The Wraith Locations

Locations Manager(s): Jack Young

The Wraith Filming Locations:

The movie was filmed on location in and around Tucson, Arizona, including 4th Avenue, Sabino Canyon and Sonoran National Monument. [Thanks to The Tucson Film Office]

Keri's House is actually 2128 E 5th St. Tucson, AZ [Thanks to Jeff Ross]

Jake asks Keri to go to Willow River where they go for a ride and a swim that annoys Packard. That is Sabino Canyon Recreation Area, part of the Coronado National Forest. The scenes had to be filmed during the spring when the Catalina Mountain Range snows melt, because otherwise the "river" is dry about 7 months of the year. I'd be willing to bet that the earlier "lake" scenes were also filmed at the Sabino Canyon Rec Area. There is an old reservoir the river spills into before going on into the valley that could present the appearance of a lake. [Thanks to Roger Phillips]

The Airplane Graveyard where Skank and Gutterboy worked actually exists. It's situated a couple of miles outside of Tucson, in the Sonora Desert on E. Valencia Road (on the border of the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base), which is bisected by Interstate 10 (the road, not the base). [Thanks to Bella]

Packard's Garage was located on a small hill on Ajo Way next to the Municipal Airport, part of Tucson's metro area. The long curvy dirt driveway is still recognizable. Ajo Way heads out of town and eventually goes to Ajo. [Thanks to Bella & Roger Phillips]

Big Kay's Burgers was previously a pizza joint and originally the control tower from nearby Davis Monthan AFB. It is next to a cellphone tower on Benson Highway. The cellphone tower was removed from the movie scenes. The location would be Benson Highway just west of Country Club Blvd. The motel is still across the street and the two palm trees that Packard pulled out of ar still standing. [Thanks to Chuck Hallgren & Art Sharp]

I go by the area every day on Benson Highway by where "Big Kay's Burgers" scenes were filmed, across the street is the motel where Charlie Sheen pulls away on his motorcycle. If I had a digital camera I would take some shots, but if you go to google streetview and enter address 2624 East Benson Highway, Tucson, AZ , you can get a good look at what the motel and area looks like now and that the palm trees have grown quite a bit. The truck trailer with graffiti shown in the street view image is no longer there, ,the only activity I ever see going on there anymore is people using the motel parking lot for yard sales on weekends. [Thanks to Eric]

The highway that leads up to Mt. Lemmon (The Catalina Highway) was used for many chase scenes. No further filming is permitted up there as one of the crew died during the filming in an accident (note that the film is dedicated to him) [Thanks to Seth Fink]

The desert racing scenes were filmed on the road where Old Tucson Studios and the Desert Museum are located. If you park at Gate's Pass you can see all the roads from the overlook.

The scene where the punker and the other guy chase Jake and Keri on Jake' motorcycle starts at 4th Avenue & 7th Street headed south on 4th Avenue. [Thanks to "Mountain Mike" Johansen]

The United fire Equipment company as seen just as Skank and Gutterboy are cruising through town in the Cuda on the lookout for Jake and Keri. [Thanks to ramair3]

"A" mountain appears to be in one scene where they crash into the Wraith. I can see the outline of Tumamoc Hill in the distance. [Thanks to Carlos V]

I was 15 when that was filmed, and I rode my bike to the filming scene (by accident) but I believe the Catalina highway scene is wrong. It was a very busy highway then and still is. I ran into the filming on Old Spanish Trail, which is only a few miles away. [Thanks to Carien]

2017 update: This willl be one of the first movies covered in full in our new locations feature with "then and now" pics of all the locations used in the movie... Even the legendary graveyard scene... Coming soon folks...

Can you help? Particularly with Any of the highways used, Keri's house and confirmation of the lake used for the date? Please Update Us