Aspiring actors with grandiose visions of stardom still flock to Hollywood, but this historic heart of L.A.’s film industry is not what it used to be, and disappointment may loom large. Today, Hollywood is more illusion and state of mind than actual industry, and studios are now dispersed around town, leaving only remnants of the neighborhood’s yesteryear glamour.

The Paramount Ranch National Park Medicine Women Trail is located in the gorgeous and sprawling foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains. The ranch was originally named after Paramount Studios, which used the plains of the ranch to film hundreds of western movies over the years.