Movie Road, Alabama Hills

Total Miles
21.0

Technical Rating

Easy

Best Time

Summer

Trail Type

Full-Width Road

Accessible By

Trail Overview

This scenic loop takes you down the center of Movie Flat, then part-way up Mount Whitney to a beautiful picnic area and waterfalls. We recommend you take a self-guided auto tour on a network of dirt side roads through Movie Flat (see detail map). See unusual rock formations and unique arches; many have been famous backdrops in Western movies. The "Movie Road Self-Guided Tour" booklet is available at the Lone Pine Chamber of Commerce and Film History Museum. Also available as a PDF online.

Photos of Movie Road, Alabama Hills

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Difficulty

Easy. Main route is mix of graded dirt roads and pavement. Roads through Movie Flat are tight and narrow in spots with a few small hills. No real 4-wheel-drive challenges anywhere.

Technical Rating

Status Reports

This trail should be rated as a 1. If you decide to do the Mt Whitney portion of the trail don't overheat your brakes coming down the mountain.

Take Whitney Portal Road all the way up to, well; Whitney Portal Falls. Great view, homey little burger joint to start the day. after that, descend back down and go through Alabama Hills, coming in from the back way. If you stay on the trail marked in the app, you can probably go through in the average 2WD sedan. Where you want 4x4 and clearance is if you decide to explore the trails off on the side of the road. Soft sand on those trails, with some washed out areas in the middle of tight inclines and declines. there's a really nice camping area hidden in some rocks, you'll be hidden from the world and most of the wind.

Very easy trail. However, a lot of this trail has very hard washboard terrain, felt like every bolt was going to come loose in my car. The views were stunning and the weather was perfect! Highly recommend!

Fred Stankowski

Apr 05, 2025

2023 Mercedes Sprinter

Open

Dusty

Washboard

Moderately busy, but trail was in good shape. Some sandy and wash boarded areas.