Lone Pine Area
Alabama Hills in California
The Alabama Hills stretch out for miles, parallel to the town of Lone Pine, CA. Only 2 1/2 miles to the west of town, this is a must see when driving Hwy 395. Many westerns and even popular films, such as Star Trek and Gladiator,were filmed in the Alabama Hills. The name was given to the area by gold seeking Southern sympathizers during the Civil War. They were so named in 1864 to honor and celebrate a Confederate cruiser named the Alabama.
To see the many oddly sized and shaped boulder and rocks, you can drive and/or hike through the hills. The main drive is paved, but very rocky and rough. The view of the many Sierra peaks, including Mt. Whitney, are enjoyed from the vantage point of the Alabama Hills. At present, it is remote with no facilities such as food, drink, restrooms, or gasoline. Be prepared before leaving the town of Lone Pine for this area.
Movie Flats
Located in the northern part of the Alabama Hills is the Movie Flats area. "High Sierra", "Gunga Din", "Rawhide", "Maverick", and "How the West Was Won" were some of the movies that had many scenes filmed here.
Mt. Whitney Trails
At 14,497 feet, Mt. Whitney is the tallest peak in the contiguous forty eight states. It was first climbed in 1873 and was called previously Fishermen’s Peak. It was renamed later after Josiah Whitney, who determined it to be the tallest in the country, according to his 1864 geologic survey. The Portal is the entrance to the 10.7 mile hiking trail that leads to the top of Mount Whitney.
Beverly and Jim Rogers Museum of Lone Pine Film
This museum is a wonderful compliment to Lone Pine's history. It is an awesome display of local movie history with exhibits, movie posters, costumes (worn by the actual actors), saddles, & movie vehicles such as vintage cars and wagons. Over 400 movies have been made in the area. There is an 85 seat theatre that shows a 15 minute film on film history in this area, as well as a gift shop.
