The best things to do on Alabama Hills Movie Road in California

Last updated on December 11th, 2025

Explore a true Western movie set! In this guide we’re sharing our favorite stops on the famous Alabama Hills Movie Road.

For years one of our top California bucket list destinations was the Alabama Hills. Nestled beneath the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains in California, the Alabama Hills National Scenic Area is a wonderland of weathered volcanic rock and granite. Here you can stand among giant, tan boulders, while staring up at the miles long jagged chain of the Sierras, including the tallest mountain in the lower 48, Mount Whitney. 

This unique mix of desert and mountain scenery has made the Alabama Hills not only a wonderland for photographers, rock climbers, mountain bikers, hikers, and campers, but also the film industry. 

Since the 1920s, the Alabama Hills have been the setting of hundreds of Hollywood films, TV shows, and commercials. With some of the most popular being Django Unchained, Iron Man, Gunga Din, How the West Was Won, and the 1938 series, The Lone Ranger. 

Getting to finally experience the Alabama Hills for ourselves was a dream come true! We spent a few days biking, hiking, and camping out in this unique, rocky paradise. And we’re sharing everything you need to know to visit yourself, including our top spots along the iconic Alabama Hills Movie Road!

About the Alabama Hills

The Alabama Hills National Scenic Area is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and is free to visit. But despite the name, the Alabama Hills are not located in Alabama. The Alabama Hills are located just minutes from Lone Pine, California off Highway 395. So you may be wondering, “why is it called the Alabama Hills?” 

The area got its name after the CSS Alabama, a Confederate warship in the Civil War. In the 1860s, a group of Confederate sympathizers in Lone Pine learned of the accomplishments of the warship and named their mining claims in the hills after it to celebrate. 

The name is considered to be a bit controversial. And to counteract it, local Union sympathizers named a nearby town Kearsarge, after a Union ship that sank the CSS Alabama in 1864. 

The best things to do on Alabama Hills Movie Road

While the Alabama Hills encompass around 30,000 acres, the most common area to explore is Alabama Hills Movie Road. This 5.7 mile stretch of road, north of Whitney Portal Road, winds through the rocky terrain and is home to many film locations. You’ll be literally walking in the footsteps of icons like Robert Downey Jr., Quentin Tarrentino, Humphrey Bogart, John Wayne, Jamie Foxx, Gene Autry, and so many more!

Below are some of the best things to do along Alabama Hills Movie Road, including both movie locations, quirky sights, and fun activities! 

Nightmare Rock (aka Brenda)

While not technically located on Movie Road, Nightmare Rock, also known as Brenda or Miss Alabama, is still a must-visit when in the Alabama Hills! 

This is a large rock with a painted face which has been painted since the 1980s by local artists. Her face has taken different forms over the years, with some a bit terrifying looking. But she is currently rockin’ some bright red lipstick and a star over her left eye. It makes for a fun photo opportunity while in the area! 

However, just because this rock is painted, doesn’t mean you can deface nature. Please keep Nightmare Rock as is and do not create your own artwork in the desert. 

Note: Nightmare Rock is located within the current Whitney Portal Road closure. To get to it, you will need to walk some of the dirt trails and roads through the Alabama Hills. We used Google Earth to help us find a good route! 

Lone Ranger Canyon

One of the most iconic spots along Alabama Hills Movie Road is Lone Ranger Canyon. This spot was first made famous in 1938 from the first episode of the Lone Ranger serial. In the scene, a group of 6 Texas Rangers are ambushed and killed, except one. The one survivor was rescued by a Native American named Tonto and became the Lone Ranger.  

Besides The Lone Ranger, scenes from How the West Was Won and Django Unchained were filmed here. We enjoyed pulling up photos of scenes and trying to re-enact them ourselves!

Mobius Arch

There are tons of natural arches within the Alabama Hills. But the Mobius Arch may be the most picturesquely situated of them all. 

If you stand in the right spot, you can easily frame Mount Whitney through the Mobius Arch. Despite it being the tallest mountain in the lower 48, Mount Whitney isn’t the tallest peak that you’ll see from this spot. The mountain that appears the tallest is actually Lone Pine Peak. Mount Whitney is set back a bit from the other mountains, so it appears smaller.

You can access the arch along the Mobius Arch Loop Trail which will also take you to two other arches, Heart Arch and Lathe Arch. It’s a short 0.6 mile loop, which can be done in an hour or less. 

Compared to other destinations along Alabama Hills Movie Road, this is the most well marked and easy to find. There is a small parking lot and a trail sign.

Movie Road Hill (The famous Alabama Hills photo spot)

Quite possibly the most popular photo spot in the park is the Movie Road hill. Any Google search for the Alabama Hills will surely pull up a photo from this spot…like the one above!

This hill overlooks a straight section of Movie Road, with an amazing high up vantage point of the Alabama Hills and epic backdrop of the Sierras.

For the best lighting, we suggest visiting this spot around sunrise. You’ll get to see the Sierras illuminate with a shade of pink and golden light as the sun begins to rise. There is a large parking area at the top of the hill, making it easy to pull over and get photos. But keep in mind, since this is a popular photo spot, you may have to share the space with others.

Iron Man Jericho Overlook

Ever wanted to pretend you were Tony Stark? Well, you can at the Iron Man Jericho Overlook! This spot is from the scene where Tony Stark introduces the military to the Jericho Missile. You can stand right on the rock where Robert Downey Jr. stood with the epic Sierra Nevada Mountains as your backdrop. Even if you aren’t an Iron Man fanatic, it’s an epic view and worth the stop!

Boot Arch and Cyclops Arch

Two hidden gems on Alabama Hills Movie Road are the Boot Arch and Cyclops Arch. Boot Arch is an arch where the opening looks like the shape of a boot, while Cyclops Arch is a rock formation with two columns that sort of resembles a skull.  

Located off a side road, these two arches were a little tougher for us to find. For Cyclops Arch we started here and for Boot Arch we started here. To get to Boot Arch, there is an easy to follow trail of footsteps, but the trail is a bit fainter for Cyclops Arch. Do your best to find a trail and try to avoid creating your own trail or damaging any vegetation.

Shark Fin Loop

Another cool rock formation along Alabama Hills Movie Road is the Shark Fin. This rock, which can be seen from the road, is shaped like a shark fin and is a popular rock climbing spot. 

There is a small parking area to access the shark fin and it only takes a few minutes to walk to it from here. 

Eye of Alabama Hills Arch

Another notable arch along Alabama Hills Movie Road is the Eye of Alabama Hills Arch. This small arch is located just off Movie Road and is accessed by a short walk. It has a similar look to Mobius Arch, but is quite a bit smaller.

Go rock climbing

The Alabama Hills offer tons of fun rock climbing routes, with over 500 documented. Most of these are bolt sport climbs and many are known as “lazy man” routes, with many climbs just a short walk from the car. Some of the more popular climbing routes are The Loaf, Tall Wall, Paul’s Paradise, and the Shark’s Fin. 

Mountain bike

If rock climbing isn’t your thing, explore the park by bike! Alabama Hills Movie Road is unpaved, so you could mountain bike (or take a gravel bike, like we did), all over the place. But the Alabama Hills Loop is considered to be the best mountain biking trail in the park. It offers some fun single track, with the amazing scenery of the Alabama Hills surrounding you.

Visit the Museum of Western Film History in Lone Pine

Before heading to Alabama Hills Movie Road we highly recommend visiting the Museum of Western Film History in Lone Pine to learn the history of western films in the area. There is no admission fee, but they do ask for an $8 donation per person. 

Inside the museum you’ll find exhibits about the major eras, films, and TV shows that were filmed in the Alabama Hills and Lone Pine. Plus tons of memorabilia! Like the wagon from Django Unchained, the car from High Sierra, and props from Tremors.

Even though we have not seen 90% of the movies filmed in the Alabama Hills, we still really enjoyed the museum! Getting to see the old film cameras, drive-in theatre projectors, old cars, and vintage posters was super interesting, even if you don’t consider yourself an Alabama Hills film buff.

Attend the Lone Pine Film Festival

The Lone Pine Film Festival is held every October (this year it is October 10-13, 2024) and celebrates the area’s film history. This festival is attended by movie stars and filmmakers who present Q&As and screenings of films filmed in the area. 

But quite possibly the best part is that during the festival organizers go out to the Alabama Hills and put out markers for famous spots. Which makes them much easier to find! You can also go on a variety of guided tours of the area, including some on horseback. If you’re a big western movie fan, this festival is a MUST!

Go on a self guided “Movie Road” tour

If you can’t make it to the festival for a guided tour, you can come any time of year to go on a self guided tour. Keep in mind that there are no location markers outside of the festival, so you will have to do some searching to find the exact locations. 

Because of this, it would definitely benefit you to watch some of these movies before you head out. We hadn’t seen many of the movies filmed in the Alabama Hills, so we’d be willing to bet we went by countless famous filming locations that we had no idea about!

How to get to the Alabama Hills

The Alabama Hills National Scenic Area is located right next to the small town of Lone Pine, California in the Eastern Sierra Nevada mountains. With its proximity to many other popular destinations, like Mammoth Lakes and Death Valley, it makes for the perfect stop on a California road trip.

Here’s how long you can expect to drive from nearby cities and attractions:

Mammoth Lakes, CA: 2 hours (100 miles)
Death Valley National Park – Furnace Creek Visitor Center: 2 hours (106 miles)
Los Angeles, CA: 3.5 hours (210 miles)
Las Vegas, NV: 4 hours (232 miles)
San Diego, CA: 5 hours (297 miles)

If you’re flying in we’d recommend flying into Las Vegas (LAS) or Los Angeles (LAX) and renting a car from there.

Getting around the Alabama Hills

The most common way to explore the Alabama Hills is by car. Movie Road is an unpaved, gravel (and sometimes sandy) road, but in dry conditions, is doable in any car. We saw Mustangs, Teslas, and other 2WD vehicles throughout the park. 

You do not need AWD or 4×4 unless you plan to camp in harder to reach sites or the road is very wet and muddy. If the road isn’t in good condition, we’d suggest coming back another time. 

Besides driving, you can also explore by bike! We rode our gravel bikes from where we were camping in Lone Ranger Canyon all the way to the Boot and Cyclops Arches. 

While it wasn’t a super long ride (under 12 miles round trip), the terrain made it pretty difficult. The roads can be very sandy and are deceptively steep. Combine that with a warm and sunny day and it made for some tough riding. But we are glad we did it! Since we were camping, it was almost necessary so that we didn’t give up our campsite. But it also made for a fun way to see the area (and a good workout).

If you have an eBike, you’ll be able to blaze through without breaking a sweat!

When to visit the Alabama Hills

The best (and busiest) times to visit the Alabama Hills are the spring and fall when temperatures are comfortable. In May, the weather begins to warm up and visitation numbers start to dip. We visited mid May and after reading about how busy the area can be, we were very surprised with how not busy it was.

During the summer the temperature can rise over 100º F and be very uncomfortable with the intense sun and lack of shade. Winters can be very cold with snow and freezing weather, although if you catch a good weather window, it could be a nice, quiet time to visit. 

How long should you spend in the Alabama Hills?

If you are just passing through on an Eastern Sierra road trip, you can see many of the major sites in a half or full day. However, if you’re open to camping, we suggest staying even longer to explore at a slower pace, enjoy sunrises and sunsets, and make it a basecamp to explore more of the area.

Best places to stay in the Alabama Hills

Paid Campgrounds

If you can’t snag a free site, or just want to have something a bit more developed, there are a handful of paid campgrounds in the area. These won’t be among the rocks, but they still will have amazing views!

Tuttle Creek Campground

The Tuttle Creek Campground (open year-round) is the largest developed campground in the area with 83 sites. Sites cost $10 per night and all are first come, first served, with a max recommended vehicle length of 30 feet. And while there are no hookups, there is a seasonally available dump station for $10 with potable water.

Portuguese Joe Campground

The Portuguese Joe Campground offers 20 spaces, each with a fire pit and a picnic table, for $14 per night. Spaces can accommodate RVs up to 30 feet. There are no hookups or shower facilities. The campground offers both first-come, first-served sites as well as reservable. 

Lone Pine Campground

The Lone Pine Campground is a popular campground for RVs, with 40 foot long paved pads. However, there are no hook ups. Sites cost $37 per night and reservations are required.

NOTE: Due to the Whitney Portal Road closures, the Lone Pine Campground is closed until Fall 2024 when the road reopens.

Other campgrounds in the area

Diaz Lake Campground ($14/night, no hookups)
Whitney Portal Campground ($40/night, only open in the summer)
Independence Creek ($14/night, no hookups)
Grays Meadows ($40/night, no hookups)

Vacation rentals

Small cabin in Lone Pine
Mt. Whitney view home
Sierra Vista Loft
Sparkling home amidst rocks

Hotels

Dow Villa Motel – Lone Pine
Whitney Portal Hotel and Hostel – Lone Pine
Portal Motel – Lone Pine
Quality Inn – Lone Pine
Mt. Williamson Hotel and Basecamp – Independence

Tips for visiting the Alabama Hills responsibly

Alabama Hills is an amazing and magical place, but there are some things to keep in mind when visiting so that you can enjoy it safely and preserve it for others.

Don’t crush the brush

As you’re exploring the park, do your best to stay on established roads and trails and be especially careful not to crush or step on vegetation. The plants in the desert keep the soil healthy and provide homes and food for wildlife. It takes only a second to destroy the vegetation, but much longer for it to recover. 

Pack out your trash

There are no trash cans anywhere along Alabama Hills Movie Road. Make sure you pack out everything you bring in, including all trash. There is a free dumpster at the Tuttle Creek Campground. 

Campfires

If you’d like to have a campfire during your time at the Alabama Hills you’ll first need to ensure there are no fire restrictions in the area. You can check the restrictions at the BLM Fire Restrictions website. There are year round restrictions in place, so be sure to check how restricted they are before starting a fire. 

After checking the fire restrictions you’ll need to obtain a campfire permit. These can be obtained online. You’ll be required to watch a 2 minute video and answer an 8 question quiz. Upon passing the quiz your permit will be emailed to you. The permit is free, but required and covers you across the entire state for the rest of the calendar year.

When building your campfire be sure to build it in an already built fire pit. Collecting brush, sticks, or vegetation for firewood is prohibited. Firewood is available for purchase in Lone Pine. 

There aren’t many bathrooms

When it comes to toilets, the Alabama Hills only have 6 porta potties. We saw some at the Mobius Arch trailhead and in this small parking area. You’ll need to either go in these, use your own self contained toilet, or take your waste with you in a WAG bag. In some places you can dig a cathole and bury your waste, but not in the desert! 

Bring everything you’ll need

There is no drinking water in the Alabama Hills. So make sure to bring in any food or water you’ll need (and bring lots!). The town of Lone Pine is just a few minutes away, so you can stop by to get any food, drinks, or go for a meal if needed.

There are no signs marking major spots

One thing we thought was interesting about the area was that there were very minimal signs marking major landmarks. As we mentioned, there have been over 500 films and TV shows filmed here, with countless famous scenes, but you won’t find any signs marking them.

If you’re looking for specific spots, be sure to research ahead of time and take screenshots of what the spot looks like. This really helped with Lone Ranger Canyon and the Django Unchained camp site, which were two of the places we were most excited to see. 

The best time for photos is sunrise or sunset

If you’re looking for the best lighting for photos, definitely plan around sunrise and sunset. While the area is beautiful any time of the day, this is when it really shines!

Check the road conditions and have a capable vehicle

Movie Road is an unpaved, but graded gravel road. It can be washboarded, rocky, and sandy in spots. Any vehicle can handle it in dry conditions, but make sure to check the road conditions before you go and don’t go if it has heavily rained in the past few days. High clearance is nice to have if you’re going to camp, but not totally necessary.

Protect yourself from the sun 

The sun and heat can be brutal in the Alabama Hills. There are very few trees in the area and hardly any shade. Make sure to pack a hat, sunglasses, and lots of sunscreen. 

Learn a bit about the area before you visit

It’s wild how much history is around every corner along Alabama Hills Movie Road. When Adam went to scout a campsite for us on his bike, he rode through some of the canyons. And later discovered he unknowingly biked through Lone Ranger Canyon.

So if you can, try to watch a few movies or TV shows that were filmed in the Alabama Hills before you go. A few recent movies are Iron Man, Django Unchained, and Tremors and some classics are Gunga Din, Bad Day at Black Rock, How the West Was Won, and the 1938 Lone Ranger series.

We watched Django Unchained one night while camping in the Alabama Hills and it was really neat to see the area in the film. Plus, it helped us find the exact spot of one of the scenes the next day!

Beyond watching some of the movies and shows, we really recommend visiting the Museum Western Film History in Lone Pine. 

No drones without a permit

Despite being a BLM spot, which typically allows drones, drones are not allowed in the Alabama Hills without a permit. You can get a permit by contacting the Eastern Sierra Interpretive Association 7-10 days in advance. We did not realize this until the day before, so we were unable to obtain one and fly our drone.

Planning to visit the Alabama Hills?

Pin this guide with the best things to do on Alabama Hills Movie Road to plan your adventure!