Are you in need of a campground near Keeler, CA? There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. Find the best campgrounds near Keeler, CA. Read helpful reviews and tips to find the perfect camping option for you and your crew.
"Location- ALABAMA HILLS, Lone Pine- Movie Rd. CA. Tent Dry Camping. BLM Land, for disperse camping. No reservations required, unless you choose to stay at a “campground”."
"Camped in the dispersed camping area late April. This place is beautiful! No facilities so bring your water, bathroom equipment, cooking and cleaning supplies."
"Please be respectful and leave no trace so we can keep this gem open. We’ve been here several times and it never disappoints."
"Exploring Alabama Hills on Movie Flat Road is like stepping onto a film set straight out of a Western movie."
"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."
"Road is sandy but with clearance is fine."
"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."
"Hello TheDyrt Community,
The Alabama Hills on Movie Road, located in California, is a stunning desert landscape famous for its unique rock formations and breathtaking views of the Sierra Nevada mountains"
"Awesome location, easy to reach with a 4X4 Low clearance vehicles may need to be careful"
"Rolled in after midnight and no one else was around."
"Being accessible by long stretches of rough roads to the north or rugged 4X4 trails to the south, really cuts back on the crowds."
"There are pit toilets, 5 different hot springs and plenty of stars. From Big Pine it is about a 3.5 hour drive, 40 miles of which is off-road. AWD or 4x4 is recommended, same with ground clearance."
"This site is so close to the road, we could see them make the turn off Hogback road. No trees, just bushes. It's okay. Pretty basic. Great views of the backside of Mount Whitney."
GuideLocation- ALABAMA HILLS, Lone Pine- Movie Rd. CA. Tent Dry Camping. BLM Land, for disperse camping. No reservations required, unless you choose to stay at a “campground”.
Absolutely breathtaking place, it feels like you’ve landed on another planet or as if you’ve been taken back into time, to the early dawn of mankind days. This was our first disperse/dry camping and I wouldn’t camp any other way, it was marvelous.
Directions- Once at Alabama Hills, Take Hwy 395 to Lone Pine. (it’s a proper town with restaurants/ grocery stores/ car workshops). Turn west at the stoplight onto Whitney Portal Road, drive 2.5 miles to Movie Road, turn right & the road turns into a “well groomed dirt path” from that point onwards “The world is your oyster! You can basically set up camp anywhere. As you drive down the groomed dirt path, there are multiple exits to various dirt paths leading inwards, where you can pick your spot to set up camp.
One very important thing is you MUST come here in a GOOD condition 4WD! There’s NO other way. You don’t want to get WHEELS stuck on the dirt path. We had rented a 4WD for the weekend.
We camped about 3miles in Movie Rd. Another good thing is if you run out of any supplies or have car trouble “Lone Pine” town is nearby you can drive over in minutes or call for any help. Phone service & wifi is available only on the groomed dirt path, also a bit unstable, however manageable for a call or text. So you’ll have to walk out of your campsite back to main rd.
It’s wonderful to go on hikes and explore during the day, that’s what we did. Evenings we’d sit around fire and cook dinner. Then at night time S’mores time! (we have a camp fire permit) you get it online.
Another important item to have around is a sturdy SHOVEL, as it’s very sandy here and the shovel is very multi-purpose, well at any camp for that matter. Bring Plenty of WATER, it’s very dry out here. As there are no water taps around, unless you head back to Lone Pine. Also you MUST clean up after, bring along a few trash bags or a bin, to clear up before you leave. LEAVE no Trace. Keep nature clean.
This is purely disperse camping. You’ll have to bring everything of your own. Our camp was a 3days/ 2nights. Arrived on Friday and left on Sunday morning. Waking up every morning to this spectacular view, is pure bliss! We’d definitely be coming back here a few more times! If you haven’t already then hop on a 4WD and head over to Alabama Hills!
RangerCampground had some nice spots for dry camping. I planned to stay on BLM land off the road but this seemed part of the ghost town private property. It was late and I was confused..I need to go back and donate $5.
ScoutCamped in the dispersed camping area late April. This place is beautiful! No facilities so bring your water, bathroom equipment, cooking and cleaning supplies. The wind picks up in the afternoon so the tent was put to the test. We wrapped our sleeping bags up so the dust wouldn't accumulate on/ inside them. If your looking for quiet and close by rock climbing, here is the place!
GuideEverything about Alabama Hills is incredible. From the moment you drive down Whitney Portal Rd to Movie Rd, it has uniquely amazing views. Movie Rd has the best dispersed camp spots. 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. 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. Sunset was amazing over Mt. Whitney. The moon rise was quite the experience. Then sunrise... it was all just so beautiful!! Highly highly recommended! Pack lots of water! Lone Pine is nearby for firewood. But I think fires are currently restricted! As always pack it in and pack it out. Leave no trace!
LegendIndependence is on Hwy 395 about an hour south of Bishop and about half an hour north of Alabama Hills. Which is to say it's a great location with a lot of places to explore and hike.
This land is a good spot to stay for a few nights while exploring the area, or if you just need a free place to sleep. The spot we marked here is about 2 miles west of Independence, but there are a few other cleared out areas that you can camp on, just check Google satellite maps. We didn't see anyone else camping on the BLM land while we stayed here, but we saw a lot of people driving up and down Onion Valley Rd.
The area is clean and very quiet, zero shade and zero amenities. Please help keep it clean by packing out your trash.
Some of the dirt roads might need a high clearance vehicle but on the spot I've marked we made it fine in our 26ft motorhome.
RangerHigh desert meets Sierra Nevadas in a magical rock playground with views of My Whitney. This spot literally has it all. Right off the 395, you have access to civilization and amenities. It's dispersed camping, but heavily used sites are well established. The deeper into the park you venture, the more primitive and less crowded it becomes. Take a quick drive and you're at Whitney Portal. We lucked out and had 360 degrees of the best views ever! Loads to do here. Popular for rock climbing, hiking, spectacular night sky, wildflowers, photography. Even though it's right off the highway you feel like you're on another planet. No facilities. Pack it in, pack it out. Hands down, one of the best camp spots I've ever had!
TravelerGreat place. Snowed a bit on the first day but had beautiful views of Mt. Whitney. For sure a popular place but we were able to find a nice place to set up, and still not have neighbors nearby. Check out their IG @alabama_hills and practice leave no trace.
LegendVery very beautiful area, but we had a really hard time finding a spot that wasn't already taken. Even far away from the movie filming locations (where the crowds were insane!), no matter how remote and tucked away the clearing was that we found on google satellite map, someone was already camping there when we got there. Granted this was on a Saturday in March. It's possible that it clears out during the week and when the weather isn't so beautiful.
We ended up finding two different spots, both extremely quiet and peaceful.
Warning about the extremely annoying and prolific gnats!
Also watch out that there's private land in this area too, so have your BLM and Forest Service layers ready.
Cell service was spotty throughout the area, with mostly very weak or non-existent signal for all 3 carriers.
GuidePlease note: This review is regarding the dispersed camping. There are (at least) two formal camp grounds right near the dispersed camping area.
We went up there with another family, both of us towing camping trailers with 4x4 trucks. A 4x4 is not needed, nor is a high clearance vehicle. All of the camping spots in the dispersed area are either off the the side of the main road, or down small roads branching from the main. A lot of the sites are not visible from the main road, you need to travel down the little road to see if anyone is there. Easy to do if you are in a car or truck. A little more challenging if you are towing something big. If it looks like there are a lot of people there and you are driving something that can not turn around easy, I would suggest dropping of your trailer at the beginning of the dispersed camping area and scouting out your spot. Every spot has an incredible view. The terrain is awesome. There are several short hiking loops in the area.
The only thing I would change is that we would park further off of the main road. Some people rip down the dirt roads in their cars and dirt bikes.
Also, there is an evening breeze that can come out of nowhere and relocate your chairs and adjust your awning so you might want to put them away before calling it a night.
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Keeler, California, where stunning landscapes and unique rock formations await. This area offers a variety of options for those looking to immerse themselves in nature without the constraints of traditional campgrounds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Keeler, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Keeler, CA is Alabama Hills Recreation Area with a 4.7-star rating from 87 reviews.
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