Where Was Dog Gone Filmed? Filming Locations Revealed
Netflix really loves making original movies based on true stories, and Dog Gone was no different. It follows the Marshall family, who do their best to find their lost dog, Gonker, along the Appalachian Trail. The scenery is absolutely breathtaking in the film, so naturally, we wondered – where was Dog Gone filmed?
Dog Gone was entirely filmed in Georgia, USA. Most scenes were shot in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area and Rabun County and featured beautiful locations such as the small towns of Clayton and Tallulah Falls, the real Appalachian Trail along the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, etc.
The movie is highly emotional, and the true story behind it gives Dog Gone a different dimension. But, for those who love astounding visuals in movies, there are no special effects here – just a phenomenal nature backdrop that will take your breath away. Keep reading to learn more.
What is Dog Gone about?
Dog Gone is a Netflix Original movie starring Rob Lowe, based on a book of a similar name, called Dog Gone: A Lost Pet’s Extraordinary Journey and the Family Who Brought Him Home. The biographic book was written by Pauls Toutonghi, based on real, true events that transpired in 1998 along the Appalachian Trail.
The story of Dog Gone follows the Marshall family whose dog, Gonker, goes missing somewhere along the trail. To make things even worse, Gonker suffers from a canine disease for which he has to get monthly medications, or he’ll pass away.
The fractured relationship between Fielding and his dad, John, comes to light when the two embark on a journey to save the family dog. The movie is quite emotional and full of suspense, but also of breathtaking views of the before-mentioned Appalachian Trail. Was Dog Gone actually shot there, though? It’s time to find out.
Dog Gone filming locations
Dog Gone was shot exclusively and entirely in Georgia, USA. Most of the filming took place in Metro Atlanta, but also in other spots and counties in Georgia as well. It was even filmed on an actual portion of the famous Appalachian Trail. Here’s every filming location of Dog Gone revealed.
Atlanta Metropolitan Area
Saying the movie was shot in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area is quite vague, as it’s the 8th largest metropolitan area in the entire US. However, that’s where most of the filming took place. Metro Atlanta is located right at the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, with Atlanta being its regional center and capital.
That being said, you can easily recognize some of the most breathtaking spots where filming took place. There were some beautiful scenes in the movie shot on Stone Mountain, as well as smaller towns in Metro Atlanta, such as Riverdale (not THAT Riverdale), Conyers, and Powder Springs.
Seeing that the real-life Marshall family was from Georgia, it kind of gives the movie more authenticity. You can picture John and Fielding going through the same trails that the actors in the movie were going through. And Metro Atlanta is actually a quite popular movie-making location, with many studios and production companies having their headquarters there.
Rabun County
Another very important filming location of Dog Gone was Rabun County, Georgia. It’s located in close proximity to Metro Atlanta but is filled with many smaller towns that we’ll mention further in the article. In fact, all the other locations on this list are located in Rabun County, but I’ll list them separately, as they all have a significant role in the film.
As for Rabun County itself, it’s the northeasternmost county in Georgia that counts a little over 17000 inhabitants and is probably best known for its nature and smaller resort towns.
Clayton, Georgia
Clayton, Georgia, is located in Rabun Country and serves as the county seat. Although it only has a little over 2000 inhabitants, Clayton is a well-known destination in Georgia for everyone who wishes to get away from the bustling city life and enjoy some peaceful time in nature.
Some of the scenes for Dog Gone were shot in Clayton, which is surrounded by numerous attractive locations such as the Black Rock Mountain State Park, Angel Falls, the Bartram Trail to Becky Branch Falls, etc.
Tallulah Falls, Georgia
Tallulah Falls is a tiny place in Rabun County that serves as a gateway resort town leading to the Tallulah Gorge State Park. The population is only about 200, but there are thousands of people coming through Tallulah Falls each year. Over the summer, you can visit to enjoy the picturesque nature filled with rivers, waterfalls, bridges, and indigenous wildlife.
Tallulah Falls was the filming home for several scenes in the movie, as you can see the Tallulah Gorge in the background a couple of times. If I’m not mistaken, the final scenes of the search for Gonker were shot there as well, but I’m not here to spoil the movie’s ending for anyone.
Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest
Finally, it’s very important to mention the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest as one of the filming locations for Dog Gone. The forest is home to about 75 miles of hiking trails leading through the Appalachian Trail, where the movie takes place and also where it was filmed.
Some of the most amazing scenes were shot in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, with a picturesque backdrop and real nature that speaks volumes as you watch the film.
If you ever get the chance in life to hike through the Appalachian Trail, I highly recommend it – there’s a reason why it’s such a well-known spot for avid hikers across the globe.
Dog Gone trailer, cast & crew
The trailer for the movie came out about a month ago on YouTube, and you can watch it above. The movie itself stars Rob Lowe as John, Johnny Berchtold as Fielding, Kimberly Williams-Paisley as Ginny, Savannah Bruffey as Peyton, Nick Peine as Nate, and others.
Dog Gone was directed by Stephen Herek, whereas Nick Santora adapted Pauls Toutonghi’s book into a screenplay for the film. You can check out the full cast and crew list here.
