Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) – Filming Locations
Science Fiction / Drama · Directed by Steven Spielberg · Starring Richard Dreyfuss, Teri Garr
After an encounter with UFOs, an electricity linesman feels undeniably drawn to an isolated area in the wilderness where something spectacular is about to happen.
Where was Close Encounters of the Third Kind filmed?
- Devils Tower, Wyoming, United States, Hulett – The iconic climax where Roy Neary and the aliens make contact at the base of the massive rock formation. The distinctive 5,112-foot geological formation serves as the visual and spiritual centerpiece of the film, chosen by Spielberg for its otherworldly appearance and recognizable silhouette
- Tolono, Illinois, United States, Tolono – Opening sequence with UFO sightings and the famous power outage affecting the small town. Spielberg chose this rural Illinois location to establish the film's grounded, small-town Americana setting and to film the initial mass UFO sighting that disrupts everyday life
- Mobile, Alabama, United States, Mobile – Scenes depicting the mysterious disappearance of Flight 19 and investigation sequences. The Alabama coast and port area were used for sequences involving naval mysteries and the investigation into the vanished aircraft, providing industrial and maritime backdrops
- Crescendo Valley, California, United States, Crescendo Valley – UFO sightings and road chase sequences through the desert. The barren Mojave Desert landscape provided an alien yet authentic American setting for the mystical encounters and chase sequences
- Fort Jefferson, Florida Keys, United States, Key West – The U.S. Navy base setting where military officials respond to UFO incidents. This historic Civil War–era fort doubled as a government facility investigating UFO phenomena, providing an authentic military institutional backdrop
- Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California, United States, Borrego Springs – Roy Neary's journey through the desert landscape toward the final encounter site. The remote California desert provided the film's most visually striking otherworldly terrain, creating an isolated, dreamlike environment for the protagonist's spiritual quest