The California movie ranch from War of the Worlds is for sale and it’s 5,600 acres near Lake Piru

Just northwest of Los Angeles, a working California movie ranch that helped bring alien invasions and roaring 1920s decadence to the screen is quietly looking for its next owner. The property, known as Rancho Temescal, spans roughly 5,600 acres near Lake Piru and has doubled as both a functioning cattle and equestrian operation and a go‑to filming location for major Hollywood productions. If you have ever watched “War of the Worlds” or “Babylon,” you have already toured parts of this landscape without leaving your couch.

Now the ranch is on the market with an asking price in the mid eight figures, positioning it as one of the more unusual listings in Southern California: part legacy agricultural holding, part backlot, part conservation play. For a buyer with the capital and the patience to manage land at this scale, it offers a rare chance to own a piece of film history that is also a living, working enterprise.

The 5,600-acre spread behind the listing

When you look past the movie credits, Rancho Temescal is first and foremost a vast, contiguous landholding in the Topatopa foothills, a mountain range that rises above the Santa Clara River Valley. The ranch is described as a Working 5,600-Acre property, which means you are not just buying scenery, you are taking on a functioning operation with roads, water infrastructure, and grazing systems already in place. Its location in the Topatopa foothill puts you within driving distance of Los Angeles while still feeling removed from the urban grid.

The asking price is reported at $44 million, a figure that reflects both the sheer size of the acreage and the income potential that comes with it. One report notes that the estate is a “Working Acre Ranch Hits the Market” at $44 M, while another describes the same property as asking $44 Million, underscoring how that price has become part of the ranch’s identity. For you as a prospective buyer or simply a curious observer, that number sets the stakes: this is not a speculative land flip, it is a long‑term hold that assumes you value both the land and the story attached to it.

Where Lake Piru, Hollywood, and ranch country meet

Geographically, Rancho Temescal sits in a sweet spot that explains why it has attracted both filmmakers and ranchers. The property lies near Lake Piru, a reservoir tucked into the hills northwest of the San Fernando Valley, and it stretches across canyons, ridgelines, and open meadows that can read on camera as almost anywhere in the American West. At the same time, it is close enough to Los Angeles that production crews can make the trip in a day, which is crucial when you are moving equipment, actors, and support staff.

Location data tied to the ranch points to a specific place marker for Rancho Temescal near Lake Piru, and a second reference confirms the same location pin. For you, that means the ranch offers the kind of logistical balance that is hard to replicate: remote enough to feel cinematic, yet reachable for day‑to‑day management, whether you are overseeing cattle, hosting a film crew, or simply driving out for a weekend ride.

From “War of the Worlds” to “Babylon”

What sets this ranch apart from other large Western properties is how deeply it is woven into recent film history. The land has been used as a backdrop for major productions, including “War of the Worlds” and “Babylon,” which relied on its varied terrain to stage everything from apocalyptic chaos to sprawling period set pieces. One detailed account describes it as a Ranch that starred in “War of the Worlds” and “Babylon”, making clear that the property is not just a stand‑in location but a recognizable part of those films’ visual identity.

Another report frames the listing as a California Ranch From “War of the Worlds” and “Babylon” Asks $44 Million, while a separate piece calls it a California Ranch That Starred “War of the Worlds” and “Babylon” Just Listed for $44 Million. For you, that filmography is more than trivia. It signals that the ranch has already cleared the hurdles that matter to studios, from access roads to staging areas, and that its look on camera has been tested at the highest level of production.

A working ranch with real operations

Beyond the cameras, Rancho Temescal functions as a genuine agricultural and equestrian enterprise. Descriptions of the property emphasize that it is a Working Acre Ranch Hits the Market, which implies active grazing, pasture management, and the kind of infrastructure you would expect on a serious Western holding. For you, that means the land is not just a backdrop, it is an asset that can support cattle, horses, or other livestock, with the associated barns, corrals, and service roads already in place.

Marketing materials and coverage also highlight multiple residences and support buildings scattered across the 5,600 acres, giving you flexibility in how you live and work on the property. One account notes that the ranch includes several separate residences and a range of operational facilities, although exact counts and square footage vary by report. While some of those structures have been used to host film crews or production offices, they also give you the option to house ranch staff, family members, or guests without sacrificing privacy.

The family story behind the sale

Large ranches rarely come to market without a personal turning point, and Rancho Temescal is no exception. Reporting on the listing explains that the decision to sell followed a change in the family that has long overseen the property. One account notes that Following Jed Cohen’s death in 2022, his son Tim chose to bring the ranch to market, ending a chapter in which the land was held and managed within the same family.

For you, that context matters because it suggests the sale is driven less by distress and more by succession. When a property of this scale changes hands after a generational shift, you are stepping into a landscape shaped by long‑term decisions about grazing, conservation, and access, rather than a short‑term development play. It also means you are inheriting relationships with neighbors, local officials, and film contacts that were built over years, if not decades, which can be as valuable as any physical asset on the ground.

How the $44 million price fits the market

The $44 million price tag can look eye‑popping at first glance, but in the context of Southern California land values and film‑ready ranches, it reflects a specific mix of attributes. The property is consistently described as asking $44 Million or $44 M, and another report simply refers to it as a $44 million listing. That consistency across sources reinforces that the number is not a placeholder, it is the benchmark against which potential buyers are expected to measure the ranch’s earning power and intrinsic value.

When you break that figure down across 5,600 acres, you are looking at a per‑acre price that reflects not just raw land but permitted uses, water access, and a documented track record as a filming location. The fact that the ranch is already known to studios, and that it has been marketed as a Working 5600-Acre Ranch Hits the Market at $44M, gives you a starting point for evaluating whether the combination of agricultural income, potential filming fees, and long‑term land appreciation justifies the investment.

What you actually get on the ground

On a property this large, the list of tangible features matters as much as the headline acreage. Coverage of Rancho Temescal points to a mix of open range, wooded canyons, and developed building sites, along with multiple homes that range from modest ranch houses to larger residences suitable for owners or high‑profile guests. One report notes that the ranch includes eight separate residences and a variety of outbuildings, giving you a campus‑like layout that can support both private living and commercial activity.

For a buyer, that translates into options. You could maintain the existing residential footprint and focus on cattle and film work, or you could selectively upgrade certain structures to serve as event venues, retreat centers, or higher‑end lodging for production teams. Because the ranch has already functioned as a base for large‑scale shoots, you can assume that key basics such as access roads, staging areas, and utility connections are in place, which reduces the upfront capital you would otherwise need to make the land usable at scale.

How film and ranching can coexist for you

One of the more intriguing aspects of Rancho Temescal is how it demonstrates that film production and traditional ranching do not have to be at odds. Reports on the property emphasize that it has long been a working operation while also serving as a reliable location for entertainment projects, including “War of the Worlds” and “Babylon.” That dual identity suggests you can structure your own use of the land so that cattle and horses occupy certain pastures while other areas are reserved or scheduled for filming, minimizing conflicts and maximizing revenue.

For you as a potential owner, the key is to view the ranch as a portfolio of landscapes rather than a single monolithic block. Open meadows can host large set builds, wooded draws can provide controlled “wilderness” looks, and higher ridgelines can deliver sweeping vistas that directors love. At the same time, rotational grazing and careful pasture management can keep the agricultural side healthy, preserving the very scenery that makes the ranch valuable to studios in the first place.

Who this ranch really makes sense for

At $44 million and 5,600 acres, Rancho Temescal is not an impulse buy, it is a strategic acquisition that will appeal to a specific kind of buyer. If you are a high‑net‑worth individual or family office looking for a legacy property near Los Angeles, the ranch offers privacy, scale, and a built‑in narrative that few other holdings can match. If you are an investor with ties to the entertainment industry, the documented history as a Ranch used in “War of the Worlds” and “Babylon” gives you a platform to market the property aggressively to studios, streamers, and commercial producers.

There is also a case to be made for conservation‑minded buyers who want to keep large tracts of land intact while still generating income. The Topatopa foothill setting, the proximity to Lake Piru, and the existing ranch infrastructure create opportunities for easements, habitat projects, or low‑impact recreation that can sit alongside film and agricultural uses. If you fit any of those profiles, Rancho Temescal is less a curiosity and more a serious candidate for your capital, offering you a rare combination of cinematic history, working‑land credibility, and long‑term control over a significant piece of California’s landscape.

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*This article was developed with AI-powered tools and has been carefully reviewed by our editors.