Great scenery. It gets Cold and Windy in Winter time. I've heard it's the same in summer time, too. Definitely recommend. read more

Alabama Hills Recreation Area - Alabama Hills. - Parks Near Me - Lone Pine, California

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The Alabama Hills area serves as a steady transition from Lone Pine civilization to Whitney wilderness. + Quiet, peaceful scenic area. Pleasant nature ambience. - Minimal shade, water, and restrooms. Dry climate. - Barely anyone around to ask for help or directions. . Tip: I recommend stopping by Nightmare Rock and Mobius Loop trail to see the photogenic Mobius Arch circumscribing Mt Whitney next time you're cruising through Alabama Hills. . Fun fact: many old western movies were filmed among these hills, including Django Unchained. read more

Always protect our amazing, beautiful, nature areas!! The rock formations are obviously plentiful and great, it's an easily accessible area for everyone to get to, drive-thru, get out and explore, and "the views" 360° are spectacular!! It's probably best to go in an off-road vehicle, but the drive-through is easily done in just about any vehicle. read more

Love driving through the Alabama Hills in Lone Pine. Roads are easy and don't require 4x4. There are campsites throughout the loop and seem pretty quiet/private. Get there early in the morning during summer as it gets quite warm. Climb the rocks, take the pics, have fun! And don't forget to take a pic with the beautiful painted lady, Nightmare Rock. She's a stunner. The hills offset by Mt Whitney is ridiculously stunning. Say hi to the rocks for me and tell them I'll see them soon read more

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Amazing drive! It is a must be area, be careful using google maps as it will definitely take you through some dirt roads. I used Apple Maps and it gave us a smoother route read more

Alabama Hills Recreation Area - Parks Near Me - Lone Pine, California

Do you love old Westerns, like I do? Ever see 1939's Gunga Din, 1957's The Tall T, and 1962's How the West Was Won? If you have, you'll recognize this area, where those and many other Westerns were shot. Alabama Hills Recreation Center is a great place to hike and camp and take photographs. You'll pass by Movie Road on the way. You'll see stunning rock formations. You'll see snowcapped mountains and a view of Mt. Whitney. You'll feel like you're a million miles away from everywhere. The Eastern Sierra is an amazing part of California. This is a place that makes an impact on the spirit. read more

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I've been wanting to check out Alabama Hills for the longest, and I finally did. Many movies were filmed here and I can see why. It's just beautiful, not crowded and it was perfect time of the year. Check in with the visitor's center to see a list of what was filmed here. read more

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Happy Earth Day everyone!! Today I wanted to show my favorite camping spot some love. Alabama Hills is such a special place! I love dispersed camping and Alabama Hills really makes you feel like you are on planet mars with all the beautiful rock formations. You can also usually see snow capped mountains on the horizon! Hello Mt. Whitney! While there aren't many official trails in the recreation area (minus the one to Mobius Arch), you can create your own adventure! I am not a legit rock climber by any means, but I love to climb on the boulders and hike between them. You are sure to find a private camping spot nestled behind some rocks. There are no reservations here, but we've never had a problem finding a spot. There is not much shade, no bathrooms and no water available so you've got to come prepared! Though for newer campers who need bathrooms or if you've run out of wood, Lone Pine is about a 10 minute drive away. Great for group camping and doggos! Highly recommend visiting Alabama Hills Cafe on your way home! Get out and Explore! Happy day, mother Earth! TIP: Before you go, check the weather. Wind can be brutal! read more

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The site of hundreds of popular movies, music videos, and TV commercials! The Alabama Hills are strikingly gorgeous and so much fun to explore. It's crazy to think that over 400 movies have been filmed here. Mostly Westerns given its' rugged terrain, but many other famous movies have been filmed here as well including Godzilla, Iron Man, Gladiator, Django Unchained, Star Trek Generations, and Transformers (and that's just to name a few!). The most popular activity in the Alabama Hills to partake in is the scenic drive down Movie Road. On this drive, you'll pass by tons of famous movie sites to which you can identify by map and further explore. But just a fair warning; Movie Road is completely dirt and best if driven through with a 4x4. Don't have one?! That's okay! There's still plenty of other parts of the recreation that you can explore. In fact, you can still drive down parts of Movie Road in a smaller vehicle, you just need to drive extra slow and proceed with caution. The views of the stunning rock formations and eroded hills are just so amazing. It's like looking at a different painting everywhere you turn. I just wanted to frame everything and take it home with me. Mount Whitney as the backdrop was like the icing on the cake. And coming during the winter time will ensure that you'll be able to see those beautiful snow capped mountain tops. People camp here but there aren't very many amenities. You literally have to pack in and pack out everything, including water. This goes for your scenic drives too. Bring a water, snacks, and maybe even a lunch because there isn't much around the area for a few miles. There's also a few hiking and mountain biking trails. The short trail to Mobius Arch is a fun place to stop and explore during your drive through Movie Road. I really enjoyed stretching my legs out on this gorgeous hiking trail. Many other natural arches can also be found throughout the park. SO many picture taking opportunities here too! Whether you're a professional photographer or just looking for that perfect pic for Insta; there's truly something for everyone here. Maps and information are available at the Eastern Sierra Visitor Center located a few miles before the entrance. If you're taking a trip to the Sierras, make some time to explore the Alabama Hills too. There's so much to see here. read more

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Take your time and enjoy the drive and trails. Visit the museum too! We had a great time

Beautiful during the day but fantastic at night especially for Milky Way photography. read more

Alabama Hills Recreation Area - Parks Near Me - Lone Pine, California

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Beautiful California! Alabama Hills is a great place to go camping. The deeper you go into BLM the more rough the terrain. Plenty of camp sites and views. read more

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Alabama Hills is public land, managed by the Bureau of Land Management, so it has free dispersed camping. There's no facilities, but if you're able to bring everything with you, then this is a fantastic place to camp. You can nestle in and set up camp right between two boulders! It's very cool! There's ample places to camp as well, but heads up, it does get very busy. Although we arrived after dark, we were still were able to find a spot; however, because not only are many spots are taken, but it's hard to see the roads and available spots in the pitch black. Do yourself a favor and arrive before nightfall. This is Dark Sky Country here, so the skywatching is amazing. I'd love to be set up here for a meteor shower. If you don't have time to camp, it's worth driving through at the very least to take in the scenery. Drive Movie Flat Road and look for Lone Ranger Canyon (you can put it in your GPS -- there is some signal in this area!). If it looks familiar, it's because this area is where they've filmed a lot of movies & TV shows including Lone Ranger, Bonanza and Iron Man. You can do some fun hikes here like the short hike to Mobius Arch or if you're into rock climbing, this is a great place to scale some crags! Don't miss Miss Alabama as you enter -- a cool painted rock face! The scenery is unreal here. The rock formations are very cool. read more

Alabama Hills Recreation Area - Amazing Rock Formations - Parks Near Me - Lone Pine, California

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I absolutely love Alabama hills. The rock formations are stunning, the arches particularly Mobius arch from which you can see Mt. Whitney is just beautiful. During winter it can be cold & windy. Hundreds of movies have been filmed here especially Western movies. It's a must visit and for the love of what is sacred, please pick up your waste, dogs & people. It's not that hard. I'll be uploading my adventures to my YouTube feel free to subscribe: @cheeriotheshibainu . 5 bones! read more

4.5 Stars I wouldn't come out of your way to visit this place. Our Mammoth trip failed and we ended up finding this place. Pretty random and lots of open dessert space. We saw some cars camping out here but there is for sure no water source, so if you do camp, plan to bring lots of water. There are small turn outs where you can venture out onto short trails and look at random rock formations. No shade at all here. There are also random movie facts scattered about if you're into learning the history of films shot here. read more

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TL;DR-- Bring plenty of water, an easy-up for shade, beware of the strong winds (our tent snapped in half at the end of our trip as we were packing up (THANK GOD it wasn't in the middle of the night!)), there are a few porta potties along the road in the beginning in case of emergency or if you are uncomfortable relieving yourself outdoors, there is a market close by in Lone Pine with every essential you may need. We were looking for some free BLM (Bureau of Land Management) camping to enjoy a beautiful weekend within a short drive from home, and Alabama Hills fit the bill. Apparently this is the place a lot of Hollywood Westerns are filmed. Makes sense! This place is obviously striking and gorgeous! But the highlight for me was that there is so much to explore while feeling desolate, but in reality you are pretty close to other campers yourself. We found a campsite pretty easily after passing a few dozen spots that we already occupied. I recommend a 4WD for most of the sites, but some of them can be done with 2WD. Just use your common sense, scout ahead if you're unsure, and you'll be okay. I highly recommend bringing a backup car battery charger if there is any doubt in your mind that your battery needs a replacement because... my truck battery died while charging our devices and using my system to listen to some tunes. You don't want to be stuck out here in the middle of the day without any shade or reprieve from the heat. That being said, you will likely find other campers within a mile of you for any emergency assistance. There is no cell service once you get out on Movie Rd. Can't wait to go back and explore other sites! read more

Did you know that this is a hot spot for shooting movie scenes, TV episodes, and commercials?  Here you will be surrounded by different rock formations and snow covered jagged mountain peaks will standout in the background. It is a natural playground for all. We explored movie road.  This is a beloved camping area by many. Camping is free but that means there is no water, bathrooms, or trash bins available. You will have to pack your trash out. You need to get a permit if you want to enjoy a camp fire here.  Alabama Hills Recreation Area is close enough to stores, gas stations, and restaurants. It is right outside of Lone Pine. read more

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Just another beautiful place California has under its belt. 4x4 or AWD is recommended but i saw plenty of 2-wheel drive vehicles when i went so it is possible. Also if you aren't good with navigation without technology make sure to remember your way out because there's not much to help guide you around the area of you are not familiar. All that aside this is a beautiful place to camp, explore, photograph and just sit and relax. Will definitely be back to explore some more. read more

Alabama Hills Recreation Area - Parks Near Me - Lone Pine, California

Alabama Hills is such a beautiful place and if you haven't been here or if you're planning to come here, I wouldn't even think twice. Pack your bags cause this place is fantastic! We were able to capture some of the most breathtaking sunrise and sunset pictures. TBH I really wish I took my engagement photos here because the way the sun hits the tops of the mountains early in the morning, goodness you just have to see it for yourself. Must have on your bucket list if this place is not already on it. How was the drive: We came here the weekend after Thanksgiving! If you're driving from the bay area to Alabama hills, it'll take you about 6 hours. We left at 8:30am and arrived at 3pm. We did make two stops to gas and grab something to eat at Jack in the Box. Where to stay: You can camp at Alabama Hills. We saw a few tents as well as a few RVs. I would highly recommend to bring a lot of blankets because it gets really really cold, like freezing temperatures. We opted to stay at a hotel because there aren't any bathrooms onsite. Also, keep in mind, what you bring in, you have to bring back with you like your trash, food, etc. What kind of car did you drive: Highly recommend driving a 4-wheel drive. It's really bumpy and if you do decide to drive your car, you will feel every single bump on the dirt road all the way to the top. We drove our 4-Runner and our friends drove their Sequoia. Places to check out: Definitely drive to the top to get some nice sunrise pictures. Also, check out the arch. It's a small hike. And on your way out, you'll see the Alabama Hills sign and this rock with a face. Are dogs allowed: We took our french bulldog and it wasn't that bad. So if you're thinking about taking your dog, go ahead, just buy them a sweater because it's really cold in the morning. They will be cold lol. What to wear: Dress warm. It's really cold in the morning. I wore leggings, fuzzy socks, and a teddy bear jacket. I would also wear hiking shoes and not running shoes. A little slippery on the rocks. More helpful tips: Get gas before you head to Alabama Hills. There's a lot of places you can drive to but in case you take a wrong road, at least you won't run out of gas. read more

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Really spectacular rocks and geological fwatures. Used in many films. Great place to just find yourself and explore.

Wow! Can I start with that! Truly an amazing place. You step out of the vehicle and can almost hear the action from film crews of years past. Some of the most amazing sites I've ever seen. Even with the sets torn down, I could still picture the movies that were filmed in this vast area. We spent hours out in the Hills and with the help of a book we purchased at the Visitors center we were able to find many of the filming locations of the old movies. Plan on spending several hours driving around and make sure to get out and explore. The rocks may look intimidating at first, but I am not an experienced hiker and I managed to go up and down quite well. It was worth it to climb up and experience even more amazing views. Once we returned home we turned on the old Hoppy movies and the famous Gunga Din and enjoyed searching for all the places we had visited! read more

Alabama Hills Recreation Area - Parks Near Me - Lone Pine, California

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What a hidden gem this place is! A great recreation area in the high desert with hiking trails and beautiful rock formations. The whole reason to go here is to see the Mobius Arch, which is a short hike from the trailhead. Definitely one of the coolest natural features I have ever seen. Best visiting times seems to be sunrise or sunset. Do yourself a favor -- don't miss this if you are in the area! read more

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We came here for Thanksgiving Weekend and had a blast! If you like scenic deserts and colorful mountains, this is the perfect place for your photo shoot. Also, if you're into off-roading, this is heaven for beginners. Coming for offroading was primarily the main reason why I visited. I drive a 4-Runner with all-season tires (non-offroading style tires) for my first experience and I absolutely loved it. The dirt road is not too bad and the other drivers and campers were very pleasant. Camping looks like it's awesome here as well even though we got a hotel that was a 5-minute drive away. It's dark and beautiful at night! I was able to get some jaw-dropping star photos. If you're looking for a day trip, you can definitely knock this out in a day's time. This was definitely worth the 6-hour drive from the East Bay! Pro Tip: If you plan on coming out here, research the different rock formations and where to find them. This would have been helpful if I knew ahead of time. read more

Such a beautiful and peaceful place to visit. I hope it will always remain that way. The view of the Eastern Sierras and Mount Whitney are magnificent. On our recent visit the Sierras had quite a bit of snow at the top and the weather at camp was a nice 70 degrees. We camped for two nights for free. This time of year the weather was perfect and although it is primitive camping we prepared well and enjoyed our time away from cell phones and the city. The benefit is knowing that a couple of miles away you will find the town of Lone Pine in case for any emergency or if you are in need of food. I enjoyed practicing my photography here and climbing on the various rock formations. read more

Alabama Hills Recreation Area - Parks Near Me - Lone Pine, California

Gorgeous place with easy hikes. Lots of spots for dispersed camping and more than enough space between neighbors. They don't have facilities except a few porta potties by the arch loop trail that I saw. Food wise and supplies, if you didn't bring any or run out, its a close drive into town. The hike to mobius arch was quick and easy....depending on where you start, it can take 5 to 15 mins to get to.the arch. read more

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Nice spots to disperse camp no restrooms or campsites but a cute little town near by about 10 mins away called Lone Pine. There are a few restaurants and cafes and a decent Best Western in Lone Pine. Pack It in packet out! read more

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As a first time visitor, and one who has traveled to many (and is a big fan of) scenic wonders in the United States, I was completely blown away by what I saw at Alabama Hills. In addition to the other-worldly rock formations present in Alabama Hills (very similar to Joshua Tree National Park), absolutely nothing compares to the scenic vistas facing the Eastern Sierras. Unreal! The dirt roads that didn't require a Jeep weren't too difficult to navigate with my Ford Escape, and the camping was peaceful. Do you like starry night skies? Great news for you, as this area is one of the darkest remaining locations in the United States. I made sure to take advantage of this to add to my photography portfolio. If you told me to close my eyes and imagine owing a piece of land in an area where I'd walk out on the back porch with a cup of coffee in hand to watch the sunrise, it'd be somewhere in Lone Pine. read more

Cool historical area that has maintained its charm throughout the years! I didn't know anything about the area until my folks told me it was where old westerns were filmed. That makes a lot of sense because there is a lot of land and loads of interesting rock formations and natural props that can be taken advantage of for movie-making. What a unique and fun area! Despite most of the big national parks being closed in CA, this area is still open and ready to be explored. read more

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You do need to go to Alabama Hills, even if it's just for a 20 minute scenic stop. It's breathtaking and feels like Mars. You could film car commercials here. You could backpack, camp, take in the wilderness, or play dangerous parkour on the many rocks (like we did). All in all, the beauty here is something else. This was only a short 20-min stop for us on the way back to LA down the scenic road, but I am soooo glad we made the little detour and checked it out. Next time, I would definitely love to check out some of the longer trails and explore the area more. read more

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We were camping up at Coyote Flats but due to high altitude sickness we needed to relocate to a lower elevation and decided to stop here. Trying to find an available spot at 11pm is very difficult as many spots were already taken. After about an hour we were able to secure a spot along these majestic rocks with a full moon in the distance. I would definitely recommend yall to check out Alabama hills during the winter season as you'll see more snow across the sierra nevadas. read more

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Man, how to you quantify a recreation area? There are so many amazing things about this place it's almost hard to list. Let's try... Scenery strait up awe inspiring. Hiking and climbing, top notch. Plenty of water most of the time of year. Camping galore, lots of free BLM land and cheap campsite, only 8 bucks. Fishing is great, not huge ones but plenty of little guys. Proximity to lone pine for resupply. Yes, I was eaten alive by mosquitoes and the sub arctic winds were chilling to the bone but hey, that's camping man. With this being said, make sure you bring plenty of wood. Make sure you bring plenty of layers. The weather can change very fast as well. Make sure you look up the arch loop. A short little loop that lets you see some pretty amazing landscapes. Also stop in town for some great people watching! read more

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Fascinating rock features. Like nothing I've ever seen. Deserves a look. Movie road is accessible with a standard 2nd vehicle. Get ready to rock scamper or just open the window and enjoy. read more

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Surprised this place isn't a national park. It's absolutely stunning. It would be a cool place to camp( free too ). It was fun hiking here and climbing on the rocks. We will be back for sure!! read more

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First a PSA: LEAVE NO TRACE BEHIND - Meaning leave nothing behind even what you think is biodegradable food must not be left behind. So last week I went to a NASCAR race and Naturally with the tick of NASCAR, a southern sport, I wanted to go to Alabama. Well I ended up here. Yeeehaaaaaa. I was surprised not see Rickey Bobby here though the first person I spoke to on the trail was from Alabama!!! No joke ! What are the odds of that! Great place to visit. The silence is amazing. The air clean. Scenery out of this world! Get a map and try to spend the entire day there. Lots of different trails. read more

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You can't say anything bad about this place. It's beautiful, it's relaxing, it's photogenic, it's peaceful and inspiring. If you like camping, hiking, fishing, photography and shooting, this is the place to be. Grab a beer and enjoy the views. read more

Alabama Hills Recreation Area - Tuttle Creek Campground. - Parks Near Me - Lone Pine, California

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Free camping! Camped 10/11/2015-10/12/2015 This place is awesome. I first heard about this place through social media, and seeing cool pictures. So I looked into Alabama Hills a little more and found out you can camp there! And it's FREE camping! Such a cool place. Right when we got to Lone Pine, we went to the visitor center to pick up a map of Alabama Hills. The rangers were super nice and explained you can pretty much camp anywhere in Alabama Hills, just don't crush the plants/brush. Sweet! Directions: as you head into Lone Pine from the visitor center, make a left at the only stop light in town. I think it's Whitney Portal Rd. As you go down the road, the first notable rock you see is the infamous face rock to the right, shortly after, you will turn right on Movie Rd. Movie Rd is paved at first, then it becomes a dirt road. It's a pretty even dirt road though, my Mazda 6 was able to trek through it. As you drive through, just look around for any good spots to camp at. When we were there, we noticed a lot of people had big RVs and we didn't see many people pitching tents. We of course pitched tents. Movie Rd is the main road through Alabama Hills, but they've got a lot of little side roads you can take to look for camping spots. From what I was told, I don't think you can have a fire here. Seems like people also rock climb/boulder in this area. Lots of rocks to look at. A lot of old western movies were shot here to so there's a lot of history as well. When we went, the Old Western Film Festival was going on, and they had tours going through the hills. No toilets, you just gotta go do your business in the rocks and bury it. No running water, make sure to bring lots, it gets dry and hot here. Beautiful views of the Sierras. Pack out your trash! read more

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Great time driving around in the dirt, and also checking out the rock formation. If you check out the Mobius Arches it's has a good view of Mt. Whitney. Great way to spend Valentine's Day with the people I love. The road gets a little rough after you pass Mobius Arch, some rough curves and rocks on the road. read more

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Really cool neat place , like you are on another planet. Kind of like Obsidian Dome . I love this place. There's definitely a WOW factor here. In fact , my boyfriend and I are going back to camp here near future. The fact that this place is right there by Mt Whitney and you get a view of it is so amazing. The contrast is so cool. The snow covered mountains which are some of the highest peaks in lower 48 states and here at Alabama Hills it's barren and like dry desert. So cool. Well worth the drive from Lone Pine. October is nice time to go. Too hot during summer months. Very dry so take plenty of water if hiking. read more

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Easily accessible. amazing terrain. Easy hikes. Totally worth it. Lots of photograph worthy spots. Explore for minutes or hours.

Visiting Alabama Hills was unplanned on my most recent trip through this area, but since it was so close off the 395 and we needed a diversion from the long drive home, we decided to check it out. I definitely want to come back when there is more time to explore and take in all the beauty of the surrounding landscape. But even if your time is short, like mine was, consider the short drive (10 minutes-ish) off the main drag of Lone Pine to take it all in. read more

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