There’s an epic area at the base of Mount Whitney in California that’s been high on my list for a visit. Beings Death Valley is one of my favorite places on earth, it’s always hard for me to bypass the park to explore somewhere else. On my most recent visit to the area, I saved extra time for exploring Alabama Hills, one of the coolest and oddest-shaped stretches of land on the east side of the Sierra Nevada’s.
Where & What is Alabama Hills?
Alabama Hills is located near Lone Pine, California in the valley between the Inyo Mountains and the Sierra Nevada’s. Nestled at the base of the portal to Mount Whitney, the tallest mountain in the lower 48, find Alabama Hills sandwiched between Kings Canyon, Sequoia and Death Valley National Parks.
Read more blog posts here about these National Parks!
Managed by the Bureau of Land Management, the 30,000 acres of Alabama Hills features rock formations and eroded hills set between the Sierra Nevada’s and the Inyo Mountains. Created nearly 100 million years ago by fault lines, thermal expansion and contraction allowed the Alabama Hills’ granite to form into the shapes we see today.
Click here for an Alabama Hills recreational map & guide per the BLM
Exploring Alabama Hills
While it may not look like much at first, once you start driving into Alabama Hills you’ll see why it’s one special place. Since the area is managed by the BLM, you can camp or car-camp here for up to 14 days and wake up with a view of Mount Whitney.
For exploring Alabama Hills, turn on to Whitney Portal Road from CA-395. After about 2.5 miles, take a right for Movie Flat Road to find all of the worthy spots.
Movie Flat Road
Most of the must-see spots in Alabama Hills are located along the aptly-named Movie Flat Road. The landscape here has been featured in a number of films like Django Unchained and Iron Man.
Nightmare Rock
Before turning on to Movie Flat Road through Alabama Hills, we can see the Nightmare Rock on the north side of the road. I’m not sure if it’s a dinosaur or a ninja turtle, but it’s surely an odd thing to see while exploring in this recreational area.
Mobius Arch
Probably the most popular stop in Alabama Hills is the Mobius Arch, reachable via a 0.6 mile loop trail. This fragile archway provides one of the most stunning framed-views of Mount Whitney in the distance.
Read more here to learn about the short hike to the Mobius Arch
Heart Arch
Almost immediately visible from the beginning of the Mobius Arch trailhead is Heart Arch. Rising higher than the rocks around it, a small heart-carved rock is a gorgeous forefront to those snow-capped Inyo Mountains.
Eye of the Alabama, Boot Arch & Cyclops Arch
If you continue north from the Mobius Arch trailhead, you’ll reach Cyclops Arch and Boot Arch. Another short but worthy stop is the Eye of the Alabama, located about 2.5 miles in to Movie Flat Road. From here, turn around and soak in those incredible views of the Sierra Nevada’s spanning the horizon.
Before heading into natural areas, it’s imperative that you’re familiar with the “Leave No Trace” principles. Read More: Leave No Trace: The 7 Rules of the Backcountry. Learn more about Leave No Trace on their website here.
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