The Mojave Desert
We’ve compiled the best of the best in The Mojave Desert - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Alabama Hills
Drop by the Lone Pine Visitor Center for a map of the Alabama Hills, and drive up Whitney Portal Road (turn west at the light) to this wonderland of granite boulders. Erosion has worn the rocks smooth; some have been chiseled into arches and other formations. The hills have become a popular location for rock climbing. Tuttle Creek Campground sits among the rocks, with a nearby stream for fishing. The area has served as a scenic backdrop for hundreds of films; ask about the self-guided tour of the various movie locations at the Museum of Western Film History.
Whitney Portal Rd., Lone Pine, California, 93545, USA -
2. Highway 395
Travel north of Death Valley along Highway 395 for breathtaking views of Mt. Whitney, the highest mountain (14,496 feet) in the continental United States. Travel south this scenic byway, between Olancha and Big Pine, to see the massive salt-crusted Owens Lake, which was drained between 1900 and 1920 as water from the Sierra was diverted to Los Angeles. Revered by the National Audubon Society, the lake is home to more than 240 migrating birds, including the snowy plover, American white pelican, golden eagle, and countless grebes, bitterns, blue herons, and cranes. On its northwest end are brilliant red salt flats, caused by billions of microscopic halobacteria that survive there. As tempting as it might be, don't drive onto the dry lake since tow rescues are complicated and costly. For the best views, drive the switchbacks toward Horseshoe Meadow.
Death Valley, California, USA -
3. Mt. Whitney
Straddling the border of Sequoia National Park and Inyo National Forest–John Muir Wilderness, Mt. Whitney (14,496 feet) is the highest mountain in the contiguous United States. A favorite game for travelers passing through Lone Pine is trying to guess which peak is Mt. Whitney. Almost no one gets it right, because Mt. Whitney is hidden behind other mountains. No roads ascend the peak, but you can glimpse the mountain by following curvy Whitney Portal Road west from Lone Pine into the mountains. The pavement ends at the trailhead to the top of the mountain, which is also the start of the 211-mile John Muir Trail from Mt. Whitney to Yosemite National Park. Day and overnight permits are required to ascend Mt. Whitney. The highly competitive permit lottery opens on February 1. At the portal, a restaurant (known for its pancakes) and a small store cater to hikers and campers staying at Whitney Portal Campground. You can see a waterfall from the parking lot and go fishing in a small trout pond. The portal area is closed from mid-October to early May; the road closes when snow conditions require.
Whitney Portal Rd., Lone Pine, California, USA760-876–6201-visitor center -
4. Museum of Western Film History
Hopalong Cassidy, Barbara Stanwyck, Roy Rogers, John Wayne—even Robert Downey Jr.—are among the celebrities who have starred in the hundreds of Western films shot in the Alabama Hills and surrounding dusty terrain. This marquee-embellished, 10,000-square-foot museum relates the Hollywood-in-the-desert tale via exhibits and a rollicking 15-minute documentary.
701 S. Main St., Lone Pine, California, 93545, USA760-876–9909Sight Details
Rate Includes: $5 -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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