Lone Pine, CA

After we departed Twentynine Palms, we headed to Palm Springs for four nights.  Palm Springs was one of those locations I just wanted to see.  Since it was close to Joshua Tree National Park, we added it as one of our trip travel destinations when we were building our desired travel destinations.  

We stayed four nights at the Catalina Spa and RV Resort in Desert Hot Springs, 15 miles from downtown Palm Springs.  Our time here provided an opportunity to catch up on laundry, stock up on supplies, hang out by the pool, and have the oil and transmission fluids changed in the truck.   

We did explore Palm Springs and the nearby towns.  As we expected, California was very expensive.  Trying to keep costs low, we dined at Bill’s Pizza on a Monday as they advertised a $1.00 beer special during Happy Hour, and on another evening we ate at Rio Azul Mexican Bar & Grill based on their reviews.  We did splurge and had breakfast and a date shake at Shields Date Garden in Indio, CA.  It was excellent, but our budget took a hit!

From Desert Hot Springs, we made our way to Lone Pine, CA.  We would take Interstate 10 to 215 to 15,  and then highway 395 for 160 miles to Lone Pine.  For me, highway 395 was one of those roads I will never forget.  Maybe it was the drone that flew overhead.  But for sure, the landscape where you can see nothing for miles and mountains in the gray distance as you drive through the desert just left an impression on me.  Again, I am from the northeast, and the landscape around here was like nothing I had ever experienced.  It was amazing and scary.  I was always thinking, what do we do if we breakdown out here??

I heard about Lone Pine from various blogs and YouTube channels.  I figured if we were going this far west, we should add Lone Pine to our list of destinations.  As we were coming up to Memorial Day weekend, I had booked the Boulder Creek RV Resort for six nights.  We would depart Tuesday after Memorial Day.  From here, we would take day trips to explore all this area had to offer, and there was a lot.  We would also drive out to Death Valley National Park for a day’s visit.  It would be a long day, as Death Valley’s Badwater Basin would be a 2-hour drive. 

Upon arriving at Boulder Creek RV Resort, I began my traditional arrival routine.  While I was running through my list, I heard jets flying overhead.  I ran out of the camper to see two fighter jets performing maneuvers in the distance.  I was excited to witness these maneuvers and looked forward to seeing more during our stay.  This area is known for fighter jet activities as they practice maneuvers.  I was a little sad as we did not see any additional fighter jet activity during the rest of our stay. 

While outside, our camping neighbor stopped over to say hello.  He and his wife were here for a week with friends at the site across from them.  He provided me with several tips on the area, sites to see, things to do, where to eat in Bishop, and so on.  He knew the area well as he visited the area frequently.  They also had a Jeep.  Every morning they would meet their friends in their Jeep and head out into the desert to explore.  It was either that or golfing at the nearby course. We would spend the rest of our day enjoying the view from our campsite.  

For our first full day in Lone Pine, we would stay nearby and venture across the street to check out Cottonwood Campground, one of those tips I had received from our RV neighbor.  This would be quite the drive with incredible views as we climbed Horseshoe Meadows Road.  We reached an altitude of 10,032 feet!  I had not expected this when we left in the morning, and yes, I was a little nervous as we climbed up this mountain road.  We reached a pullover, and I stopped to catch my breath.  My wife said it would be okay if we turned around.  I had to get out of the truck to walk around for a minute.  I crossed the road to take in the views which calmed my nerves.  As we were only a mile from the top, I decided to continue to the top. 

There was no overlook at the top to take in any views so we drove around the Horseshoe Meadow Equestrian Camp and the Horseshoe Meadow Campground to make sure we were not missing anything.  We parked and walked around reading the Inyo National Forest sign while noticing all the bear boxes for the tent campers.  After reading all the warning signs about bears, we choose not to venture too far from the car.  This looked like a great place to hike and explore but we were not prepared for a hike and we were not familiar with the area.  As we started to pull out of the parking area we noticed three hikers hitching for a ride.  It seemed unusual so I cautiously rolled down my window and asked how I could help.  They explained that they were hiking the Pacific Coast Trail (PCT) and were looking for a ride into Lone Pine.  After quizzing them a little more, I no longer was concerned about our safety and I offered them a ride since we were headed that way.  As it turned out, two of the hikers were from Lowell, MA, 30-miles from where we live.  Making our way down the mountain and into Lone Pine we enjoyed sharing stories of their hike along the PTC and our cross-country RV travels.   

As we said our goodbyes we swapped email addresses as we wanted to know if they completed the PCT.  As they departed to find a hotel room with running water (which was needed!), we made our way to Movie Trail Road through the Alabama Hills.  This was an area I had heard about in blogs and YouTube videos, and the reason for making this one of our destinations. 

Alabama Hills is a section of land managed by the Bureau of Land Management.  We drove 12 miles along Movie Flat Road to Moffat Ranch Road and exited back out on 395.  This area is known for the number of movies filmed in the area.  Another landmark feature is Mobius Arch,  so we stopped to hike the Mobius Arch Loop Trail off Movie Flat Road.  This is a beautiful area with geologic features that reminded me of Joshua Tree and Hawaii, as there was a mix of boulder heaves and volcanic rock jetting up from the earth.    The Eastern Sierra Mountains serve as a backdrop to the desert landscape.  It is amazing to think that on the other side of this mountain range, with Mt Whitney in our sight, the highest mountain in the contiguous United States sitting at 14,505 feet, is Sequoia National Park, where we would be the following week! 

It was Friday evening, and the Memorial Day weekend activity had begun.  There was a new festive atmosphere within the campground.  Flags were flying, grills were going, and beer was flowing!  The campground was packed.  We also learned about a popular desert adventure vehicle called the off-highway vehicle (OHV).  We had not noticed the dirt road beside the campground that leads into the desert until this weekend.  All weekend long, we watched a parade of OHVs make their way through the campground headed to this road.  It looked like a lot of fun.  However, when they hit that road next to the campground, they floored it!  They would go as fast as they could, driving into the distance while blowing up dust everywhere.  It was so nice Monday morning, as we watched all the weekend warriors pack up their toys and depart.  I am so glad we had one more night to enjoy the peace and quiet while avoiding the mass exodus. 

Another popular event occurring this weekend is Mule Days.  This is a six-day event celebrating the mule for its part in transporting supplies to those enjoying summer activities in the Eastern Sierras.  The event takes place every year, starting on the Tuesday before Memorial Day.  The main events take place at the Tri-County Fairgrounds in Bishop, 60-miles north of Lone Pine. The events consist of mule races, rodeos, and other shows.  In the town of Bishop, there is a local craft fair held in the town park. 

We decided we would visit Bishop on Saturday to check out the craft fair held in the Park.  We managed to drive into town with little difficulty.  We did not attend any rodeos or shows on the Fairgrounds as they required advanced tickets.  We enjoyed the craft fair in the beautiful town park.  We grabbed a sandwich and treats for lunch at Erick Schat’s Bakery, a very well known and popular bakery, and quenched our thirst at Owens Valley Distilling Company in the late afternoon heat.  Our final stop for the day would be Vons, the local grocery store to get provisions, with one final stop at Erick Schat’s Bakery for bread.

Attendance for Mule Days can exceed 30,000 people.  Be prepared if you visit this area over Memorial Day weekend.  We had no knowledge of this event until we arrived in Lone Pine and enjoyed our time in Bishop.  Since it was the summer of 2021, covid most likely drove attendance numbers down as we did not experience any significant traffic coming or going.

Bishop is a quaint town in the heart of the Eastern Sierras, the largest in Inyo County with an interesting history.  Like Lone Pine, it was a popular location for western films.  Another interesting fact, the Los Angeles aqueduct begins here.  The water is diverted from the Owens River outside of town and comes with local controversy.  The diversion of water prevented the Owens Valley from becoming viable for farming and has impacted the land within Inyo County. 

Bishop was a beautiful area!  I hope to return someday to spend more time hiking and exploring.  

Saturday evening, back at camp, we enjoyed a wonderful cheeseboard prepared by my wife, she is the best!  And, enjoyed warmed bacon cheese breadsticks from Erick Schat’s bakery!

Sunday was a lazy morning.  As we ate breakfast, we decided we would visit Manzanar, a National Historic Site, as it was only 15-miles north of the campground.  We had driven past this site several times during the week, and I must say, I had no idea what to expect when we arrived. 

When we pulled into the Manzanar parking lot, we thought it was closed.  There was no one around and the parking lot was empty, we almost left.  Thankfully, we walked up to the Visitor Center door and opened it.  We peeked in and saw park rangers at the front desk, yes, it was open!  We grabbed a map and walked around the museum.  As we read through the history and stories throughout the exhibit, we stood in silence.  

Manzanar was one of ten Wartime Relocation Centers or Internment Camps where Japanese citizens and immigrants were sent during World War II after President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 authorizing the military to remove “any or all person” from the west coast.  It was under the direction of John L. DeWitt that this order was applied to everyone of Japanese ancestry. Over 10,000 Japanese were sent to Manzanar until it closed on November 21, 1945, three months after the war ended.  You can read the history, hear the stories, and walk through several restored structures trying to make sense of this in the context of 1942.  This was a solemn sight, one every American should see.  If you find yourself driving highway 395 heading north through Lone Pine, Manzanar is a must-stop!  

By late afternoon we made our way to Lone Pine and stopped to walk along Main street.  The town of Lone Pine is a sleepy town with several restaurants, outdoor outfitters, a grocery store, and fishing gear shops.  A must-stop destination at the south end of town is the Museum of Western Film History.  We would visit the museum the next day.  For now, I needed some caffeine, so we stopped at the Lone Pine Bistro for a coffee and the Great Basin Bakery (an awesome bakery) before heading back to the campground.

On our final day in Lone Pine, it would be laundry in the morning, followed by a trip to the Museum of Western Film History. 

To fully appreciate the movie history in the Alabama Hills, one should visit this museum before driving Movie Flat Road.  The Museum will provide you with the complete film history in the area, from the western films to Gunga Din and Tremors.  It was pretty interesting.  We spent just over an hour visiting. 

One final piece of Lone Pine history was the earthquake of 1872, which took place on March 26, 1982.  The earthquake destroyed 60 of the 80 buildings in town.  There is a mass grave just north of town where the 26 people that lost their lives are buried.  This area is still an active earthquake zone, so do not be surprised if the earth starts shaking during your visit.  Thankfully, it did not during our week stay! 

I enjoyed our time in Lone Pine.  The landscape and the local history were fantastic!  I’m so glad we added this location as a destination when we planned our three-month journey!  I look forward to returning someday.