Two nights. One mountain backdrop.
Make one camp and stop chasing the next pin. This route uses Tuttle Creek as a practical base, leaves the exposed walks for the cooler hours, and builds in a second chance at that mountain light. It is a scenic basecamp trip, not a technical off-road route.
Desk-researched September 9, 2026. Not field-tested. Distances are approximate local driving budgets, not calculated routes. Your drive to and from the region is extra.
Your itinerary.
01DAY 1 / About 10 local milesArrive with daylight to spare
Start in Lone Pine, handle supplies, then find camp before sightseeing. Leave the evening free for a meal outside and the changing light on the peaks.
- SUPPLY STOP
Lone Pine supply stop
Town-center planning pin, not a particular business. Buy groceries, drinking water and fuel before leaving US 395; confirm store hours and a suitable forecourt.
- OVERNIGHT
Tuttle Creek Campground
First-come sites; no reservation is included. Seasonal drinking water and dump station. Arrive supplied and confirm service before relying on it.
02DAY 2 / About 25 local milesArches before the heat
Make Mobius Arch your early outing, then explore a short section of Movie Road if conditions suit your vehicle. Take a long lunch back at camp rather than filling the whole day with driving.
- OPTIONAL OUTING
Mobius Arch trailhead
Approximate trailhead pin. Walk the signed arch loop in cool conditions. Stay on established access roads and check the surface before proceeding.
- OPTIONAL OUTING
Movie Road scenery
A scenery stop, not a camping permission or an off-road track. Use marked parking, never block the road, and skip rough or wet sections.
- OVERNIGHT
Tuttle Creek Campground
First-come sites; no reservation is included. Seasonal drinking water and dump station. Arrive supplied and confirm service before relying on it.
03DAY 3 / About 10 local milesOne more slow morning
Pack up without rushing, leave your site clean, and return to Lone Pine. Add your drive home separately; this guide ends in town.
- SUPPLY STOP
Lone Pine supply stop
Town-center planning pin, not a particular business. Buy groceries, drinking water and fuel before leaving US 395; confirm store hours and a suitable forecourt.
Where to call it a night.
Tuttle Creek / nights 1-2
BLM lists first-come camping and a 30-foot maximum recommended RV length. Have a legal backup if full; a copied itinerary does not hold a site.
Check camping detailsFuel, food & fresh water.
Start full in Lone Pine
Fuel, food and purchased drinking water before camp. Choose businesses that fit your rig; the town pin is not a verified service station.
Tuttle Creek / seasonal water
BLM lists seasonal potable water and a dump station, with fall shutoff. Confirm with the host; do not assume a tank-fill connection.
Check service detailsBefore you point the rig north.
- Avoid narrow spurs on Movie Road. Walk questionable ground first; a normal-looking dirt road is not a clearance guarantee.
- The itinerary stays at a developed campground. If you switch to designated Alabama Hills camping, obtain the free permit and use a permitted site; it is not a reservation.
- Plan for exposed sun, wind and cold nights. Carry enough water to finish without a campground refill. No campfire is assumed.
Know what the plan is built on.
Land-manager information is linked below. These are planning suggestions, not reservations or a live report of road, campsite, water or fire conditions. Recheck before departure. If a stop is closed, omit it rather than finding an unverified shortcut.