The location of the filming for the Cullen family and wolfpack historic flashback scene was a mystery. After checking several sources I saw that it looked like it was filmed in Los Angeles in Griffith Park. In one of the BTS videos Kellan Lutz is standing in the area and comments that they filmed near a hiking path on top of a hill. Not much to go with so I wasn’t expecting to really find the location. After going to the Golf Course in the park I stopped at a information/ranger office that was there. I walked in and was lucky to find a woman who pulled out a map of the park and showed me an area that was often used for filming. It was off a hiking trail on top of one of the hills in the park. The trip was about a 5 mile hike to get up to it. I then noticed that closer on the path was another area called Cedar Grove. I then remembered that Kellan was standing in front of giant Cedar trees. She said that they also used this area for filming as it is a large stand of cedar trees. She showed me where I could park about a mile from the area and hike the rest. We drove to the road up to the gate and parked. I took my water and camera and was off hiking the path to the grove. After rounding a corner I could then see the Cedar Grove off in the distance and also a spectacular view of downtown L.A. On I went until there was a sign and entrance pathway to the grove. When I got to the edge of the trees I recognized the large boulders and trees used in the scene. I had the Directors Handbook with me so I could scout out the photos in there. I quickly found the 2 large boulders from the photos with the wolfs and Catherine Harwicke. Then I circled the area on the path and took photos hoping to match them up later. I think I did come up with the area used by matching the trees and rocks. It was truly a beautiful area to explore and worth the hike. The roadway into it is just past the Greek Theatre. Follow signs to the Cedar Grove Trail.

If you look at a map of Griffith Park you can locate Cedar Grove in the south end of the park. There is a Cedar Grove Trail you walk to get to it.

This BTS video shows even more of the Cedar Grove and the filming they did there: