Visiting Alabama Hills
Overnight Car Camping Trip
Alabama Hills Recreation Area is near a frontier town called Lone Pine in Inyo County, California located 3.5 hours from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles.
You can stay overnight for free if you enjoy rock climbing, bouldering, day hiking or exploring for endless hours through the desert landscape. Alabama Hills is also a place to stop at if you are on your way to Mt.Whitney or other stops through the Eastern Sierras.
Hike Info Miles: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) operates the 30,000 acre portion of the desert land below the Whitney Portal Recreation Area, otheriwse known as Alabama Hills Elevation Change: 4000 ft /1219 m
Access the Alabama Hills Recreation Area Map and Guide here.
How do I get there?
Take US-101 North from downtown Los Angeles for 10 miles Keep left and continue onto CA-170 Take the Interstate 5 North exit on the left toward Sacramento Merge onto I-5 North and continue for 8 miles Take State Route 14 North/Antelope Valley Freeway exit toward Palmdale/Lancaster Continue on CA-14 North/Midland Continue on CA-14 North/Midland Trail for 69 miles. Turn right onto CA-14 North/Midland Trail and continue for 49 miles Merge onto US-395 North and continue for 64.5 miles Turn left onto Whitney Portal Rd Continue straight to stay on Whitney Portal Rd Make a right on Movie Flat Road
Total Distance: 211.1 miles
Road Conditions: Gravel roads when you arrive at Alabama Hills
When is the best time to go?
You can go any season of the year to Alabama Hills. However, the best time is Winter. Keep in mind during the Winter times there is a possibility of high winds and low temperatures. I advise 3-4 season tents, your car or an RV because winds can gust a high of 45 mph. Take it from me, after hiking the base of Mt.Whitney and returning to the Hills only to find my tent plastered against a boulder due to the high winds, it was no picnic! In the Summer I advise enjoying the Hills early in the morning before it gets too hot and then relaxing when the intense sun comes out with a cold water or beer.
What about camping?
The unique factor about Alabama Hills is that you do not need a reservation or a permit to camp. The Hills is an open-desert with a dispersed camping area and zero amenities.
There is NO...
- Water
- Trash
- Pavement
- Facilities
Meaning....there are NO fees! There is space for large groups to camp or to park RV's, I'd like to note, it is best to stay on the established roads and trails to avoid ruining any vegetation. "Don't crush the brush!" I'd also like to point out the "Leave No Trace" rules and be sure to clean up your garbage and any human waste.
Do I need any permits?
You do not need a permit to hike or camp Alabama Hills. However, you do need a permit if you intend to build a campfire.
A California Campfire Permit is required for campfires, stoves, and lanterns.
What should I bring?
Below I listed my standard 3 season gear list for backpacking and long-distance hiking. Depending on the trail I hike or the trip I take, I will substitute or remove gear I don't need to accommodate the weather conditions or activities I do.
Navigation (map and compass)
Sun protection (sunglasses/sunscreen/hat)
Insulation (extra clothing)
Illumination (headlamp/flashlight)
First-aid supplies - (I'll be going into details about what to include here in a later post)
Fire (waterproof matches/lighter)
Repair kit and tools for tent and pack
Nutrition (extra food)
Hydration (extra water)
Pack:
Tent:
Sleeping pad:
Sleeping bag:
Stove:
Shoes:
Clothing:
Rain Gear:
Poles:
Spikes:
Hydration:
Hygiene:
Kitchen:
Miscellaneous:
What is so cool about this place?
Are you a movie buff? Then, let me blow your mind a little...hundreds of movies, commercials, shows and even music videos (when they were around) were filmed at Alabama Hills. Some of those movies are Gladiator, Django Unchained, Iron Man, Man of Steel, Tremors, and many more. "Why at Alabama Hills?" you ask because the location is just 3-4 hours from Hollywood, the scenery is priceless with the Eastern Sierra Nevada landscape and the tallest continental mountain - Mt. Whitney can be seen from the Hills.
The Hike
Driving down the 395 with the open road and surrounded by nothing but mountains - now, that's the life. There's something unique and almost alien-like about Alabama Hills. It's not your average hike where you trek through switchbacks, gaining elevation and coaching your mind and body to "breathe" and "keep going" till you reach the all mighty summit.
Alabama Hill is unlike anything else. 82-200 million-year-old granite rocks, weathered and rounded to bulbous shapes that form large sculptures of red and orange colors. Surrounded by the 10,000 foot-plus peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
I highly recommend heading out to the Hills with no agenda and no map, assuming you're prepared - please, don't get lost! However, there are a few key spots I'd love to share.
1.Mobius Arch
The Mobius Arch has a specific trail called the Arch Loop Trail-head and includes a parking area that has been constructed by the BLM. To locate the Arch, you will want to drive West on Whitney Portal Road from Lone Pine for 3 miles until you reach Movie Road, Take Movie Road for 1.5 miles until you reach a T-Junction. Once you reach the T-Junction, you will see the BLM parking area for the arch; and from the parking area, it's only a half mile hike to the dome. I suggest visiting during the sunrise or sunset when crowds aren't so massive.
2.Movie Tour
The Self Guided Movie Road Tour. Remember when I mentioned something about movies at the beginning of this post? While the Alabama Hills always had “Movie Road,” some of the features were a little harder to find that were filmed here. You could certainly ask some of the locals in Lone Pine about where to go or even check out Lone Pine's, The Museum of Western Film History for more information. However, the BLM has a great printout here online of where to find some filming destinations in the Hills.
3.Exploration
As I previously mentioned, you can explore Alabama Hills with no plan and no route. The area is open to several spots for camping, bouldering, climbing, off-roading, hiking and photography.
4.Climbing
I have been told and will agree that Alabama Hills is the perfect destination for a climber in California. Climber's define the Hills as, "safe, short, and beginner-friendly." Alabama Hills contains stacks of well-bolted climbs in the 5.0 to 5.9 range, and almost every route sports convenient mussy hook anchors for easy lower-offs. Here is an excellent site with some suggested climbing routes and more info.
