The museum is located in Lone Pine directly on Highway 395 in the Owens Valley at the southern edge of the Sierra Nevada. From the town of Lone Pine, the drive to the base of Mt. Whitney at the portal (the road ends at the trailhead) is stunning. The Alabama Hills are only a few minutes’ drive from the museum and provide many opportunities to explore. The road to Death Valley is just south of the museum. Allow at least a full day of sightseeing around Death Valley, the drive from Lone Pine to Panamint Springs is roughly an hour, 2 hours to Furnace Creek, and nearly 3 hours to Badwater.

In the immediate area, use our Alabama Hills self-guided map to see where specific movies were shot.

The entire area is known as the Gateway to the Sierra. Our comprehensive guide to the area lets you choose communities and activities to find everything from lodging and camping sites, to golf and rock climbing. Go to the Gateway page to search. If you are planning a long-distance hike requiring vehicle parking for multiple nights, the museum has a limited number of extended parking spots available. Paid parking permits are required to leave your vehicle in our lot overnight ($5/night or $25/week). Vehicles parked in our lot overnight without a paid permit may be towed at the vehicle owner’s expense. Please click here for more information.

Don’t Crush the Brush

Desert plants keep the soil healthy and provide homes and food for wildlife.

While these plants are specially adapted for their environment, they can be destroyed easily if walked on or run over by a vehicle.

The Bureau of Land Management and the Alabama Hills Stewardship Group care for this area with the goal of preserving the hills in as close as natural state as possible for the enjoyment of future generations.