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10 Reasons To Camp In New Jersey
There are literally hundreds of reasons to go camping in New Jersey, but there is one large, and I mean really large, reason:
Where else in the country can you drive less then 3 hours and go from the mountains, to the shore, to the marshlands, to...
Journeys through Asturias, greenest Spain
“The Road Goes Ever On and On…Down to the Door Where It Began”. So wrote J.R.R. Tolkien, creator of “The Lord Of the Rings”. My family lives in Middle-Earth; around here it’s called Asturias. Surrounded by green mountains and rolling hills, the...
Mossel Bay on the Garden Route - Your Summer Getaway
If you are planning a trip through the Garden Route this summer,
Mossel Bay is a stopping point (on many Garden Route tours).
There is a plethora of
'fun in the sun' activities as well as relaxation and
rejuvenation for the weary traveler. Go...
Playa del Carmen, Mexico: Beyond the All-inclusive Resorts
Mexico's Caribbean Coast has become a top vacation destination over the past few years. What attracts most visitors to the area is the many mega-resort properties that line Highway 307 from Cancun to Tulum, also referred to as the Riviera Maya....
Surfing Costa Rica's Pacific coast
The Pacific coast of Costa Rica is fast becoming one of the hippest spots on the backpack merry-go-round. It's a surfer's paradise in Central America's most laid-back holiday spot. Areas such as the Nicoya peninsula and Dominical further to the...
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Lone Pine California Vacations
Lone Pine, California doesn't look like much at first. It's a dusty desert town of a few thousand, on highway 395, on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevadas. There might still be only one traffic light. So what makes it a great vacation destination?
The Lone Pine Film Festival
Here are some of the movies filmed in this part of California: Gunga Din, How The West Was Won, Star Trek, Tremors, Springfield Rifle, Joshua Tree, Gladiator, and Maverick. John Wayne, Gene Autry, Gary Cooper, Kirk Douglas, Robert Mitchum, William Boyd, and dozens of other movie stars have all spent time in Lone Pine. Television series filmed here include The Lone Ranger, Have A Gun, Bonanza, and Wagon Train. Spend much time in Lone Pine, and later, when you're watching movies at home, you'll find yourself saying "Hey I've been there."
More than 200 movies, and numerous television series have been filmed in and around the area. The Lone Pine Film Festival, which is held in early October every year, features the classics, as well as more recent films. If you watch many movies, you can see familiar movie scenery any time of the year.
The Alabama Hills
Drive a few minutes south of Lone Pine, turn west, and you'll find the Alabama Hills, one of the most unique geological areas you'll ever see. Rounded and smooth rocks are piled up in the most amazing formations. You may recognize some of the scenery from old westerns. On the south side of town, at the visitors center, you can get free maps that will guide you to rock arches, caves and other sights. You'll have to walk into mazes of rocks to get to the better ones.
Mount Whitney
Lone Pine is the gateway to Mount Whitney. At 14,496 feet, it is the highest
mountain in the lower 48 states. Whitney Portal Road starts in the center of town, and takes you 20 miles up to the trailhead and campground. The Whitney Portal Trail goes to the top. It's a strenuous hike, and the 22-mile round trip is best broken into two or three days, with a night or two spent in the beautiful high country. By the way, you'll find snow up there most of the year.
The National Forest Service has designated much of the Inyo National Forest and Sequoia National Park around the mountain as "The Whitney Zone." To hike within this area you need a permit, which can be obtained from the inter-agency visitors center on Highway 395, just south of Lone Pine. Plan ahead, as permits are limited, and a seperate summit stamp may be required now to go to the peak of Whitney.
There is a campground behind downtown - to the west, and several nice motels in Lone Pine. The visitor's center south of town has a lot of information on activities and sights in the area. The reservoir south of town is good for fishing and swimming. The Beverly and Jim Rogers Museum of Lone Pine Film History will open soon. Actors have gun battles in the local bar just to entertain you (no charge).
My wife and I love Lone Pine. Where else in California, or anywhere else, can you - all in one day - go swimming, watch a gunfight, explore caves and rock formations in the desert, then drive up the mountain for a snowball fight?
About the Author
Steve Gillman hit the road at sixteen, and traveled the U.S. and Mexico alone at 17. Now 40, he travels with his wife Ana, whom he met in Ecuador. To read their stories, tips and travel information, visit: http://www.EverythingAboutTravel.com
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