Hello fellow wanderers!
Welcome to Alabama Hills! We RV'd in Lone Pine back in April for two weeks and explored the area. We were super excited to wander off and explore Alabama Hills. We had heard great things about this place.
Alabama Hills is owned and maintained by BLM and is about 30k acres in span. There is not much hiking to do in the hills and we hit both main trails taking us to Mobius Arch and Eye of the Alabama and beyond.
Alabama Hills seems to be overran with dispersed camping. I am not sure if anyone is monitoring the amount of campers but we saw everything from tents to Class A's in the hills and it was overwhelming to us. Dispersed camping is free in the BLM with a 14 day limit, if someone is monitoring. Don't get me wrong, if I didn't need WIFI for work, I would be boondocking as well.
It was disappointing to us for a few reasons. First, it is just too much on the environment. Where are these people dumping? Where does their trash go? Are they spending money in town? Second, there were so many campers in the hills that every time we found a trailhead or rock formation to visit, we couldn't get to it without walking through someone's camp. That is awkward, right?! Thirdly, we actually pulled up to the trailhead by the Eye of Alabama and told the camper van that was parked right in front of the trailhead that we would be walking through their camp. They were super nice and said no problem. But then told us where to park so that we didn't "block their view".
Now I get it... BLM is public land. But the Alabama Hills have turned into a free for all. It was our first time there and we will not go back. Granted, the hills are beautiful and the rock formations are amazing to explore, if you can get to them. The view of Mount Whitney and the Sierras is also a view that just doesn't quit. It is amazing to see the mountains in their snow caps and it was fun to drive around and find movie locations... BTW over 400 movies have been filmed in the Alabama Hills since the 1920s. Tremors is one of them.
We did spend a couple of hours in the Western Film Museum in Lone Pine. This video will be released soon. It showcases all of the movies ever filmed in the hills. Tons of history in this museum, not to be missed.
The Alabama Hills are beautiful. They were fun to explore and hike. Maybe we went at the wrong time of year, I do not know. But what I do know, is that BLM needs to monitor their lands more. That many campers is too taxing on the environment.
Please watch our YouTube video of our wandered off adventures in the Alabama Hills. Please subscribe and like.
Thanks so much for wandering off with us!
Chris and Brandi
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