Driving through the Panamint Valley to Lone Pine.Mt. Whitney beyond the Valley
We have driven past this area many time in the past several years and never realized how Cool it was just a few miles off the highway. In the middle of LONE PINE, CA, make a turn to the West on Mt. Whitney Portal Road and in a few minutes you will be in the midst of these beautiful rock hills. are a “range of hills” and rock formations near the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. There is a sign at the intersection of Whitney Portal Road and Movie Road and a bronze plaque that was dedicated by Roy Rogers, commemorating all the western movies made in these hills. As you drive north along the unpaved Movie Road, you’ll see a network of dirt roads leading out into the desert and winding around all the formations. Follow any of these roads and you’ll find some fascinating subjects for your camera. If you enjoy photographing rock patterns and are interested in geology, this is the place for you.
For those of us old enough to remember the TV Westerns of the 50’s and 60’s this is the area where many of those series were filmed. In addition to those, there were many movies filmed here as well. TREMORS, GLADIATOR, STAR TREK GENERATIONS, IRON MAN, AND GUNGA DIN to name a few. Some of the TV programs were HOPALONG CASSIDY, THE GENE AUTRY SHOW, THE LONE RANGER AND ROY ROGERS.
We camped atBoulder Creek RV Parkjust south of Lone Pine. A very nice place to camp, full hookups and fair sized spaces with trees.
Don’t miss the Eastern Interagency Visitor Center at the junction of Highway 395 and Highway 136. It is a very nice center with tons of handouts giving you information on anything you might want to know about from Death Valley, to Yosemite to Mt. Whitney and everything in between. A very nice gift store and plenty of agents to help you plan your visit in this area.
The Rogers Museum
Do yourself a favor and stop at the BEVERLEY AND JIM ROGERS MUSEUM for a step back in movie history. They have a great collection of movie memorabilia. It is located right on Highway 395 towards the south end of Lone Pine. They are open Everyday, $5.00 for adults and children under 12 are Free. They show a video and there are many exhibits throughout the museum. Allow about an hour.
Hopalong Cassidy
Steve McQueen
James Arness of Gunsmoke
Mark Lily and Judie at Mobius Arch
We took a drive up to the trailhead for Whitney. What a thrill it must be to make that trip. Neither one of us is in good enough shape to try that one. Well unless we put our efforts into training for that but there are too many places to go and not enough time as it is. So that trek might have to wait til another life.
Mt. Whitney
Want to enjoy a GREAT Breakfast or Lunch… Be sure to go to the ALABAMA HILLS CAFE AND BAKERY. The food there is fabulous and oh my, the servings are generous. Amazing breakfasts! Be sure to try their desserts too. Address is 111 W. Post Street off highway 395. They are open everyday but not for dinner. Get there before 2pm.
