"MOVIE SETS, 4-WHEEL DRIVERS, ROCK CLIMBERS" Alabama Hills by mtncorg

Alabama Hills Travel Guide: 7 reviews and 23 photos

Whitney is that one, over there! - Alabama Hills

For most movies, there exists a 'golden circle' - usually within an hour of the studio - within which a location scout can find that perfect picture. This necessity is financially dictated, but there are a few other 'secret' areas that exist outside the circle and this is one of them. The desolate, dusty, badlands of the Hills stand beneath one of the most impressive mountain ramparts in the World - the eastern Sierra. Movie companies have been coming to the Hills for almost a hundred years. Here, the western genre found its peak. In recent years, there has been some decline along with the western genre as a whole, but you will still see Lone Pine Peak standing proudly above the badlands of the Hils in such recent and diverse movies as "The Gladiator" where - Russell Crowe can be seen riding through the Hills - supposedly Spain, in the movie's context.

It is possible to visit many of the old movie sites with a little help from local sources. Besides dirt roads, there is not much left to see though. Most sites are north of Mt Whitney Road off a good dirt track known as Movie Flats Road. There are a few sites to the south as well, off the Cottonwood Lakes Road - the site of the old movie "Gunga Din" for example.

Most of the Hills are enjoyed by - besides the movie-site curious - ATV'ers, dirt bikers, mountain bikers and rock climbing enthusiasts.

Pros and Cons

In a nutshell:Something to do when the weather up high is bad

Intro Written Sep 5, 2006
Add to Trip Planner (?)
Report Abuse

Reviews (2)

Top of another rock reached! - Alabama Hills

ROCK CLIMBS Things to Do (2)

There are numerous places throughout in which to practise your skills on the boulders strewn about. Once atop, the view... more travel advice

Looking over movie sites in the Hills - Alabama Hills

MOVIE SITES Things to Do (2)

Most of the sites are found off Movie Flats Road which can be found a couple miles west of town coming off Mt Whitney... more travel advice

Comments (2)

Reply
- Report abuse
Yaqui Jul 7, 2009 at 10:07 AM

I had no idea VT has this place in their listing. Alabama hills is awesome. Nice page!
Reply
- Report abuse
Nemorino Sep 25, 2006 at 2:11 PM

I THOUGHT this place looked familiar. Guess I must have seen it in the movies.