The Dyrt – find campgrounds for tents, RVs, cabins, glamping and more.
Open in App

Best Campgrounds near Alabama Hills, CA

878 Reviews

Alabama Hills, California provides dispersed and established camping opportunities throughout Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land at the eastern base of the Sierra Nevada mountains. The Alabama Hills Recreation Area offers free dispersed camping with sites scattered among unique rock formations, while developed options include Tuttle Creek Campground and Whitney Portal with more amenities. Tent camping, RV sites, and cabin rentals are available within the broader region, with options ranging from primitive dispersed sites to full-hookup campgrounds like Boulder Creek RV Resort in Lone Pine.

Road access varies significantly between campgrounds in the Alabama Hills area, with some requiring high-clearance vehicles. Movie Road provides the main access point for dispersed camping in Alabama Hills, with numerous unmarked pullouts suitable for overnight stays. Most dispersed sites lack amenities like water, toilets, or trash service, though established campgrounds offer varying levels of facilities. Fire restrictions frequently apply, especially during dry summer months. A visitor noted: "The BLM page for Alabama Hills gives perfect directions: take Hwy 395 to Lone Pine, turn west at the stoplight onto Whitney Portal Road, drive 2.5 miles to Movie Road, turn right."

Campers consistently praise the dramatic landscape of the Alabama Hills area, which features distinctive weathered granite boulders with Sierra Nevada mountain views. Many reviews highlight the privacy and spaciousness of dispersed camping areas despite their proximity to Lone Pine. According to one visitor, "This spot was an absolute gem nestled in some amazingly beautiful rock formations. The spot was right off the main road and didn't take much effort to get to." Developed campgrounds like Diaz Lake provide lake access, though reviews indicate they can become crowded and noisy during peak season. Sites near water sources tend to have more abundant insects than the drier dispersed locations in the rocky terrain. The area has gained popularity due to its use as a filming location for numerous movies and commercials, which has increased visitation in recent years.

Map showing campgrounds near Alabama Hills, CaliforniaExplore the Map

Best Camping Sites Near Alabama Hills, California (171)

    1. Alabama Hills Recreation Area

    87 Reviews
    Lone Pine, CA
    2 miles
    Website
    +1 (760) 872-5000

    "We absolutely love Alabama Hills. BLM land so you can camp anywhere. So many beautiful views."

    "Alabama Hills California presents a varied landscape. From the picture above you can plainly see the desert floor to MT. Whitney, snow capped in March of 2018."

    2. Tuttle Creek Campground — Alabama Hills

    42 Reviews
    Alabama Hills, CA
    2 miles
    Website

    $10 / night

    "Near Lone Pine, just off Whitney Portal Road, adjacent to Alabama Hills, so lots of exploring opportunities! Great dark skies for stargazing and photography."

    "This spot is great if you want easy access to Alabama Hills but don’t want to deal with having no toilets and no reservations. Still beautiful views throughout the campgrounds."

    3. Whitney Portal

    30 Reviews
    Alabama Hills, CA
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (760) 937-6070

    $34 - $95 / night

    "There are hiking trails from the campground itself, a gorgeous river flowing through it and the camp sites are spacious."

    "It is close to Whitney portal, alabama hills, onion valley, and many other hiking/backpacking destinations. We took out 7 and 9 year old boys and they had a blast."

    4. Boulder Creek RV Resort

    14 Reviews
    Alabama Hills, CA
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (760) 876-4243

    $38 - $75 / night

    "The Dyrt listing shows they have a dump station but when we stopped in after a trip to Alabama Hills we were informed their dump station was no longer 'operational'."

    "It's on the outskirts of downtown Lone Pine, but the views are beautiful of the mountains and the RV park is spacious with plenty of room to get your steps in. "

    5. Lone Pine

    14 Reviews
    Alabama Hills, CA
    6 miles
    Website
    +1 (760) 937-6070

    $34 - $81 / night

    "All around a killer spot. If it weren’t for the Alabama hills being even better, even cheaper, even more private, it would be a no brainer. But if you want any facilities...."

    "While visiting Alabama Hills Recreation Area (AHRA) we made Lone Pine on our next stop for our second campsite and to relax for my 44th birthday 🎂

    Since the terrain is a little different it was a nice"

    6. Diaz Lake Campground

    15 Reviews
    Alabama Hills, CA
    2 miles
    Website
    +1 (760) 873-5577

    $14 - $35 / night

    "This is a small lake and they limit the number of motorboats to 25, which is about 20 too many in my estimation.  "

    "This is a great driving reprieve from traveling along the 395! A lovely little lake surrounded by giant oak trees that offer lots of nice shade to spend time resting."

    7. Portuguese Joe Campground

    11 Reviews
    Lone Pine, CA
    2 miles
    Website
    +1 (760) 873-5577

    $14 / night

    "Big points for being close to a great little town - highly recommend Alabama Hills bakery.

    Cell service good enough for streaming."

    "Not the dispersed camping I was looking for but at least I found something because Alabama Hills and Tuttle Creek were packed on a Friday afternoon."

    8. Alabama Hills on Movie Flat Road

    8 Reviews
    Lone Pine, CA
    3 miles

    "Exploring Alabama Hills on Movie Flat Road is like stepping onto a film set straight out of a Western movie."

    "I was able to find a pretty dope spot surrounded by rocks, and nowhere near any other campers. I was legit, alone.

    Great place to pull off and sit on a rock to watch the sun set over the mountains."

    9. Alabama Hills Dispersed Site

    5 Reviews
    Alabama Hills, CA
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (760) 872-5000

    "First site is large and was to turn around a larger trailer or rv. The SuperDrive get to spots is getting a large rut go slow and even my Subaru Forester had no issue."

    10. Alabama Hills Side Trail Dispersed Campsite

    5 Reviews
    Lone Pine, CA
    1 mile

    "The BLM page for Alabama Hills gives perfect directions the coordinates below took us out of town east.

    Take Hwy 395 to Lone Pine."

    "walk less than 100 yards and go climbing."

Show More
Showing results 1-10 of 171 campgrounds

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Presented byToyota Trucks

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win

Alabama Hills Contest

Enter to Win

Recent Camping Photos near Alabama Hills, CA

348 Photos of 171 Alabama Hills Campgrounds

Recent Reviews near Alabama Hills, CA

878 Reviews of 171 Alabama Hills Campgrounds

  • Aaron S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 16, 2025

    Potwisha Campground — Sequoia National Park

    Happy Campers

    This campground is at the base of the park on the south end.  It can get warm there in summer months.  Rangers were nice.  Wildlife came through camp.  We saw deer and quail each day.

    Full campsite each night.  Busy place.

    www.hitched4fun.com crew was happy here.

  • Elise F.
    Sep. 14, 2025

    Whitney Portal

    Favorite campground of all time

    Whitney Portal is a magical place. The second you pull into the campground, it feels like unlike anywhere else I’ve ever been. Whitney portal is exactly what a campground should be. There is a creek that runs throughout the campground that provides perfect background noise. Even though the sites are pretty close to each other, we could not hear a neighbor once because of the sound of the creek. This area is allegedly infested with black bears, but we didn’t see any this time. Bear boxes are provided at each campsite. There are spigots for water, clean, vault toilets, and bear-proof, garbages and recycle bins. It did get chilly at night, but as long as you bundle up in your tent, you’ll be completely fine. There are tons of mountain squirrels running around the campground frequently, and they are so cute and entertaining to watch. If you aren’t planning to summit Mount Whitney. I highly recommend the lone Pine Trail, which leads up to an alpine lake, which is absolutely gorgeous. Meysan Lake was also beautiful. I didn’t have cell service at this campsite, but other areas up near the portal do have limited service, but also the city of lone Pine is about a 15 minute drive down the mountain. Overall, this is my favorite campsite I’ve ever been to. 10/10.

  • HENRY C.
    Sep. 5, 2025

    Minietta Road

    Spacious and ideal stopover point

    In this place you are like lost on an unihabited island, no phone signal, not a single tree. I prepared enough food and stuff to camp in the RV about nearly 2 days. A family of 4 loved the so peaceful night there block blast.

  • AThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 2, 2025

    Sequoia RV Ranch

    Beautiful & Quiet

    Beautiful and well kept campground. Also loved the fact that loud music is not allowed. The sites by the river are amazing. There is also a really nice, large, and clean dog park! Will stay here again!

  • Kenneth P.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 1, 2025

    Balch Park Campground

    Fantastic Family Campground

    This is a historic campground. With 1000 year old trees and history of logging. Good fishing and hiking all around the area. Nice hosts and most people are respectful of the area.

  • Kate S.
    Aug. 30, 2025

    Princess

    one of my all time favorites

    pitch your tent in a beautiful grove of sequoias - including the massive stumps left over from fallen giants - on the edge of a meadow filled with lupine, aspen, and a sweet little creek. took a chance on the rare possibility of a cancellation and it somehow paid off. hosts keep the facilities super clean, it's quiet at night even with a full campground, and the stargazing is incredible. smells amazing, too. definitely the princess of all campgrounds. in close range to hume lake for swimming and general grant village for phone service, food, and supplies.

  • K L.
    Aug. 29, 2025

    Tuttle Creek Campground — Alabama Hills

    Scenic but misleading

    Labor day weekend and half the campground is closed, water faucets are locked, and dump station is closed. We specifically chose this campground for the convenience of water and dump station. Otherwise, the sites are spread apart and the scenery is beautiful.

  • J M.
    Aug. 23, 2025

    Alabama Hills North

    Great views

    Awesome location, easy to reach with a 4X4 Low clearance vehicles may need to be careful

  • HThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 22, 2025

    Sequoia Boondock

    Beautiful location

    Beautiful, quiet & remote location! Very limited and spotty cell service so difficult to pin exactly. Coming off the General Highway at Forest Rt 14S29 keep going along the paved road until it ends and you’ll find it (about 2 or 3 miles) Campfire stones rings available. Unfortunately previously campers didn’t respect the area and we had to pick up a bit of litter. There were also some signs of bear activity (bags clawed through) but we didn’t see any (unfortunately)… room for about 4 sites but we went mid Aug and we’re the only ones there!! Highly recommend if you’re looking for something quiet and off the beaten track.

Guide to Alabama Hills

Alabama Hills camping area sits at approximately 4,000-5,000 feet elevation at the eastern base of California's Sierra Nevada range, creating a dramatic transition zone between alpine mountains and high desert. The region experiences extreme temperature variations with summer days often exceeding 90°F while winter nights can drop well below freezing. Seasonal wind patterns through nearby Owens Valley can create sudden gusts that impact tent camping, particularly during spring and fall transition periods.

What to Do

Sunrise photography at Mobius Arch: Located a short hike from Movie Road, this natural stone arch perfectly frames Mount Whitney. "The moon rise was quite the experience. Then sunrise... it was all just so beautiful," notes a visitor to Alabama Hills Recreation Area.

Fishing at Diaz Lake: This accessible spot near Lone Pine offers trout fishing opportunities throughout the year. "There was a nice stream you could fish with some trout," reports a camper at Lone Pine Campground.

Explore filming locations: The area has been featured in numerous films including Iron Man and Star Wars. "Very nice view. Some clips of the film Ironman and Star Wars took place," mentions a visitor to Alabama Hills Side Trail.

Acclimatize before Whitney hikes: Use lower elevation campgrounds to adjust before attempting higher altitudes. "This campground is right at the trailhead for Mt. Whitney! Because of this the campgrounds do fill up insanely quick! Be sure to book at least 2-3 months out," advises a camper at Whitney Portal.

What Campers Like

Spacing between sites: Many dispersed camping areas provide privacy despite popularity. "All with amazing views. SUV would probably be best for navigating the roads or at least 4x4. They're all pretty far apart so they're private," explains a camper at Alabama Hills Recreation Area.

Creek sounds: Several campgrounds feature flowing water that creates soothing background noise. "The campground was nice, quiet. There's a pretty little creek that splits the campground that gives off soothing sounds," notes a visitor at Portuguese Joe Campground.

Dark skies for astronomy: The area's limited light pollution makes it ideal for stargazing. "It's so quiet at night you could hear a pin drop. The stars and the Milky Way are insane! So many constellations and shooting stars and satellites," shares an Alabama Hills Recreation Area visitor.

Winter camping value: Off-season camping offers both solitude and savings. "Perfect... $5 winter camping. Water is at Portuguese Joe's county campground," reports a camper at Tuttle Creek Campground.

What You Should Know

Campsite restrictions changing: Recent management changes have limited dispersed camping areas. "The only places you can camp are designated now. Tuttle creek. Everywhere else there are signs for no camping and only day use," cautions a 2025 visitor to Alabama Hills Recreation Area.

Arrival timing matters: Popular campgrounds fill quickly, especially during peak seasons. "Definitely a place you'd want to show up 4-5 hours early to find a spot. Otherwise, the roads were not too bad," advises an Alabama Hills camper.

Elevation temperature differences: Expect significant temperature changes between valley and mountain campsites. "Gets pretty toast in the summer though," warns a camper about Alabama Hills, while another notes "Below freezing temps were well worth the stunning views."

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Alabama Hills, CA?

According to TheDyrt.com, Alabama Hills, CA offers a wide range of camping options, with 171 campgrounds and RV parks near Alabama Hills, CA and 49 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Alabama Hills, CA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Alabama Hills, CA is Alabama Hills Recreation Area with a 4.7-star rating from 87 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Alabama Hills, CA?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 49 free dispersed camping spots near Alabama Hills, CA.

What parks are near Alabama Hills, CA?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 16 parks near Alabama Hills, CA that allow camping, notably Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

Keep Exploring