Nickelodeon's Hey Dude abandoned ranch- Then and Now

[@JohnSJames-qv7ow]

As the Senior video colorist on the show, I should share with you About the roofs. Originally, they were designed as panels that could be lifted out so heat could escape, and maybe introduce natural light to the scene. One day a dust devil came through the set and lifted a bunch of them off during shooting. Scared all of us. After that, they were nailed down, and the sets just got really hot- especially during the summer!

[@nicolecoldren5573]

THANK YOU for this little tid bit of info! ❤️

[@robertmahn]

I’ve been binge watching it on Paramount + these past few nights. I used to watch the show all the time on Nickelodeon when I was a kid. I wish there would be a comeback show or something. Maybe something like, the kids are all grown up now with their own families etc and one summer, they coincidentally all decide to spend a weekend at The Bar None as guests. Mr. Ernst is still there 😂 Buddy is General Manager. And as they spend their weekend there, THINGS HAPPEN lol. On second thought it would be more of a TV movie rather than a full on comeback show. But oh it would be sooooo great 😊

[@scott4708]

Love the show to this day! Thanks Hey Dude! Cast and thanks for this video!

[@manlymanyo2511]

Far Out

[@martyguy8185]

Is there anything else you could share with us fans???

[@JRNY87]

Man this took me back to my childhood…. Im happy but also sad. Miss those years. No cell phones no social media. I do like being able to see these videos on KZbin, but I just feel the times were simple less divide and people were generally more happy

[@crispybell51]

well put!

[@HotDiggityDogg]

Facts

[@godmagnus]

Less divide = people you don't like stayed hidden and silent

[@jareddoesstuff358]

Hey Dude and Salute your shorts were my jam. I was just a little young for them both though being born in 85 and they were probably more for the tween crowd than the grade schoolers....but back in those days you just watched whatever was airing that was even vaguely for kids lol

[@poncethegayboi]

Exactly!! 85er here as well. Zeek episode from salute your shorts. And a giraffes tongue is blue lol

[@l_burn]

Lol, I was born in 87 and I hated this show just because it was keeping me from Ren and Stimpy or whatever cartoons were about to come on. I did like Salute Your Shorts though.

[@scottbenjamin8251]

Wow, well that brings back some memories. I worked on every episode except the pilot. I met my wife in Tucson while working on this show. Great video, thanks for sharing. Just to set the record straight the roofs of the buildings were made to be able to pull off for lighting but never did because it creats more problems. Long live Lake Benjamin!

[@Recordology]

Scott Benjamin awesome! What other shows have you worked on? And what was your job?

[@CassandraExplainsItAll]

Tell me more!!!

[@lshaffer1980]

Is the brunette Steve Irwin's wife lol

[@seriously.....]

@@lshaffer1980 looks exactly like Steve Irwin wife lol!

[@seriously.....]

Dude how do you get a job like that!!! That's amazing and would be my dream job!! Bad ass man!!

[@tomb9420]

Man I remember being a little kid watching this show. Now over 30 years has passed ! 🥺

[@jamie315]

This made me so happy , but also made my heart hurt a little. These were the good old days ❤️

[@brandoncash4384]

Chills man... me like so many others came here to reminisce. really depressing to see my childhood is now in ruins. Wish I could see it in person. Thanks for the post brother.

[@MobileInstinct]

Hey thanks Yeah always such a bitter sweet to see movie and tv locations that are falling apart. Also a good reminder how we age quickly haha

[@JRNY87]

Yeah its bittersweet, im happy and sad at the same time. 90’s came and went so fast. I miss those times so much. Almost everyday it passes my mind

[@HotDiggityDogg]

It always is my friend. I've been to all my childhood haunted. All different now.. EVERY. Single. One...

[@nathanl7018]

Absolutely loved this show when it was on in the early 90's. Thanks for bringing back some good memories.

[@ellieadkinson3657]

I don’t even know if I’ve ever seen Hey Dude but this broke my heart. Beautiful and haunting and sad.

[@joes.4149]

It was never made for people to live there. What’s sad about it lol.

[@Desertpunk1986]

@@joes.4149I think people sometimes confuse their nostalgic feelings with a broken heart. It’s not the “set” falling apart, it’s the loss of our childhood that’s haunting and sad feeling. IMO.

[@BoredPodcaster]

Instantly brought me back to the good ol' days. Seeing some of those short clips actually brought up some old memories. I could even smell the food being cooked in the kitchen again for a second, just like when I was a kid.

[@wentzr]

What’s a “food being cooked”?

[@blakesweeney1023]

I'm 41 and totally forgot about this show but hearing the intro song in the first 35 seconds of this video brought back major flashbacks for me. Also I always knew that I remembered Christine Taylor (Ben Stiller's wife) from something old but I could never put my finger on what it was, now I know.

[@BassMatriX]

Love the fact that folks who worked on the show are commenting here. I was a bit younger than the intended demographic, but I still loved watching this as well as Salute Your Shorts.

[@intothewild2345]

Thanks for doing this video. This was my favorite show as a kid, I live on a farm so it fit being an outside show with horses. Was born in '81 awesome show wish they would do something similar today for the kids. " start your horse and come along but ya cant get a ride if ya cant hold on"

[@MobileInstinct]

Into The Wild glad you liked It! I agree, it would be cool to do a modern day version of the show

[@MrEspinoza510]

Excellent video. Thank you. Ever think of hitting up Camp Anawana?

[@Apocalypse3434]

Not 3 minutes into watching this I thought "Wonder if there is a Salute Your Shorts video out there."

[@erictirado147]

We hold u in are hearts

[@meganmary92]

I watched a Salute your shorts reunion and most was filmed in a big studio not actual cabins.. there was a park that they filmed their outdoor sports and lake scenes at. But unfortunately nothing like this to visit.

[@coreyparsons3637]

@@meganmary92 I was just watching something the other day about Salute Your Shorts filming, it was filmed at a summer camp in California

[@upnorthvlogs]

Yes I love that one too brings back memories

[@melanievogt9976]

I grew up watching Hey Dude!! I loved that show. It's so sad of what the old set has come to. Sad, sad, sad!! Oh how old I feel. I do thank you for your tour. I will always have a place for Hey Dude in my heart .

[@JWcolour]

Randomly thought about the show today and looked it up hoping to find an updated video on the ranch. Good work splicing in show footage, really ties it together. Good stuff, will sub.

[@MobileInstinct]

Thanks so much, glad you liked it! Being there was such a trip back to my childhood.

[@6door6four96]

The reason I just subbed is the video clips he includes! Awesome vids

[@RIK0SUAVE]

Nostalgia factor is through the roof on this one. Thank you!

[@R0binah00d]

You had me at “Hey Dude”. That’s all that’s required for my view.

[@Hip48Xn3]

wow! that was nice to see again. I'm a child of the late 80's. it was also a little depressing to see. sad to see my childhood die along with those buildings.

[@masterchief247]

The land around there was so beautiful back then. Such a shame.

[@johomie3238]

I live in Tucson I never knew this was here. I need to get up there one day before it’s too late

[@jordanturner7821]

This was so cool to see. I used to love that show. I had a rough childhood situation so shows like this were much more important to a kid than you might expect.

[@elgiacomo]

The best video exploring the abandoned set of Hey Dude on KZbin, great work! Really like the way you cut to scenes from the show to help put everything into perspective. Loved that show as a kid, and as much as I'd like to visit that set, it's unlikely I will have a chance, so it's nice to be able to do it vicariously through videos like these. Thanks for making and sharing this!

[@MobileInstinct]

Hey thanks so much for the compliment. Im glad you liked it!

[@radicaldreamer18]

The best Nickelodeon show ever. Thank you for this video. So many good memories from those days.

[@brandymaines1510]

Thank you so much for sharing this! This was one of my favorite shows as a child. Hopefully I’ll be able to go check the set out myself soon!

[@macdaddyjill]

I like how the Hey Dude clips show bright and sunny days, but the current video is on a gloomy, overcast day. Sorta like the death of my childhood lol. Great work!

[@MobileInstinct]

Haha mine too!

[@derrickforeal]

Mobile Instinct brothers. It was everyday at 430

[@danbam3411]

Kenopsia

[@robertmahn]

It made me think about life lol. Like how fun and cheery things were back then. And how dark and gloomy things are now a days 😔

[@R3V3Lsound]

I've found a happy place rewatching all the seasons of this show. This was my childhood. Thank you for the video, it's amazing to see this.

[@benjaminwilliams187]

I also loved this show as a kid . My cousin and I would watch it. I also went to the Tanque Verde Dude Ranch in spring of 2017 ( April and May) and I looked around the ranch it self and checked it out, It was a lot of fun . And I had heard and read about the buildings that were used in the filming , but I didn't know what direction to go in and I didn't know what condition they were in . So you went the extra mile to actually see the buildings they used for filming ( well in this case you said a 1/2 mile) as compared to my self who just went to the Dude ranch it self and looked around and checked out the pool that they used for the TV show and is used by the ranch. So thank you for showing me what I missed when I went there and what i really wanted to see. Thanks for sharing!!!! P.S I also have the complete series from Hey Dude, and I love watching it LOL

[@BLHyde]

Shame it wasn’t preserved. It’d be cool if someone went in now and tried to restore it but glad to see what remains. Great work!

[@masterjedifunkolobstah4836]

It is a shame, but I assume Nickelodeon was only renting the land and put up some of these buildings just for the show. The owner(s) of the legitimate dude ranch there probably did not want to sink a ton of money into maintaining and upkeeping the studio set ranch.

[@TheSevenJr86]

What good would that be? So they can spend money on something that no one will end up visiting? I say this because I live near a piece of decayed history that everyone always has wonderful ideas but doesn't seem to comprehend the cost to someone else because they aren't going to pay for it themselves it's always someone else should take care of that.

[@yadiecisneros2625]

Just saw this and I loved it! Thank you so much for taking us back, loved the show and was both amazing and sad to see the old buildings.

[@MobileInstinct]

Thank you so much for the compliment! I agree, an amazing place but also sad to see!

[@JessicaLeathers81]

Awesome video! I love how you added in footage from the show, too... very cool! I always loved this show growing up. What made it even more special was that my Grandmom was one of the associate producers for several of the episodes of the show. We lost her this past December but I remember, as a kid, her telling me about being on set and about the cast. She absolutely loved being out in Arizona working on the show! I just bought it on DVD and have started watching the episodes again. I haven't seen it in many years and my husband had never seen the show before we started watching the DVD's. Brings back so many memories watching it now! ❤ We are in Tennessee but I really hope to make a trip out there and hopefully see what's left of the set like you did.

[@heidigolightly]

Thanks so much for sharing this! Hey, Dude was one of my absolute favorite shows growing up. I watched religiously and never missed an episode. I've got every season on DVD as well! It's funny, looking back to when I was a kid I never realized how all those 80s and 90s Nick shows were *so much* a deeply ingrained part of my childhood and that I'd still love and miss them well into adulthood. The nostalgia was overwhelming as I watched this! I feel like I probably would have been huddled in a corner somewhere, crying, if I'd been the one exploring the ruins. 😄 I love exploring ghost towns and long-abandoned houses and buildings in general, but it would be extra amazing to walk through this. Thanks again for sharing!

[@MobileInstinct]

I agree 100% It was fun being here but also sad in many ways. Hey Dude has a special place in my heart for sure.

[@dracosgirl420]

how much did those DVDs run you? i looked up are you afraid of the dark and the prices were outrageous!

[@JessicaLeathers81]

dracosgirl420 I just bought the whole series on DVD on Amazon for $16.

[@mdelizabeth3069]

Me too! Binged the whole show!

[@scottgross9337]

At least this whole series is on DVD, Clarissa Explains It All only has the first Season.

[@NYcitySlicker5]

This is awesome, great job man! This era of Nickelodeon is right in my wheelhouse!

[@ashleyjohnson8248]

Absolutely amazing !! I enjoyed this so much thankyou. Loved hearing you walk crunching on the rocks and dirt. Takes me back to my childhood THANKYOU!! Very sad though wish they could have kept it up like a tourist thing.

[@EternalDarknessAboveTheBlueSky]

This is a good way to remind yourself that everything is temporary, and you should enjoy it while it lasts.

[@reginalda.bellsr.249]

This brought back soo many memories!!! It is, however, sad to see that the set has literally rotted away. Thanks for this great upload, and also taking us on a trip down memory lane!!!😁😁😁

[@GameTime-yj6qv]

Its sad to see the condition everything is in, but it was wonderful that you shared this video with us. Brought back many memories. Loved the Hey Dude theme song too.

[@KevinLacy22]

What an awesome video! I love watching urban exploration videos so this was a lot more than I was expecting it to be. Figured we'd just see some still shots -- not an actual tour of the buildings! Great context for showing what you found and relating it back to specific scenes. It's pretty remarkable that they were able to make so much out of what seems to be some pretty close quarters. Thanks for this! I'll check out more of your videos.

[@thecondor5488]

WOW someone who uses a stabilizing gimbal!! THANK YOU for that!! And I agree with the previous comment on tying actual footage in with your footage. Excellent work. Great commentary. No fake drama, just great information. Subscribed.

[@pizzasuits]

I bought all the dvds yeah because I’m a nerd who watched this show religiously as it ran on Nickelodeon in the 90’s.

[@kriswilson5305]

You couldn't have done a better job with this. Thank you so much for making it and sharing.

[@RyanVJones]

What an amazing find! This was one of my favorite shows as a kid too

[@dreadsire5086]

That was a super fun time. Thanks!

[@MoviemaniaNick]

Great filming location! Brings me back to my childhood! Watched that show when I was young! LOL

[@MobileInstinct]

MoviemaniaNick Glad you liked it !

[@dkoch2]

For the amount of time that had passed, I'm surprised at how 'well' the buildings have held up

[@rreagan007]

It's in a desert, which helps with preservation. Water is what causes most deterioration of structures.

[@gonelucid]

Yup lack of water and no heavy storms like wind or tornados.

[@justinraystyles3537]

All us nick fans should petition to save rebuild and preserve this nick history!💗😢

[@j0786n]

yes. I agree.

[@Dukethighknockr]

Too busy struggling to survive in this world. Who has the time or money to do all that? Not me

[@Youpeeipay]

Or just grow up lol , adult Disney goers are the absolute worst

[@justinraystyles3537]

@Youpeeipay this is nickelodeon not disney!!!!!

[@StutteringMumbling]

Why? It wasn't exactly historic

[@WiseAssGamer]

Oh man, way to hit my nostalgia button, I used to watch this all the time back when I was 11 and 12. (I'm 42 now). I realize that the architecture has been compromised over the last 30 years and it's probably not going to last much longer. But thanks for catching some good footage while it's still standing.

[@AdamZinanni]

This is the best tour of the set of hey dude on KZbin. Thank you👏🏻

[@Abcdefu420]

Cant believe I just now came across this. Watched this show all the time. I’m amazed anything is left from the show.

[@bobbyarmijo3307]

Thanks for showing summer school clip with ted, that was really the only episode I could remember off the top of my head.

[@alexismarques9641]

This was awesome!! Thanks so much for doing this, especially since the buildings/set doesn't seem like it is going to make another 20+ yrs. Randomly thought of this show today, was so cool to find this!!🤗

[@tombuck]

Hey dude, thanks for the burst of nostalgia. 👍

[@MelissaServicePack7Lucky7]

I love this show! This makes me so sad! I would love to be Abe to visit this set! This show was the best! We never had cable or satellite when I was a kid, until 1994 or 1995 I think. I can remember watching “hey dude” when I was in the hospital. I had really bad asthma when I was a kid and rheumatoid arthritis, which landed me in the hospital many times. I used to look forward to having to go to the hospital, just so I could watch “hey dude” and all the other awesome nick shows that were on the air back then.

[@simonpetrus1981]

“HEY DUDE” was one of my FAVORITE tv shows as well when it was on.

[@alexandracash8106]

This is cool. I think I would dig this. Abandoned space plus a 90s iconic place. I had a fun time seeking out the Full House house and the Mrs. Doubtfire house in San Francisco. Totally into movie/show locations.

[@goalie2998]

This was a great show. Along with salute your shorts. Nickelodeon had some great shows.

[@gregcoleman5485]

Totally!! Both shows were great watching growing up! Miss those time

[@ericlewis217]

Excellent find. Thanks so much for sharing. Being 35 now I remember this fondly along with the other Nick classics of the same era.

[@MobileInstinct]

Glad you liked it!

[@danielvermillion85]

Wow SO COOL. That had to have been an experience. I remember Hey Dude and that generation of Nickelodeon from my childhood. It will never be the same! Who remembers “You can’t do that on television” and Double Dare with Mark Summers now that a throwback. 😊

[@elgiacomo]

Grew up on YCDTOT. "Out of Control" with Dave Coulier. "Pinwheel". OG Nick.

[@Unforgiven2040]

this made me sad.. i just got done watching all 5 seasons of hey dude and to go back and see how it looks today is really sad.. thanks for the video man. good work..

[@JoeDiVitaMusic]

is your avatar Wesley Willis? :)

[@alman820]

Thanks for the upload. I'm from Tucson and haven't been to the tanque verde ranch. Just might have to book a night with the family and check out the old hey dude locations.

[@Phuq_it]

This was part of my childhood and inspiration to move to Arizona as soon as I hit 18

[@roadkill_666]

Was my favorite show, great video. Love how calm you are showing it so I can have my own emotions. Thank you.

[@astrangerhere]

WOW. Major nostalgia... I wouldn't have guessed this even still existed!!

[@jcope1041]

so awesome you will able to visit what’s left of the set and to bring back memories for me in this vid. Sad that there will never be shows like these again and will never compare :/ thanks

[@bradhodges4521]

Awesome video! Im literally watching the last season now but paused to watch this. So crazy!!

[@ONAIRwithDYLAN]

Your page has officially become my homepage. I'm a huge fan of filming locations! Thanks for the posts!

[@jonathanhollier3314]

This was my favorite show as a kid in the early 90s! So cool to see the film location now ❤️

[@itsjackrose]

Oh wow I had forgotten about this show! Really like how you include clips in your video from show.

[@MobileInstinct]

Jaclyn Y. Campbell Hey thanks!

[@allfromie9724]

It's crazy to see the building this way, it was a long time ago when I watched this show.

[@TheSalzerEffect]

I loved Hey Dude, one of my favorite shows as a kid, love seeing these locations, even as sad as they are now in disrepair. But the fish-eye lens is killing me!

[@MuresanBol77]

LOVED Hey Dude and sad to see the set fallen into such disrepair. Nostalgia is a good thing but always comes with a serious side of SIGH. haha Thanks for the update! (Even though this was 7 years ago...I wonder if the buildings are still standing by 2024?)

[@gonelucid]

Yes they are

[@TheRetroGuy2000]

Thanks for this video, and the scenes showing what the set looked like in the 1980s/1990s. This was a very well produced video, and it allowed me to step back in time to my childhood! Gracias!

[@rosemaryallen5983]

Loved this. Brought back wonderful memories of my childhood!

[@journeywithjay]

great video!!!! thanks for the trip down memory lane

[@MobileInstinct]

Thanks ! Glad you enjoyed it, it was a blast being there

[@tiffanyholmes4960]

Oh, wow! I see it has been 3 years since you made this video but I just found it. How interesting to see this! Hey Dude was one of my absolute favourite shows, too. Seeing this makes me furious with the Tanque Verde guest ranch! How could they just let it all fall apart like that?! And, by the looks of things, use it as a dumping ground, as well? What an insult to the beautiful desert environment, as well. I always wanted to vist the Tanque Verde because of the show. Now I would just want to knock some heads together! Hey Dude, in its funny little way, meant something to us. In a way, seeing this makes me grieve for the person I was back then, happily watching the show and wishing I could grow up and work on a ranch with, Brad, Ted, Melody and the gang! Haha. I wonder if, since your video, anyone has complained to the Tanque Verde? Hey Dude deserves better than that. Thanks, again, for the video and, oh, yes....watch out for them killer cacti!😊

[@ZeeZee9]

Agree. They should renovate it and make money off of it. Not just let it rot.

[@JJ174000000]

this is wild, i grew up watching this show, loved it.

[@ToyotaGuy1971]

Awesome video. Shame the place wasn't preserved. I still have 2 of the 6 or 7 tapes full of episodes I used to have and watch them from time to time, even though I'm well into my 40's now. This just never gets old for me. Had a huge crush on Melody! (hey, yer not a pod person are you? okay, just checkin') ;P

[@KevyB.]

HEY DUDE!?(Had to do it lol) That was awesome! Haven't thought about the show in decades, but this really took me back to my childhood. Thank you!

[@Kewpie83]

Very cool! Thanks for sharing this little adventure with us!

[@MobileInstinct]

Kewpie83 Of course! Glad you liked it

[@indigoearthangel888]

I so love you for this!!! I used to love Hey Dude and Salute Your Shorts!!!!

[@Kay2be2mr]

Something so very attractive about a man who shares my childhood TV obsessions😏 Great job on the video. The nostalgia you just made me feel earned you a new subscriber.

[@MobileInstinct]

Thank you!

[@Mrd9960]

@Brandon Greenleaf 😆

[@GarC170]

I have only the vaguest memories of this show but I looked up the original run date and since I was born in late 1988 it makes sense

[@markloren2133]

I worked at Scenic Systems in Powell Tn. We built a lot of set pieces for the show. Sad to see them in ruins but cool to get to see what's left, thanks.

[@tratzum]

One of my first TV shows. Great times.

[@spindalis79]

Great video. I used to enjoy watching this show when it first came on Nickelodeon in spring of 1989. I had just had my first trip to AZ a few months prior and really enjoyed it. So yeah, this was right up my alley at the time.

[@manlymanyo2511]

Man this was Awesome. Thank you so much for this

[@abbyhunker9056]

Thanks for the video hey dude was one of the shows I used to watch when I was kid

[@stevenspaziani9159]

I remember that show very well, my daughter and I would watch it all the time. It was just a nice wholesome tv show unlike alot of the shows today.

[@BTGames54]

Had such a crush on Melody as a kid 😍. Former Mrs. Ben Stiller of course. Great video!

[@JoeDiVitaMusic]

you and me both. She was my dream girl as a 12-year old. Not looking quite as good these days it seems. LOL

[@m56214]

@@JoeDiVitaMusic What about Kelly Brown

[@ryanvargas4889]

Noooo Waaay! So awesome you went here, I loved this show growing up! I remember coming home with McDonalds after school and watching this show was like most awesome Friday you could have @ 6 years old.

[@rustyshackleford0219]

Thanks for doing this. One of my favorite shows from my childhood. Own the entire series on DVD. When I heard that the set still somewhat existed, I thought it would be cool to go out and see. We’ll see if it still exists and what condition it’s in if I ever make it out there.

[@hunterkiller002]

Well?

[@jillwilliams3981]

That's so sad it's abandoned now I watched this everyday after school 🏫 I love the guy who said hey dude and the girl in it ❤ I'm glad you are letting us in along the ride thanks for bringing back my childhood 😊

[@Gen10civic]

Great days growing up in the 90s. Any bitcoin millionaires wanna buy the place ?!

[@ryanmarek123]

That’s so cool anything even exists. This show didn’t last long and was so long ago. So glad I saw this

[@Nytephyre]

This was amazing. Thanks for doing this. It was really cool to see things from my childhood like this.

[@angelmama1213]

Thanks for this video! Takes me back to my early teens..one of my favorite shows back then.

[@MobileInstinct]

+Vicki R Mine too! Glad you liked it

[@raynaritchie8898]

Awesome video. Really bummed me out to see it like that, to be honest. Loved that show so much. Wanted to be there.

[@oittisallen4057]

Wow. I wish they would fix that place up. I planning a trip for vacation around that area. Such good memorys.

[@birk3383]

Really cool to see. Thanks for the video!

[@SICresinwrks]

Thanks for the video, loved the show as a kid and had no idea that the set was out in the desert! Now I wanna watch hey dude

[@ProudDad1976]

Great video by far, much better than some of the other channels out there. You add in videos of what used to look like, the time you put into the videos shows

[@mela3864]

That's cool! One of my favorite shows after school! Would love to see before it's completely gone!