The Painted Desert selected Higgin to direct the film, as well as naming the stars of the film, William Boyd and Dorothy Burgess. Later in the month it was reported that Higgin would head to Arizona to begin location scouting for the film, accompanied by fellow director, Tay Garnett, however in August Higgin began scouting in the Arizona desert with the screenwriter, Tom Buckingham. It was announced that the film would employ over 300 extras. Higgin was familiar with the area, having working in and around Flagstaff, Arizona as a lumberjack prior to his entering the film industry. Towards the end of August
Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park Stark, a Lancaster wildflower photographer and local historian who was among the volunteers who helped establish trails through the park. Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park Arthur B. Ripley Desert Woodland State Park is a state park in the western Antelope Valley in Southern California. The park protects mature stands of Joshua trees ("Yucca brevifolia") and California juniper trees ("Juniperus californica") in their western Mojave Desert habitat. The park is located in northern Los Angeles County, west of downtown Lancaster and about from the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve. The site was donated to the state by Arthur "Archie"