Things To Do
Alabama Hills
The Alabama Hills are a formation of rounded rocks and eroded hills set at the base of the jagged peaks of the Sierra Nevada. Both geologic features were shaped by the same uplifting occurring 100 million years ago. Visitors enjoy touring film sites, photography, rock climbing, exploring natural arches, and viewing the swaths of wildflowers that bloom every spring. Famous movies filmed there include: Gunga Din (1939), How the West Was Won (1962), Rawhide (TV Series), Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989), Gladiator (2000) (which Megan was on set for during filming because her mother, Sandy, was nurse on set), Django Unchained (2012), Iron Man (2008), etc. Megan grew up in the Alabama Hills, with the Eastern Sierras as the backdrop of her life. Her father, Doug, still lives in her childhood home, (which he built), just a few miles away from the famous rock formations surrounding Movie Flat Road. It is a fun area to explore and does not require hiking experience or ability.
Museum of Western Film History
We visited the museum during Steve's very first visit to Lone Pine. It is so well done, informative, and entertaining. We both highly recommend it!
Mobius Arch Loop Trail
Take Hwy 395 to Lone Pine. Turn west (at the stop light) onto Whitney Portal Road, drive 2.5 miles to Movie Road, turn right. After 1.5 miles you will come to a "Y" in the road. Go right and pull into the dirt parking area immediately on your left. You will see markers on both on the left and right sides of this parking area. You can begin your arch walk at either trail head.
Movie Flats/Movie Road
Visit some of the famous filming locations used in classic Westerns featuring John Wayne to modern movies like Iron Man, Django Unchained, etc. See below for a condensed list of films and TV shows filmed in and around the area.
Movies Filmed in Lone Pine
2013: Man of Steel 2013: The Lone Ranger 2012: Django Unchained 2009: Transformers 2 2008: Iron Man 2002-2003: Firefly (TV) 2001: Rat Race 2000: Gladiator 2000: Dinosaur 2000: Slow Burn 2000: Gone in 60 Seconds 1997: Contact 1997: G.I. Jane 1994: Maverick (Megan's Mom has a cameo in this one) 1994: Star Trek Generations 1994: The Shadow 1994: Terminal Velocity 1993: Joshua Tree 1992: Chaplin 1990: Tremors 1985: Perfect 1972: Joe Kidd 1971-1973: Alias Smith and Jones (TV) 1966: Nevada Smith 1965: The Great Race 1965: The Hallelujah Trail 1962: How the West Was Won 1960: Comanche Station 1959: Ride Lonesome 1957-1965: Wagon Train (TV) 1957-1963: Have Gun - Will Travel (TV) 1957: The Lonely Man 1956: Around the World in 80 Days 1951: Rawhide 1950-1955: The Gene Autry Show 1950: The Gunfighter 1950: Broken Arrow 1949: Samson and Delilah 1948: Yellow Sky 1944: Nevada 1941: High Sierra 1939: Gunga Din 1938: The Lone Ranger 1937: A Star is Born 1935: Hop-a-Long Cassidy 1936: The Oregon Trail
Manzanar National Historic Site
Manzanar National Historic Site is where approximately 120,000 Japanese Americans were forcefully excluded from the West Coast and confined during World War II. Manzanar was the first of ten camps and held 11,070 people, 2/3 of them American citizens. Today, visitors explore the site by walking or driving to see foundations, trees, rock gardens, and stone alignments. Extensive exhibits feature historic photos, film footage and audio programs, a scale model, a children’s exhibit, and special programs. Free admission. Manzanar is 10 miles north of Lone Pine on hwy 395. Before it was made famous by World War II, Manzanar was a small agricultural community, growing apple, pear, and peach trees; along with crops of grapes, prunes, potatoes, corn and alfalfa; and large vegetable and flower gardens. Megan's paternal grandmother, Enid "Bogie" Manning, was born in Manzanar before her family relocated to Culver City, CA.
Mount Whitney Golf Course
Lone Pine
Lone Pine has been home to Megan's family for almost 100 years. Megan's maternal grandmother and great-grandmother lived there. Megan's father, Doug, fell in love with the area in his youth and sought placement there after he graduated from the academy for the California Highway Patrol. He still lives in the home he built for his family.
Owens Valley Paiute-Shoshone Cultural Center
The Cultural Center Museum reflects the history, culture, and living history of the Nuumu (Paiute) and Newe (Shoshone) People. The Museum is located in Bishop, which is an hour north of Lone Pine.
Laws Railroad Museum & Historical Site
Laws Railroad Museum is located outside Bishop, an hour north of Lone Pine, on the site of the village of Laws, named after R.J. Laws, a railroad official. Founded in 1883, Laws existed for approximately 80 years along a narrow-gauge railway portion of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Southern Pacific donated the train depot and other buildings, as well as the last train, to Inyo County and the City of Bishop in 1960. The section of the Southern Pacific Railroad that passed through Laws was called the Carson and Colorado Railroad, as it was originally intended to run from Carson City, Nevada, to the Colorado River. However, it only ended up stretching as far south as Keeler (72 miles south, just south of Lone Pine), on the east side of Owens Lake. Because of the narrow tracks, one type of engine that powered the narrow-gauge trains was affectionately dubbed the “Slim Princess,” and one can be viewed at Laws.