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10 Post-Apocalyptic Secrets: The Real-Life Canadian Towns That Became The Last Of Us World

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The Last of Us, HBO’s critically acclaimed adaptation of the beloved video game, captivated audiences not just with its emotional depth and terrifying Clickers, but with its breathtakingly authentic post-apocalyptic world. As of December 22, 2025, the question of where this massive production was filmed remains a key point of interest for fans and travel enthusiasts alike, especially with Season 2 production underway. The series achieved its stunning, desolate look by leveraging the diverse and dramatic landscapes of Alberta, Canada, transforming its cities and small towns into the quarantined zones and ravaged highways of the United States. This monumental production spanned over a year, utilizing an estimated 180 distinct filming locations, making it one of the largest television productions in Canadian history.

The sheer scale of the project required a vast canvas, and Alberta provided the perfect, geographically varied substitute for locations ranging from Texas and Boston to Wyoming and Salt Lake City. The production team meticulously dressed and altered real-world streets and buildings to convey a world two decades after the Cordyceps fungal outbreak. From the snowy mountain peaks of the Rockies to the abandoned urban cores of major cities, the real locations are just as fascinating as their fictional counterparts, offering a unique road map for fans.

The Vast Canadian Landscape: A Breakdown of Filming Locations by In-Game City

The production of The Last of Us Season 1 was primarily centered in the province of Alberta, Canada, between July 2021 and June 2022. This extensive shoot allowed the creators to capture the necessary seasonal changes, moving from summer to winter and back again, all within a relatively contained geographical area. This strategic use of Canadian geography helped the show maintain a consistent, high-budget cinematic feel across all nine episodes.

The Outbreak and The Boston QZ: Calgary, Fort Macleod, and High River

The sprawling city of Calgary served as the primary urban hub for the series, standing in for multiple major American cities, most notably the Boston Quarantine Zone (QZ) and the later-stage setting of Kansas City, Missouri. The production team expertly used downtown Calgary’s architecture, transforming its modern streets into overgrown, crumbling relics of civilization.

  • Fort Macleod & High River (Austin, Texas Prologue): The terrifying opening sequence, set in Austin, Texas, during the initial Cordyceps outbreak, was primarily filmed in the small towns of Fort Macleod and High River, located near Calgary. Fort Macleod’s historic main street was dressed to look like a chaotic, suburban Texas neighborhood during the mass evacuation and panic.
  • Downtown Calgary (Boston QZ & Kansas City): Key scenes of Joel and Ellie navigating the ruins of the Boston QZ were shot in Calgary's downtown core. This included the dramatic sequence where they first encounter the Infected. Calgary also doubled for the dangerous streets of Kansas City, Missouri, which replaced the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from the original video game.
  • Specific Calgary Landmarks: The production utilized several specific Calgary locations, including the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT), Mount Royal University, and the area around Centennial Place, where a bank entrance was transformed for a key scene in Episode 5.

The Sanctuary of Jackson, Wyoming: Canmore and Waterton

One of the most memorable and visually distinct locations in the series is the thriving, snowy settlement of Jackson, Wyoming, where Joel reunites with his brother Tommy. The real-world location that brought this sanctuary to life is the picturesque mountain town of Canmore, Alberta.

Canmore, nestled in the Canadian Rockies, provided the stunning, snow-capped backdrop necessary to convey the isolated, communal feel of Jackson. The production essentially took over parts of the town, meticulously building sets and dressing the main street to appear as the fortified, Christmas-lit community seen in the show. The natural beauty of the surrounding mountains, including the iconic Three Sisters peaks, added authenticity to the Wyoming setting.

Further south, Waterton Lakes National Park was also used to film parts of the Wyoming storyline, capturing the vast, untamed wilderness Joel and Ellie traverse on their journey.

Other Key Locations Across Alberta

The vastness of Alberta allowed the show to create a truly epic road trip across the post-apocalyptic United States. Beyond the major cities, several other locations played crucial roles:

  • Edmonton (The Capitol Building): The exterior of the Alberta Legislature Building in Edmonton was used to stand in for the U.S. Capitol Building in Salt Lake City, Utah, where the Fireflies were based. This location provided the necessary grandeur and architectural weight for a major government building.
  • Beachwood Estates (Lincoln, Massachusetts): The community where Bill and Frank’s isolated, protected compound was located was filmed in the Beachwood Estates area. This location perfectly captured the quiet, overgrown suburban setting for the beloved "Long, Long Time" episode.
  • Okotoks and Olds: Other smaller communities like Okotoks and the Township of Olds were also utilized for various driving and transitional scenes, further showcasing the depth of the production’s commitment to realism and the 180-location count.

The Last of Us Season 2 Filming: New Horizons in British Columbia

In a significant change for the production, the highly anticipated Season 2 of The Last of Us has shifted its primary filming base. While Season 1 was almost exclusively an Alberta affair, Season 2 production is moving further west to British Columbia, Canada.

As of late 2025, filming for Season 2 is primarily taking place in and around Vancouver, British Columbia. This shift is likely due to the new settings required for the storyline, which in the source material takes place largely in Seattle, Washington. Vancouver’s wet, temperate climate, dense urban core, and proximity to dramatic Pacific Northwest forests make it an ideal stand-in for Seattle, offering a distinct visual contrast to the dryer, more mountainous Alberta landscape of Season 1.

The move to Vancouver will allow showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann to create a fresh, unique look for the next chapter of Joel and Ellie's journey, utilizing new entities and landmarks that will be revealed as production continues. This strategic location change ensures that the world of The Last of Us continues to feel expansive and geographically authentic as the story progresses.

Topical Authority: Key Entities and Production Facts

The massive undertaking of filming The Last of Us required not only stunning locations but also an unprecedented budget and commitment from the local communities. The production was a major economic driver for Alberta, often described as the largest television production ever filmed in Canada.

The show's success is a testament to the seamless blend of practical effects and location dressing with digital effects. The production team, led by director Craig Mazin, made a conscious effort to use real-world locations as much as possible, minimizing the use of green screen to give stars Pedro Pascal (Joel Miller) and Bella Ramsey (Ellie Williams) a tangible, authentic environment to react to. This commitment to realism is what makes the sight of an overgrown, abandoned Calgary street so chillingly effective.

The real-life locations in Alberta and the new base in Vancouver are not just backdrops; they are key characters in the series, silently telling the story of a world that has been lost to the Infected, the Fireflies, and the ravages of the Cordyceps fungus. Fans planning a road trip can now follow the trail of Joel and Ellie, visiting the very streets that brought the post-apocalyptic United States to life, from the initial panic in Fort Macleod to the hopeful community of Canmore.

10 Post-Apocalyptic Secrets: The Real-Life Canadian Towns That Became The Last of Us World
where was the last of us filmed
where was the last of us filmed

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