Even if you’ve never visited California, I’m quite certain that you’ve seen its Alabama Hills. They are among the most filmed landscapes in the history of cinema.
The Alabama Hills consist of rounded and extensively eroded hills situated in the Owens Valley of eastern California. To the west of the Alabama Hills are the jagged peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountains — the tallest in the lower 48 states –and to the east are the Inyo Mountains. The area was declared a National Scenic Area in 2019. The Alabama Hills are close to the town of Lone Pine and consist of 30,000 acres of land managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
Their name — “Alabama Hills” — originated during the Civil War. Southern sympathizers named these hills after the Confederate cruiser Alabama which had taken out at least 60 Federal ships before it was sunk. The Confederacy may be gone, but the Alabama Hills endure.
The Alabama Hills are visually quite striking, especially with the peaks of the Sierra Nevada as a backdrop, so it should come as no surprise that the area would be a popular movie setting. Over 400 movies and countless television shows have been filmed here in the past century, and it’s especially a popular location for westerns. Movie stars including Hopalong Cassidy, Gene Autry, the Lone Ranger, John Wayne and countless others have all spent time in these hills. You can learn more about the film history of the area by visiting the Museum of Western Film History in Lone Pine.
The main road through the Alabama Hills is Movie Flat Road…..
The area lends itself well to daytrips. Visitors can tour film locations, take photos, hike, rock climb, and in the spring enjoy a profusion of wildflowers. Natural arches are among the main attractions and there are a lot of small ones, so look around during your exploration and see how many you find. The desert landscape is fragile so confine your driving and hiking to existing roads and trails.
Mount Whitney, the tallest peak in the contiguous United States, towers thousands of feet above the Alabama Hills. There are many places you can take photos of the Sierra Nevada Range and Mt. Whitney’s peak from the Alabama Hills.
(Alabama Hills in the foreground; Mt. Whitney and the Sierra Nevada Range in the background)
(Mt Whitney is the tallest peak, just to the right of center)
Tuttle Creek Campground is located next to the Alabama Hills and offers RV/tent sites for those who wish a close to nature experience. A number of hotels in Lone Pine provide convenient accommodations.
The area is quite interesting to explore. It’s certainly worth a diversion to see the Alabama Hills if your travels take you through Lone Pine.
So rugged and beautiful. I had never heard of this area before. Very interesting! #California has a lot to offer!