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Twin Peaks Film Location – Washington State White Whales

Leland Palmer holding a piece of paper

Greetings from 40,000-feet! I’m currently en route to Washington state for another Twin Peaks film location adventure. As I’m preparing for the next few days, I thought about some of the current “white whales” that I’m seeking in the Pacific Northwest.

Last fall while sitting in Mary Reber’s house (she is the current owner of the Palmer House in Everett, Washington), I made a goal to visit nearly every Twin Peaks film location that exists. I’ve been updating my adventures in the Complete Guide to Twin Peaks Film Locations on this blog. I believe many of the following locations are found in Washington. Unlike Captain Ahab, I firmly believe I will find them one day.  If you would like to help in this quest, please contact me:  thetwinpeaksblog@gmail.com or direct message on Twitter / Facebook / Instagram.

THE LOG LADY’S CABIN EXTERIOR

Log Lady's Cabin
1005

There were two location used for the Log Lady’s cabin. One is located in Agoura Hills, California while the other (pictured above) is currently missing. Some of the long time location hunters believe it could be on Bainbridge Island, near Kiana Lodge. I plan on searching the island during this visit.

Log Lady's Cabin in Season 3
Season 3

Interestingly, they used the same cabin exterior in Season 3. In fact, I believe it’s the same exact shot from Episode 1005 but cropped and darkened. I placed the two images (day and night) over each other and they were an exact match. The interior scenes were shot at Catherine Coulson’s home in Oregon shortly before her passing.

DONNA AND JAMES IN THE WOODS

Pilot Episode - Donna and James
Pilot Episode

One of the most emotional scenes from the Pilot Episode takes place between Donna Hayward and James Hurley in the woods. It was very cold the night they shot this scene and supposedly it was on top of a mountain (according to Mark Frost in a DVD interview).

InTwinPeaks.com - James and Donna Woods
InTwinPeaks.com

The former InTwinPeaks.com website posted this image so I know the location exists. I’m wondering if it is around the Mountain Overlook where James sat with the half-heart necklace and Laura and Donna had their picnic.

SAFETY DEPOSIT BOX ROOM

Pilot Episode - Safety Deposit Box
Pilot Episode

In the Pilot Episode, Sheriff Truman and Agent Cooper receive Laura Palmer’s safety deposit box from Alice Brady. I wish I knew where they found the $10,000 and copies of Fleshworld. I thought it could be a room in the old Mt. Si  High School or perhaps in the location for Calhoun Memorial Hospital. I even tried matching the wall colors and door fixtures with other scenes to help identify it. Nothing yet.

LAURA MEETS JACQUES

Fire Walk With Me - Laura Meets Jacques
Fire Walk With Me

In Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, there is a brief scene where Laura Palmer meets Jacques Renault, Leo Johnson and Ronette Pulaski in the woods. I thought this was perhaps filmed around Olallie State Park (the trail entrance to Weeks Falls Trail) but I can’t seem to make the landscape match up with location photos I’ve taken.

JACQUES CABIN

Jacques' Cabin
Fire Walk With Me

Speaking of Jacques and Leo, I’m also trying to located Jacques’ cabin from Fire Walk With Me. The cabin from Episode 1005 is found in Angeles National Forest in southern California. It seems Leo’s bright red sportscar was parked just outside of it at the location. Granted, these scenes could have been shot in southern California (similar to Glastonbury Grove).

HAROLD SMITH’S APARTMENT

Harold Smith's Apartment
Fire Walk With Me

Like the Log Lady and Jacques Renault’s cabins, there are two locations used for Harold Smith’s apartment. The series apartment is found in Agoura Hills, California while the second could be in Washington state. Since Laura Palmer was seen driving her car through a beautiful canopy of trees just before this scene, I’m guessing it could be nearby. The interior, however, may be a set in southern California as I’ve been unable to confirm if Lenny VonDohlen was ever in Washington for the on location shots.

JAMES HURLEY AND HIS BIKE

James and his motorcycle
2010

Episode 2010 uses footage captured on location in Washington state during the Pilot Episode shoot. I’ve identified part of this scene (Highway 202 near Snoqualmie / North Bend). The scene above, however, has eluded me. I thought it could be near Grouse Ridge Road or some other backroad close to one of the snow-covered mountains.

MOUNTAINS AND TREES

Trees
Pilot Episode

Here’s a familiar shot used several times throughout the series. The first appearance was in the Pilot Episode which means it was shot in Washington state. It could be near the Mountain Overlook ./ Picnic spot, or the former Trail Car site or near Snoqualmie Falls.

More mountains and trees
More mountains and trees

There are even more mountains and trees that seem to be in Washington state. I think the trees blowing in the upper right image could be near Kiana Lodge.

DR. AMP’S PLACE

Dr. Amp's Place in Season 3
Season 3

All I want to do is “shovel my way out of the shit.” I think Dr. Amp’s place could be near Mount Si in North Bend, Washington. Perhaps if I buy one of his golden shovels, I will find these locations.

ANDY WAITS – FOUND!

Andy waiting in the woods
Part 7

Deputy Andy Brennan patiently waits on a wooded road in Twin Peaks – Part 7 from Season 3. I know the Farmer’s House is located in Snoqualmie, so I thought this scene could be nearby. It may also be close to Olallie State Park.

UPDATE FEBRUARY 3, 2020

The empty road
January 25, 2020

Thanks to fellow Bookhouse Boy Rob the Leader, I visited this location on January 25, 2020. Read more about the spot HERE.

AGENT SAM STANLEY’S OFFICE

Sam Stanley and Cooper
Fire Walk With Me

I’ve professed how much I love the first 35 minutes of Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. So it was exciting to see more footage of Special Agent Sam Stanley in The Missing Pieces. I just wish I knew where he lived. He also has one of my white whale props I’m trying to identify – the Whitman Machine – which could be a modified oscillator from the 1940s or 1950s.

BOBBY LOOKING FOR SANTA CLAUS

Bobby looking for Santa Claus
Fire Walk With Me

One of my final whales is Bobby Briggs on the phone looking for Santa Claus. This may be one of the most difficult shots to identify. He could be at the Snohomish High School location or he could be at the spot where they shot the Roadhouse interiors (in downtown Seattle). But it may be lost forever as who the hell uses pay phones anymore?

I look forward to sharing what I find during this week’s visit, so please stay tuned.

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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3 thoughts on “Twin Peaks Film Location – Washington State White Whales

  1. I swear that In Twin Peaks figured out the safe deposit box room, and that it was a location he was visiting for something else entirely and was about to be remodeled. That is all I remember.

    1. @Sanderson – I haven’t found a post via the Wayback Machine from In Twin Peaks about it, but I think I have a good idea where it was shot. The location was indeed remodeled. It became a restaurant but I haven’t been able to 100% confirm that detail yet. Thank you for this comment as it reinforces my thinking

      1. No problem! ‘In Twin Peaks’ did some fascinating discovery. It was disappointing to see the site disappear but is great to see the good work continue.

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