Here’s Where The Cast Was *Actually* Hiking In 'Happiness For Beginners'

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Everyone loves a good true crime, edge-of-your-seat thriller, but sometimes you just need to kick back and watch something that makes you feel good. If that feeling describes you right now, Netflix has a new movie that will totally strike your fancy (while also providing some super beautiful scenic shots for you to ooh and aah over).

The streamer's new film, Happiness for Beginners, follows a recently divorced woman, Helen (Ellie Kemper), as she embarks on a journey on the Appalachian Trail and finds new love along the way. The movie, which is based on the novel by Katherine Center, is already a big hit. Think: Wild meets a Nicholas Sparks adaptation. It's just what the doctor ordered, TBH.

Since the film takes place in such an iconic and beautiful location, you may be wondering if you can explore the setting yourself. Turns out, this movie shoot took place in some very real places. Here's everything to know about the Happiness for Beginners filming locations:

It was actually filmed on the Appalachian Trail.

Yup. Those scenes where Helen is hiking are actually shot on the famed Appalachian Trail. According to Connecticut's official government website, Happiness for Beginners did, in fact, film on location in the state. ICYDK, The Appalachian Trail actually runs through 14 states across the nation, including Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and a several others.

The film did a lot of filming in Stamford, Connecticut, according to IMDb. It's likely that the production crew shot on parts of the AT in Fairfield County, where Stamford is located. Ellie Kemper actually told Shondaland that most of the scenes took place just outside of the city.

"A lot of that was right outside Stamford," Ellie told Shondaland. "It was an eye-opener for me that to escape to nature, you don’t really have to go that far from New York City."

Ben Cook, who plays Beckett in the film, posted on Instagram and made it sound like the cast spent most of their time filming in the woods. So, those hiking scenes are very real.

They shot some scenes at Bear Mountain.

Yup. For some of the scenes in Happiness for Beginners, the cast headed up to Bear Mountain, which is a little north of New York City. The mountain is also a part of the AT. Ellie Kemper told Shondaland that these scenes were especially pretty while filming, because the production shot in Fall 2021.

"The leaves were just starting to turn, and it was a beautiful time of year to be out there," Ellie told Shondaland.

It also filmed in Pittsburgh.

Yup, some of the non-wilderness scenes take place in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, according to IMDb. The AT doesn't extend quite as far as Pittsburgh, but it does run through eastern Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh served as the "city" scenes at the beginning of the film.

It doesn't seem like many (if any) of the actors were included in these scenes, though. The production may have just used shots in Pittsburgh for supplemental footage, or B-roll, throughout the film.

Some places in the film aren't real.

While the movie was shot in some very real hiking locations across the AT, some of the places named are actually fictional. For example, the "Painted Meadow" that the group visits as their last stop, is unfortunately not a real life location. Still, you can probably have your very own Painted Meadow moment at any stop on the Appalachian Trail.

For more beautiful vistas, you can catch Happiness for Beginners now on Netflix. I'll grab the popcorn.

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