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Visiting Alabama Hills has been a long term bucket list item for me. After seeing epic Alabama Hills camping spots and photos of Mt. Whitney, I knew we needed to spend some time there.
Recently we completed a Highway 395 road trip, ended the trip with four days of camping in Alabama Hills.
While arguably just camping in Alabama Hills is worth the visit to this area, there are some pretty cool things to do in Alabama Hills as well. In this travel guide to Alabama Hills we’re sharing the new Alabama Hills camping regulations, a few fun things to do in the area, and our favorite photo spots!
Making The Most Out Of This Guide
Saving Locations
We include coordinates for all the campsites and interesting things to see in this post. Use those coordinates to pin exact locations on the map so you don’t miss any of them on your trip!
Maps.me is an offline map app we have used for over a decade for saving locations on things we want to see. You download the map of the region you’re visiting, and then you can use the map offline.However, the best part of this app is the pinning capabilities.
Download the free app, and then the Alabama Hills region, and you can start pinning away! You’ll actually find that most of the interesting points in this post are already labeled on maps.me .. and the movie points of interest on Movie Road are also on maps.me already!
A Deeper Look | We’ve done a post all about maps.me where we show you how to pin and how we use this app.
Internet Safety
We recommend having a VPN when traveling. VPNs protect your privacy and security when using the internet from public spaces. You also get access to your home country’s subscriptions abroad — aka, Amazon, Netflix, and the like.
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Alabama Hills Camping Permit
Starting at the end of September in 2024, camping in Alabama Hills requires a free camping permit. This free permit can be obtained online, in Lone Pine, or at the kiosk near Mobius Arch in Alabama Hills.
The permit is completely free, and informs campers of new camping regulations in the area.
The Alabama Hills camping permit must be signed and displayed in your dash. I think the permit is basically your way of signing off that you’ve read the rules to anyone that drives by. A way for campers to be fined if they’re doing things they shouldn’t be doing in Alabama Hills.
Alabama Hills Camping Rules
While there are general dispersed camping rules everywhere you go, there are new rules for camping in Alabama Hills that come with the camping permit… most of which are intuitive, but the bathroom rule is super interesting!
- Camping is allowed only in Tuttle Creek Campground or in designated dispersed campsites with the tent symbol.
- Tents, vehicles, and all camping equipment must be on bare ground, not on plants.
- Campfires are only allowed in designated campsits and you must have the free California fire permit.
- Don’t poop outside. You must use porta potties or pack out your poop in a camp toilet.
- Pack it in pack it out. All trash and human and animal waste must be packed out.
- 14 day stay limit for the entire calendar year.
Don’t want to deal with the toilet issue.. rent an RV with a toilet with RVShare.
Don’t Have An RV? Don’t Worry, You Can Rent One On RVShare!
Camping Spots in Alabama Hills
From what I understand, you used to be able to camp anywhere in Alabama Hills. However, due to the increased popularity here, there are now designated dispersed campsites.
There is a map of the designated dispersed sites online and at the kiosks, or you can find the sites by driving around and seeing signs with a tent on them.
This isn’t as crazy as it sounds. There are obvious signs stating which areas are day use only, and lots of designated campsites, specifically in the Movie Flat area past Shark Rock and before Mobius Arch.
We found that the maps online and at the kiosks aren’t very helpful, and there seem to be way more designated campsites in the area than what shows on the maps!
Camping Meals | Wondering what to make at camp? Check out this easy camping food list with meals for three days!
Our Favorite Alabama Hills Camping Spots
We camping in a couple different places in Alabama Hills. The first place we camped was more secluded than the others and had fun rocks to get up on and explore.
The second area was right in Movie Flat and had a great view of the Movie Flat area, but was not as private as there are loads of designated campsites in the second area.
There are loads of other Alabama Hills camping spots than what we’re recommending below. However, the below sites are ones we stayed at or one’s we thought looked super nice!
More Secluded Campsite
- Location | 36.621051, -118.112388
- Access | 2WD
We arrived to Alabama Hills in the dark, and were completely unaware of where the designated camp spots were located. We thankfully found this one to be open and really enjoyed our time there!
This is a really large site, and has a slight angle. It’s the only site in this area unless you have high clearance 4WD and can go up the road further.
Which, if you do have high clearance 4WD, we totally recommend going up past this point and camping. The views from some of the sites up past this location are unmatched!
Read More | Campsite Lighting Ideas.. don’t be lost in the dark!
Open Views of Movie Flat
- Location | 36.606417, -118.118236
- Access | 2WD
After camping at the spot above for three nights, we decided it was time to move on to a new area of Alabama Hills. This spot, along with most other campsites in this area were taken when we first drove by. It’s a super busy place!
However, the people staying at this spot let us know they were leaving soon, so we hung around and swooped in.
While this site is more explosed than others, we really liked that you could see the valley ahead of you and the proximity to places like Mobius Arch and mountain biking trails was really good!
On Top of The Rocks
- Location | 36.605737, -118.117701
- Access | slow and steady without high clearance
While we were riding our bikes around, we came across this epic camp site. In fact, we could see a van camped at it when we were riding on Movie Road and had to ride closer to get a better look.
This campsite is accessible for a low clearance 2WD vehicle if done super careful. If you’re not experienced navigating tricky rocks, I would avoid unless you have decent clearance.
We were going to move up here for our last night camping in Alabama Hills, but the people below here had music going that was echoing up the rocks to this spot, so we decided against it. Definitely something to keep in mind if you choose this location.
Tucked Into The Rocks
- Location | 36.6105333, -118.1204396
- Access | check sand for softness before going
Do not attempt to drive to this campsite from the north. You want to drive to this site from the following coordinates, 36.6058985, -118.1202739.
This spot was occupied the entire time we were in Alabama Hills, but it looked awesome. It’s reachable with a 2WD low clearance vehicle, but I would definitely recommend scouting your route first.
See More | Our Entire Campervan Conversion for Under $3,000 USD!
Things To See In Alabama Hills
Movie Road
- Location | South Entrance | 36.5959371, -118.1088199
- Location | North Entrance (recommended this way for 2WD) | 36.644053, -118.1362569
Fair warning here… this road is rough! The entire drive is bumpy washboarding, and there’s one spot in particular that’s super steep.
If you find yourself accessing this area from the south entrance – Whitney Portal Road, be warned that after you pass Mobius Arch and Eye of Alabama Hills Arch there is a super steep section. This area has huge ruts from people spinning out on the right side.. and it’s probably best to drive on the left if someone can run up the road and spot for you for oncoming vehicles.
If you have 2WD, we recommend entering Movie Road from the north. The coordinates for where you exit Highway 395 are, 36.6835537, -118.1070255.
Movie bluffs will love a drive down Movie Road. Well, I mean everyone will love this drive, it’s beautiful.. but movie fans in particular will love it!
We recommend downloading the maps.me app and from there you can see pin pointed locations of different filming sites for loads of movies!
Shark Fin Rock
- Location | 36.5978052, -118.1207903
- Parking | 36.5989279, -118.1179364
As the name suggests, this rock is shaped just like a shark fin! You can actually see it right from Movie Road, or you can take the short, flat hike to the base of Shark Fin Rock.
Mobius Arch Loop Trail
- Location | Trailhead | 36.6112952, -118.1248287
- Hiking Distance | just over half a mile loop
Mobius Arch is a beautiful arch in Alabama Hills that frames the Eastern Sierra’s perfectly. The get to Mobius arch, you have to walk the half mile loop trail with very little elevation gain.
We recommend visiting this arch for sunrise, as the lighting of the mountains and the arch are both just beautiful then!
Heart Arch
- Location | 36.6112952, -118.1248287
Heart Arch is best seen right from the parking lot of Mobius Arch Loop Trail. Just like you would assume from the name, this arch is in the shape of a heart.
Hiking on the trail doesn’t get you any better view than the view you get from the parking lot. Although, hiking on the trail does take you to Mobius Arch!
Interested in arches? Check out these awesome arches in Sedona, Arizona.
Mt. Whitney
- Location | Everywhere!
Mt. Whitney is the tallest mountain in the lower 48.. so in all the United States besides Alaska and Hawaii. This mountain and the surrounding mountains tower behind Alabama Hills making the perfect backdrop to the already gorgeous scenery!
Avid and experienced hikers can hike Mt. Whitney, but for those who aren’t used to extreme hiking, it’s better to enjoy her beauty from afar.
Outdoor Recreation In Alabama Hills California
Sight seeing isn’t the only thing to do in Alabama Hills! Other things to do include the following…
- Rock Climbing
- Photography
- Flowy Mountain Biking
- Hiking
- Star Gazing
6 Arches in Alabama Hills
All the following arches can be found on Google, however, I’ve included the coordinates for each if you’re pinning the things in this post.
- Mobius Arch | 36.6136317, -118.1256659
- Lathe Arch | 36.6133502, -118.1259032
- Heart Arch | 36.6130079, -118.1231778
- Eye of Alabama Hills Arch | 36.6160885, -118.1166637
- Boot Arch | 36.6326689, -118.1334369
- Cyclopse Arch | 36.6300440, -118.1353312
You may also like these arches in Sedona.
More On Highway 395
We spent two weeks traveling down California Highway 395. Here are a few other guides of the area we created for your travel ease!
