By Simone Shomaker.
Have you seen pictures featured on Instagram of what looks like a hybrid of Joshua Tree boulders juxtaposed in front of the dramatic Eastern Sierra Nevada mountain range? While the name Alabama Hills might confuse you, this stunning high desert photography spot is actually located right outside of Lone Pine, and is the gateway to Mt. Whitney. Mt. Whitney is the tallest peak in California, and draws mountaineers from all around the world who want to challenge their skill and reach the summit. Having driven from my home in Santa Barbara to Mammoth Lakes and Lake Tahoe many times, I was blown away when I realized I had been missing this beautiful spot on each drive. It is so tucked away on Whitney Portal Road that you can’t see it as you drive past it.
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Alabama Hills is public land which is managed by the Bureau of Land Management, meaning that it is free for public use. Because of this, it is well known for its plethora of free dispersed campsites amongst the boulders. Into rock climbing? It is also a famous destination for sport climbing featuring many bolted routes ranging from beginner to expert in grade. Another fun fact, the road going through Alabama Hills is called Movie Road, and has remained a popular destination to film movies since the 1920’s. Many old western movies have been filmed here, along with more recent projects such as Django Unchained and Iron Man. Without further ado, let’s dive right in to the most Instagrammable locations in Alabama Hills…
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Movie Road
Follow Movie Road out into the hills. Eventually you will go up a steep hill and see a small parking turn out on the right. Park the car, hop out, turn around, and Voilà, the insta-famous shot is right in front of your eyes! Pro-tip: to avoid harsh lighting, this spot is best photographed right before/during sunrise, and right at golden hour/sunset. This will give you the beautiful pink hues rather than stark contrast of mid-day desert sun.
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Mobius Arch
This 0.6 mile loop is rated as easy, and rewards hikers with a beautiful view of the arch with Sierra Nevada and Mt. Whitney in the background. The trailhead can be found off of Movie Road (click here for trail map and driving directions).
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Miss Alabama
While we don’t condone graffiti of our beautiful public spaces, this spot definitely grabs your eye as you drive along Whitney Portal Road. Pro-tip: just before Miss Alabama, there is a turn out with a non-car accessible road, if you park and walk down it, you will find some pretty photogenic views that don’t involve graffiti.
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Tuttle Creek
On the drive in between Alabama Hills and Tuttle Creek Campground, you can find some pretty cool photo spots at the right time of day with the mountains all lit up in the background. This is also a nice spot to camp if you want bathrooms/picnic tables rather than the primitive campsites tucked in the boulders, though it is not a free campsite.
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Aerial Shots
Looking for a fresh perspective? Bring a drone! This will give you the most stunning shots of the surrounding scenery from a bird’s-eye-view!
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Off the Beaten Path
To be honest, the best photo spots are the unique ones! While we all love a good snap from Movie Road, I would encourage you to get out and go camp amongst the boulders. Rock hop around, bike around, drive around, whatever floats your boat… There are so many unique rock formations spread all around the area, so get out there and create some photo magic!
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Have you been to Alabama Hills and have any additional recommendations for us? Comment below!
Xx,
Danielle and Simone
WHAT WE PACKED
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