River’s End, New York | MCU: Location Scout

A sign for River's End, New York. Small Town, Big Heart.

The Lighthouse has a few covert entrances. This one takes you underground to the charming little town of River’s End.

The Agents can secretly come and go from the Lighthouse via a secret tunnel that connects to the nearby town of River’s End. It’s a small town in New York near the shores of Lake Ontario.

The majority of all footage in River’s End was filmed at the Business District backlot at the Golden Oak Ranch in Newhall, CA. The specific locations of the various alleys and shops are listed below.

For the sign welcoming visitors to River’s End, the production set up and filmed this insert at the Culver Studios, by the entrance on Ince Boulevard. The Street View gives a shot of the wall it was filmed against as an idea, even though the sign was placed on the inside of the studio wall.

Street View

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Alley

The Agents exit a gated doorway into an alley, getting their first taste of fresh air and sunlight in quite a while. In the following episode, Deke makes a trip in to town to get a few things for Coulson. This is the alley behind Block F of the Business District. This alley has been used before on Agents of SHIELD. Once in Season 2 when Creel and Raina meet, and the second time as Dyker Heights, New York in Season 3.

  • Coulson and May emerging from a gate into an alley in River's End.
  • Coulson and the Agents emerging from a gate into an alley in River's End.
  • Coulson and the Agents in an alley in River's End.
  • The Agents se a police car passing by an alley in River's End.
  • Deke peering out of an alley at soldiers in River's End.

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Intersection

The team steals an old VW Microbus and has a brief encounter with the Sheriff’s Deputy at an intersection outside the police station. This is the intersection at Block A in the Business District.

A continuity error occurs in this sequence, probably stemming from a reshoot. The first shot of the police car, immediately below, shows the street sign as Hazelwood. The scene cuts to show the VW van turning the corner, and when the footage cuts back to the police car, the street sign is now Chestnut, with two ladies sitting on the bench outside the diner. I thought this was an indication that the Agents were back in the Framework, but it seems just like a simple goof.

  • A police vehicle outside the station in River's End.
  • A police SUV and orange van in an intersection in River's End.
  • A police SUV in an intersection in River's End.

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Park

Deke appears in a park, having also been transported by the time Di’alla. He immediately is attracted to a tree and gives it a hug, confusing a woman walking her dog. This is the park in Block B of the Business District.

  • An orange van driving by a park in River's End.
  • Deke appears in a park in River's End.
  • Deke playing with a tree in a park in River's End.
  • Deke holding into a tree, talking to woman in River's End.

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Bar – Exterior

Deke picks up an ice cream cone from the trash can, but then notices a bar across the street and changes his mind. The bar sign was added to the exterior of Block F in the Business District.

  • Exterior of a bar in River's End.

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Bar – Interior

Deke discovers that beer does not taste as good as it looks, but Zima is amazing! This is the one location that was not filmed at the Golden Oak Ranch. Instead, the Scarlet Lady Saloon, in Culver City, served as the stand-in for the New York bar. This is also the same bar that Director Mackenzie frequents in Season 6.

  • Deke in a bar in River's End.
  • A bartender in his bar in River's End.
  • Deke and a bartender in a bar in River's End.
  • Deke in a bar in River's End.

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Field

The Agents get out of town to a field where Fitz had hidden the cloaked Zephyr One. This, too, was filmed on a field at the Golden Oak Ranch.

  • The agents walking across a field outside River's End.
  • A cloaked Zephyr One in a field outside River's End.
  • A cloaked Zephyr One flying away from a field outside River's End.

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Police Station

Zeke is booked for being drunk (and unable to pay his bar tab). Daisy arrives to bail him out before he can cause any further trouble. In the following episode, General Hale and her Aide show up in town based on sightings of Daisy Johnson. The exterior and the interior of the police station were filmed in Block B of the Business District, in one of the few facades that contains an interior set.

  • A police vehicle outside the station in River's End.
  • The sheriff and deputy inside the River's End police station.
  • The sheriff and Daisy inside the River's End police station.
  • The sheriff, Daisy, and Deke inside the River's End police station.
  • General Hale speaking to the sheriff in the police station of River's End.
  • The seal of the Police Department of River's End.
  • General Hale and her aide in the police station of River's End.

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(Agents of SHIELD S05E11-E12, 2017)