The line that forms the boundary of the San Fernando Valley is one of the most famous thoroughfares in this vast metropolis. Mulholland Drive cuts through the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, a vast parkland that stretches along the top and west slopes of the Santa Monica Mountains from Hollywood to the Ventura County line. Driving the length of the hilltop road is slow and can be treacherous, but the rewards are sensational views of valley and city on each side and expensive homes along the way. The park incorporates several local and state parks, including Will Rogers and Malibu Lagoon. Large scenic portions of these oak-studded hills were owned at one time by such Hollywood stars as Ronald Reagan and Bob Hope. They provided location sites for many movies; the grassy rolling hillside continues to serve a stand-in for the Wild West. Sets at the Paramount Ranch backlot have been preserved and continue to be used as location sites. Rangers regularly conduct tours of the Paramount Ranch, where you can see sets used by MASH and Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. From Hollywood reach Mulholland Drive via Outpost Drive off Franklin Avenue or Cahuenga Boulevard west via Highland Avenue north. Keep an eye out for deer, raccoons, or a rare mountain lion.