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Fall Foliage Scenic Drive - Rhode Island Coast
This Rhode Island scenic drive is delightful any season of the year, but with fall foliage the added splash of color deepens the experience and appreciation of the Rhode Island coastline and surrounding villages.
This is a one-way 61-mile scenic...
Holiday in South Africa
I met a European couple (the guy from the Netherlands and the girl from UK) in Australia a couple of years ago. They are now planning to come visit South Africa later this year and I thought it may be useful for European travellers to hear a South...
The Historic And Natural Wonder Of Cades Cove Tennessee
If you miss Cades Cove Tennessee while traveling in the
southeastern part of the United States, you've missed one of the
most picturesque locations in North America.
Cades Cove is a 6,800 acre scenic paradise located in the Great
Smoky...
The Railroad, A Book, And A Dam
A hundred years ago Branson, Missouri was just a patch of
wilderness in the quilt of the Ozarks. Then along came the
railroad, a book and a dam and now Branson is known as "Little
Las Vegas."
1903 brought the railroad to Branson. This...
Traveller's Paradise In India, Kullu Manali, Himachal Pradesh
Manali situated at an altitude of 6000ft , is a renowned hill station in India. According to a fabled story, when whole world was drowned in a catastrophic floods, arose a place of unpeiriled natural beauty? It was Manali here the life prospered...
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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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