Are you craving for some good western rugged desert vibe? Look no further because The Alabama Hills is going to be your favorite spot. Funny thing it’s not in the state of Alabama rather they are along the Sierra Nevada region in California. The beautiful picturesque rock formation coupled with Mt Whitney as its backdrop offers dramatic scenery to enjoy rock climbing, hiking, trail running, and camping. Lone Pine is the nearest town where you can find everything from modest lodging to great food.
The Alabama Hills are also famous for many Hollywood movies and television series filming since the early 90s. The small film history museum at Lone Pine is a good place to start for all the movie fans. And for non-movie folks like me, it’s an ideal pit-stop for a few hours, a day, or a weekend trip. The recreation area is totally free and the best time to visit is fall through spring and early summer.
The famous Instagram-worthy spots are the natural arches like Mobius Arch, Lathe Arch, the Eye of Alabama, and Whitney Portal Arch. Unfortunately I didn’t find any of those arches mentioned because there were no specific marked trails and we were there only for a couple of hours. However, after coming back I found lots of information online for hiking the natural arches.
Directions & Parking
From the Lone Pine City, go west on Whitney Portal road then, 2.7 miles along, turn right onto Movie road. Many dirt roads and trails intersect with Movie road leading into the hills and among the boulders with vast open space. This area has mostly dirt and sandy road, however, 4 wheel drive is not required. Also, there are no designated parking spaces but there is plenty of space to park without disturbing the natural trails. Do check out this website for more information https://sierranevadageotourism.org/entries/alabama-hills-natural-arch/cb733c1a-5660-41ab-a574-4b93a55d9e37
Our stay at The Alabama Hills was quite short but gazing at the stunning range of hills and interesting rock formations in the middle of a desert was surely my highlight of the day. Have you been to The Alabama Hills? What was your first-hand experience looking at those marvelous works of nature? Do share your trip with us
