Movies Filmed in Los Alamos
Los Alamos, New Mexico is a mountain town located just 36 miles northwest of Santa Fe. Home to the Los Alamos National Laboratory, this incorporated city and county was developed during World War II at the foot of the Jemez Mountains for the Manhattan Project. Los Alamos offers unique landscapes, seasonal weather, and housing stock that provide the locations film makers are seeking. Over the years a variety of films have used Los Alamos County for their backdrop.
On film, Los Alamos landscapes and structures have served as upstate New York (Haywire and New York Prison Break, The Seduction of Joyce Mitchell), northern California (Brothers), Wyoming (Longmire, Did You Hear About the Morgans?), the Montana/Canada border (Hellbent), Arizona (Only the Brave), the “wild west” (Godless, Hostiles, The Lone Ranger, The Missing) and even Mongolia, China (The Brave). Los Alamos has also played itself in the films Let Me In, Tiger Eyes, the Travel Channel series Mysteries at the Museum, and recently acclaimed Oppenheimer written and directed by Christopher Nolan.
These film friendly locations are also some of Los Alamos’ most scenic recreational assets!
Ski, hike, bike this all season mountain and enjoy bands and brews at the lodge!
SCENE IT: Godless, Hostiles, Let Me In, Longmire, Only the Brave, The Brave, The Lone Ranger
Play on a supervolcano with a Valle Grande (big valley) offering biking, hiking, cross-country skiing, sleigh rides, nature watching and more, depending on the season.
SCENE IT: Longmire, The Lone Ranger, The Missing
Walk in the footsteps of Ancestral Puebloans, on trails and up ladders to cave dwellings.
Learn about life in the “secret city” during World War II by visiting the Bradbury Science Museum, the Los Alamos History Museum, the Los Alamos Nature Center, Historic Fuller Lodge and Ashley Pond Park!
SCENE IT: Oppenheimer, Brothers, Lemonade Mouth
Los Alamos Location Services
The Los Alamos Film Liaison provides film and television production support, including location scouting, resource referrals, liaison support between local public safety officials and production crews, and other services to facilitate the cost-effective and efficient operations required by the industry. The Film Liaison also works closely with the State Film Office and regional film advocacy initiatives to promote filming in Northern New Mexico locations.
Have questions about filming in Los Alamos County? Contact Ellyn Felton, the County's Film Liaison at 505-662-8087, or via email at ellyn.felton@lacnm.us.
Download Film Brochure(PDF, 856KB)
Filming in Los Alamos County
Planning to film in Los Alamos? Ensure you have all the correct permits.
- Temporary Use Permit - Required for all filming.
- Temporary Sign Form - A sign that will not be placed for longer than 60 consecutive days is considered temporary. Temporary Signs do not require a permit but must inform the county and meet the Temporary Sign requirements in Table 48 of the Los Alamos County Development Code. Temporary signs may only be placed on public lands or public rights-of-way in designated temporary signage zones. This includes Election Signs.
- Noise Permit - Serves as your authorization for relief from noise levels designated in Los Alamos County Ordinance No. 18.73 when making loud noises or filming early in the morning/late at night.
- Special Event Permit - Needed for productions impacting larger areas, closing streets, etc.
- Register Your Drone Flight with Los Alamos Airport - While some areas are restricted from having drones fly due to Los Alamos National Lab, FAA regulations require all drone operators to notify the airport if they plan to operate a drone within a 5 nautical mile radius around the Los Alamos Airport. If you aren't flying in this area, you can still register your drone to ensure you are in a safe flying area.
Have additional questions about filming? Reach out to Ellyn Felton, the Los Alamos County Film Liaison at ellyn.felton@lacnm.us.