An old tradition continues in the eastern Sierra Nevada of Southern California that goes back to the early days of Hollywood. Starting in the 1920’s, directors brought their crews and cameras to the town of Lone Pine – below Mt. Whitney. It’s here they discovered The Alabama Hills — a group of unique rocks that gave much character to those early films — especially the westerns. Trust us, you may have never been to Lone Pine — but you will recognize it in the movies. Some 400 films have been shot here — using some of the biggest stars in Hollywood history. And it’s all because of “The Rocks.”

Now The Museum of Western Film History, in Lone Pine, celebrates this special place, putting on a film festival each October. It’s not all about westerns. Folks view the films in the museum’s theater — then head out on guided tours of the Alabama Hills — looking for the specific locations of where scenes were shot. For visitors, it’s thrilling to see the actual rocks and hills that became such a key part in many classic films. On the Introduction Tour, Movie Location Hunter Greg Parker takes people on a walking tour of dozens of film locations. Lone Ranger Canyon is the site of many famous shots — and as you walk below the rocks it just all comes back to you. Graduating from USC, Greg has been doing this special research for nearly a quarter of a century and has found at least two thousand specific film locations. He is especially interested in the early silent films shot in Lone Pine.

Some folks also do self guided tours. Regardless, a stop at the museum before a trip to the “rocks.” will give you an understanding of the history of the place, and you get great ideas of locations to check out.