Planes: Fire and Rescue is set largely in scenic Piston Peak National Park. According to Art Director Toby Wilson, Piston Peak is the National Park of all parks. Wilson drew on his own memories of family trips to Yellowstone, Yosemite and other natural wonderlands. His first step in creating Piston Peak was to create a series of evocative poster images, reminiscent of the ones that lured travelers to the newly established National Parks during their early years.
As the story was developed, the park began to take more tangible form. Piston Peak Valley is two miles wide, sixteen miles from its south entrance to its north tip, and has a dense forest of over 2.5 million trees. Among the creatures that can be found nestled in this forest is the Red Prop Balsa Thrush. Gasket Geyser is a feature of the valley, as is the Grand Fusel Lodge, built nearby.
While all of this splendor exists only in the mainframe computers of Disneytoon Studios, it is not hard to believe it is an actual place while enjoying Planes: Fire and Rescue. Let us take you, then, for a tour of Piston Peak National Park.
A view of Piston Peak from the south entrance looking north toward Upper Whitewall Falls (click to map to view larger)
Key to features:
- V6 Valley: The main entrance to Piston Peak National Park
- La Parilla: A wedge of shining granite rising more than 4.737 feet above the valley floor
- Thunderbolt Bluffs: Separating the northern and southern portions of the park
- The Gran Fusel Lodge: The newly restored historic lodge featuring 327 hangars and garages, as well as Piston Peak, Gasket Geyser, the Gift Garage, and Details- a spa
- Piston Peak: One of the wonders of the world, towering above Piston Peak National Park
- Anchor Lake: The largest body of water in the valley, reflecting the natural beauty of the park
- Rail Ridge: The locomotive-themed gateway to Augerin Canyon
- Augerin Canyon: Featuring colonnades, archways, and pillars
- Upper Whitewall Falls: One of the valley’s greater natural spectacles, best viewed from historic Suspension Bridge, one of the largest wood trellis bridges in the world
- Canopy Dome: A stately formation guarding the access to the Piston Peak Air Attack Base
- Air Attack Base: Set on a natural mesa beneath Steerman Cliffs, and the home of the elite group of aerial firefighters who protect Piston Peak National Park from wildfire