Latin America guide


Lone Pine California Vacations

Lone Pine, California doesn't look like much
at first. It's a dusty desert town of a fewMount  Whitney
thousand, on highway 395, on the eastern side
of the Sierra Nevadas. There might still beLone Pine is the gateway to Mount Whitney. At
only one traffic light. So what makes it a14,496 feet, it is the highest mountain in
great  vacation  destination?the lower 48 states. Whitney Portal Road
starts in the center of town, and takes you
The  Lone  Pine  Film  Festival20 miles up to the trailhead and campground.
The Whitney Portal Trail goes to the top.
Here are some of the movies filmed in thisIt's a strenuous hike, and the 22-mile round
part of California: Gunga Din, How The Westtrip is best broken into two or three days,
Was Won, Star Trek, Tremors, Springfieldwith a night or two spent in the beautiful
Rifle, Joshua Tree, Gladiator, and Maverick.high country. By the way, you'll find snow up
John Wayne, Gene Autry, Gary Cooper, Kirkthere  most  of  the  year.
Douglas, Robert Mitchum, William Boyd, and
dozens of other movie stars have all spentThe National Forest Service has designated
time in Lone Pine. Television series filmedmuch of the Inyo National Forest and Sequoia
here include The Lone Ranger, Have A Gun,National Park around the mountain as "The
Bonanza, and Wagon Train. Spend much time inWhitney Zone." To hike within this area you
Lone Pine, and later, when you're watchingneed a permit, which can be obtained from the
movies at home, you'll find yourself sayinginter-agency visitors center on Highway 395,
"Hey  I've  been  there."just south of Lone Pine. Plan ahead, as
permits are limited, and a seperate summit
More than 200 movies, and numerous televisionstamp may be required now to go to the peak
series have been filmed in and around theof  Whitney.
area. The Lone Pine Film Festival, which is
held in early October every year, featuresThere is a campground behind downtown - to
the classics, as well as more recent films.the west, and several nice motels in Lone
If you watch many movies, you can seePine. The visitor's center south of town has
familiar  movie scenery any time of the year.a lot of information on activities and sights
in the area. The reservoir south of town is
The  Alabama  Hillsgood for fishing and swimming. The Beverly
and Jim Rogers Museum of Lone Pine Film
Drive a few minutes south of Lone Pine, turnHistory will open soon. Actors have gun
west, and you'll find the Alabama Hills, onebattles in the local bar just to entertain
of the most unique geological areas you'llyou  (no  charge).
ever see. Rounded and smooth rocks are piled
up in the most amazing formations. You mayMy wife and I love Lone Pine. Where else in
recognize some of the scenery from oldCalifornia, or anywhere else, can you - all
westerns. On the south side of town, at thein one day - go swimming, watch a gunfight,
visitors center, you can get free maps thatexplore caves and rock formations in the
will guide you to rock arches, caves anddesert, then drive up the mountain for a
other sights. You'll have to walk into mazessnowball fight?
of  rocks  to  get  to  the  better  ones.



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