Question about Movie Flat Designated Dispersed Camping

closecalls asked on 1/20/2021

I have the sense that boondocking outside of the Turtle Creek campground at Alabama Hills Recreation Area is strongly discouraged. Is this the case? Thanks!!

Answer question
3 reviews

Answered on 1/21/2021:

Sorry, I may be reading too much into your question and not sure if your question relates to camping in AH during Covid-19 or just booking there in general. If it relates to camping during Covid you’ll want to refer to California Department of Public Health guidelines. If it is general camping e.g. pre-Covid I would say NO we have never felt discouraged to camp in the Alabama Hills. That said, the BLM managers do make regular (almost daily) trips around the Hills to ensure that folks don’t park in inappropriate places and respect the flora, not parking on it. We have been encouraged to use Tuttle Creek CG, it having water, and rest rooms, but we have never been strongly discouraged to stay in the Hills. Hope this helps.
24 reviews

Answered on 1/23/2021:

Sorry it took me awhile to answer you - went to my spam. We couldn't disagree more, We think Alabama Hills was GREAT, Albeit it was at least a year or more ago, We sold our RV last summer and have not been out since, but as we live in So Cal, this was our #1 go to place for first night out if traveling north,
MotoMannequin
MotoMannequin
CA
25' Airstream International Serenity
Nissan Titan
MotoMannequin

Answered on 1/28/2021:

This documentation from BLM actually does discourage dispersed camping: https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/documents/files/public-room-california-alabama-hills-map-and-guide_2019.pdf In practice, however, this has not been the case. In fact, in November 2020 we found Tuttle Creek to be significantly less crowded and better spaced than the dispersed areas. That said, announced Jan 15 2021 it looks like the BLM is planning a free permit system to relieve crowding in the dispersed areas of the Alabama Hills: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/1502669/510
Nutmeg
Nutmeg
28' Airstream Flying Cloud
Ford Super Duty
12 reviews

Answered on 1/26/2022:

We were in Lone Pine early November. There are now a lot fewer places to boondock. There’s are City of LA signs everywhere forbidding camping. Think this was in reaction to too many campers trashing the place.

Answered on 7/7/2021:

It's Tuttle Creek!
Tommytinker
Tommytinker
FL
25' Leisure Travel UNITY
Tommytinker

Answered on 6/3/2021:

We stayed 5 nights off of Movie Road over Memorial Day 2019....lots of very courteous campers that seemed to respect the area. No issue found other than a planned concert coming up the following weekend and camping wasn't going to allowed.
MargieP
MargieP
CA
Toyota Sienna
2 reviews
MargieP

Answered on 1/21/2021:

I boondocked there several times last summer and fall, most recently in mid-October 2020. There were several other vehicles, widely dispersed, and quiet after early evening. I understand BLM would prefer that we use Tuttle Creek, but I didn't see any signage discouraging use of AH.
5 reviews

Answered on 1/21/2021:

My understanding is that Alabama Hills is dispersed camping, and when we were there that's what we experienced. We saw people darted around the area. There are areas where people stay more frequently. We stayed just across from the heart arch. There were a few campers in the lot just below it. I'm guessing they wanted an early start on the trail. I'd never even heard of Turtle Creek Campground until you mentioned it.
Busbum
Busbum
Yuma, AZ
29' Safari Trek
3 reviews

Answered on 1/20/2021:

No not at all, I spent a week there and had a grand time, quite a few other campers there also, but really spread out, there are plenty of places of movie road to boondock... Who may I ask said it was discouraged?
BikerTech
BikerTech
Minneapolis, MN
25' Leisure Travel Vans Wonder MB
6 reviews

Answered on 1/20/2021:

I don't believe so. There were lots of boondockers in the BLM area.