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You know there were a ton of movies filmed in the Sonora desert, but you may not have been able to appreciate the scenery in the films before personally experiencing the stunning beauty of the desert first-hand. Now that you know how enchanting the desert can be, why not go back and look at some great films that capture the western spirit and see if you can identify some mountain formations that you’ve seen for yourself! Here’s a list of some classics Westerns (in no particular order) to get you started, and you’ll just have to pay attention to determine whether or not they were filmed in your newly explored desert playground:

The Ox-Bow Incident – William A. Wellman (1942) Henry FondaDuel in the Sun – King Vidor (1946) Gregory Peck, Jennifer JonesMy Darling Clementine – John Ford (1946) Henry Fonda, Victor MatureRed River – Howard Hawks (1948) John Wayne, Montgomery CliftBroken Arrow – Delmer Daves (1950) James Stewart, Jeff ChandlerThe Gunfighter – Henry King (1950) Gregory PeckStars in My Crown – Jacques Tourneur (1950) Joel McCrea, Ellen DrewWinchester ’73 – Anthony Mann (1950) James Stewart, Stephen McNally High Noon – Fred Zinnemann (1952) Gary Cooper, Grace KellyThe Naked Spur – Anthony Mann (1953) James Stewart, Robert RyanShane – George Stevens (1953) Alan Ladd, Van Heflin, Jack PalanceJohnny Guitar – Nicholas Ray (1954) Joan Crawford, Sterling HaydenVera Cruz – Robert Aldrich (1954) Gary Cooper, Burt LancasterThe Man from Laramie – Anthony Mann (1955) James StewartThe Violent Men – Rudolph Mat (1955) Glenn Ford, Barbara StanwyckThe Searchers – John Ford (1956) John WayneSeven Men from Now – Budd Boetticher (1956) Randolph ScottForty Guns – Samuel Fuller (1957) Barbara Stanwyck, Barry SullivanThe Tall T – Budd Boetticher (1957) Randolph ScottThe Big Country – William Wyler (1958) Gregory Peck, Jean SimmonsThe Bravados – Henry King (1958) Gregory PeckMan of the West – Anthony Mann (1958) Gary Cooper, Lee J. CobbThe Hanging Tree – Delmer Daves (1959) Gary Cooper, Karl MaldenRio Bravo – Howard Hawks (1959) John Wayne, Dean MartinOne Eyed Jacks – Marlon Brando (1961) Brando, Karl MaldenLonely Are the Brave – David Miller (1962) Kirk Douglas, Walter MatthauThe Man Who Shot Liberty Valance – John Ford (1962) Wayne & StewartRide the High Country – Sam Peckinpah (1962) Scott & McCreaFor a Few Dollars More – Sergio Leone (1965) Clint EastwoodGood, the Bad & the Ugly – Sergio Leone (1966) Eastwood, Eli WallachThe Professionals – Richard Brooks (1966) Lancaster, Marvin, RyanEl Dorado – Howard Hawks (1967) John Wayne, Robert MitchumHour of the Gun – John Sturges (1967) James Garner, Jason RobardsOnce Upon a Time in West – Leone (1968) Bronson, Fonda, RobardsMackenna’s Gold – J. Lee Thompson (1969) Gregory Peck, Omar SharifTrue Grit – Henry Hathaway (1969) John Wayne, Dennis HopperThe Wild Bunch – Sam Peckinpah (1969) William Holden, Robert RyanThe Ballad of Cable Hogue – Sam Peckinpah (1970) Jason RobardsThe Hired Hand – Peter Fonda (1971) Fonda, Warren Oates, Verna BloomHigh Plains Drifter – Clint Eastwood (1973) Clint EastwoodMy Name Is Nobody – Tonino Valerii, Leone (1973) Fonda, Terence HillPat Garrett & Billy the Kid – Peckinpah (1973) Kristofferson & CoburnBite the Bullet – Richard Brooks (1975) Gene Hackman, James CoburnThe Outlaw Josey Wales – Clint Eastwood (1976) Chief Dan GeorgeThe Shootist – Don Siegel (1976) John Wayne, James StewartPale Rider – Clint Eastwood (1985)Dances with Wolves – Kevin Costner (1990)Unforgiven – Clint Eastwood (1992) Gene Hackman, Morgan FreemanTombstone – George P. Cosmatos (1995) Kurt Russell, Val KilmerOpen Range – Kevin Costner (2003) Robert Duvall, Annette Bening

Have fun exploring and keep notes of places that you recognized!