quarry. The road to the quarry is gated, so the site is unreachable at this time. In any case, we don't advise attempting to view rock quarries.

4. Interior Tomb of Athena (Earth)
Royal Oak Avenue & Deer Lake Parkway, Burnaby - part of the public Deer Lake park.

Google Earth map provided by Kent Sponagle.

Travel Tips: You can stand on Earth ... on Earth. :) Deer Lake Park is very easy to get to in Burnaby (not far from Robert Burnaby Park, site of Roslin's dream from Flesh and Bone). We used the Google Map to the left to find parking and the path that led to the filming location. Click for a larger version of the map. This park is home to some of the largest slugs Mo had ever seen! (They were normal sized for any of you familiar with the area.)