Exterior of The Line

Twin Peaks Location – Driving 430 Miles

In Twin Peaks Part 18 on Showtime, Dale Cooper and Diane Evans drive 430 miles to a spot in the desert. I found the location on the morning of September 4, 2017, the day after Part 18 first aired. This location was easy to find thanks to a previously identified film location. More on that in a moment.

WHERE IS THE DRIVING 430 MILES SCENE LOCATED?

The Fireman says Remember 430
Part 1

About five minutes into Part 1, the Fireman asks Dale Cooper to “Remember 430.” Throughout the summer, there was much speculation as to what “430” meant. Was it a time? Was it an address? Was it a badge number of a deputy from Twin Peaks Sheriff’s Department?

Diane Evans and Dale Cooper driving in a car
Part 18

The answer was given about 12 minutes into Twin Peaks Part 18.

After being reunited, Dale Cooper and Diane Evans drive exactly 430 miles to an area in the desert surround by transmission towers.

Twin Peaks Film Location - Driving 430 Miles
Google Maps

In reality, the location was film on Mt. Emma Road outside Littlerock, CA.

I recreated their drive in this short video on the Twin Peaks Blog YouTube channel.

 

FINDING THE LOCATION OF DRIVING 430 MILES

The funny thing is I found the location in June 2017 when I was looking for Mr. C’s car crash location from Part 3. When looking for that location , I remember finding an area filled with transmission towers.

I quickly returned to Google Maps and followed transmission towers until I located a long stretch of highway that I thought could serve as the film location. Google Street View confirmed my thinking.

Twin Peaks Film Location - Driving 430 Miles

The interesting thing about this scene is it’s slightly edited out of order. There is an area with lots of transmission towers that appears after the 430 mile mark in the show.

VISITING THE DRIVING 430 MILES LOCATION IN CALIFORNIA

Steven visits the 430 Mile spot on October 14, 2020
October 14, 2020

I attempted to visit the location in mid-September 2020. Due to the wildfires in the area, the road leading to the towers was blocked. About a month later on October 14, I finally made it. The weather was warmer than I anticipated and I was surprised at how many cars traveled this road. The crew would have definitely needed controlled access when these scenes were originally shot on December 14, 2015.

DRIVING 430 MILES BEGINS

See a breakdown below of individual scenes compared to their map locations.

Twin Peaks Film Location - Driving 430 Miles
Part 18

The scene begins with Cooper and Diane driving along a desert road. In the previous scene, they were in Glastonbury Grove at night. I’m assuming they drove all night to get to the 430 mile spot.

Twin Peaks Film Location - Driving 430 Miles

Twin Peaks Film Location - Driving 430 Miles
October 14, 2020

Cooper and Diane’s drive begins here on Mt. Emma Road – 34°30’23.7″N 117°58’59.7″W.

COOPER AND DIANE APPROACHING THE TRANSMISSION TOWERS

Diane Evans and Dale Cooper on the road
Part 18

Diane watches Cooper barrel down the road.

Twin Peaks Film Location - Driving 430 Miles
Part 18

When the camera cuts back, they are already approaching the cluster of transmission towers.

Twin Peaks Film Location - Driving 430 Miles
October 14, 2020

A similar view of the road and transmission towers.

Twin Peaks Film Location - Driving 430 Miles
October 14, 2020

The red arrow indicates the tower that will be featured on screen later during the episode.

STARTING POSITION FOR COOPER AND DIANE

Twin Peaks Film Location - Driving 430 Miles
Part 18
Twin Peaks Film Location - Driving 430 Miles
October 14, 2020

The camera again cuts back to Cooper and Diane inside the car. The background indicates that they haven’t really left their starting position. This isn’t surprising as they probably used multiple takes from different angles during the editing process. When assembled, you believe they have traveled far.

TRANSMISSION TOWERS BEYOND

Twin Peaks Film Location - Driving 430 Miles
Part 18

Speaking of editing, when the camera cuts back to a view outside Cooper’s vehicle, we see a location that is actually beyond the 430 mile spot.

Transmission Towers along Mt. Emma Road
October 14, 2020

The location of this scene is around 34°30’22.8″N 118°01’18.2″W.

COOPER AND DIANE APPROACHING 430 MILES

Diane and Cooper Driving 430 Miles
Part 18
Twin Peaks Film Location - Driving 430 Miles
October 14, 2020

Another cut back to inside the car as the pair slowly approaches the 430 mile mark. Looking out the rear window, you can see where the single dashes turn to a straight line on the road.

Twin Peaks Film Location - Driving 430 Miles
Part 18
Twin Peaks Film Location - Driving 430 Miles
October 14, 2020

We then see the towers at the 430 mile spot in the distance. They are getting closer.

Side view of Diane and Cooper in the car
Part 18

As the car slows, we see Diane and Cooper from the passenger side window. They pass what appears to be a roadside memorial or some kind of mark along side Mt. Emma Road.

Twin Peaks Film Location - Driving 430 Miles
October 14, 2020

That marker appears to still be by the road today (see the red circled area).

COOPER AND DIANE ARRIVE AT 430 MILES

Diane alone in the car
Part 18
Twin Peaks Film Location - Driving 430 Miles
October 14, 2020

Cooper parks at exactly 430 miles and exits the car leaving Diane alone.

Twin Peaks Film Location - Driving 430 Miles
Part 18
Twin Peaks Film Location - Driving 430 Miles
October 14, 2020

The coordinates for when Cooper gets out of the car are 34°30’23.6″N 118°00’57.0″W. He approaches the transmission towers with the sound of electricity filling the air.

Cooper next to the transmission towers
Part 18
Twin Peaks Film Location - Driving 430 Miles
October 14, 2020

The camera cuts to a medium shot of Cooper reacting to the area near the towers.

The transmission tower is not what it seems
Part 18
Twin Peaks Film Location - Driving 430 Miles
October 14, 2020

A look at the transmission towers which look like perched owls to me.

Twin Peaks Film Location - Driving 430 Miles
Part 18
Twin Peaks Film Location - Driving 430 Miles
October 14, 2020

A closer shot of the transmission towers at the 430 mile marker.

Here is a video of the transmission towers from my visit.

HIKING MOUNT EMMA

Mount Emma and Old Mount Emma
SummitPost.org

Mt. Emma Road is named for the nearby Mount Emma (5,273ft.) and Old Mount Emma (5,063ft.) that are part of the last northwest reach of the San Gabriel Mountains into the western Mojave desert.

The mountains were named around 1900s for Emma Pallett, the beautiful daughter of a local rancher. The Pallett family established a ranch at Big Rock Creek in the 1890s. Old Mount Emma got its name from being mislabeled as the peak on early maps. There is a mountain and creek in the region also named for the Pallett family.

Google Maps
Google Maps

The trail entrance is about an 8-minute car ride from the spot where Cooper and Diane begin their drive. Located at 34°27’37.4″N 118°04’08.4″W. You will need a Adventure Pass for parking at the turnout.

Author

  • Steven Miller at Twede's Cafe enjoying cherry pie and coffee

    A "Twin Peaks" fan since October 1993, Steven Miller launched Twin Peaks Blog in February 2018 to document his decades-long fascination with David Lynch and Mark Frost's wonderful and strange show. With his Canon camera in hand, he's visited numerous film locations, attended Twin Peaks events and conducted extensive historical research about this groundbreaking series. Along with fellow Bookhouse Boys, he dreams of creating a complete Twin Peaks Archive of the series and feature film. Steven currently resides in Central Florida.

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