Local film history featuring past and recent film and television productions shot on site at the…read morenearby Alabama Hills (featuring exotic and western back drops and terrains). Many behind the scenes and little known production stories about the filmmakers and actors are featured in this venue. Suggested museum donations is $8. There's no charge to visit the lobby or gift shop. A must see for movie fans and of local history!

Cool place to stop and check out. I never knew so many movies were filmed in this area. A lot of…read morewesterns of course but movies like G.I. Jane, Tremors, Django, Iron Man. Some I can remember of the top of my head. There are thousands in there and a lot of memorable. Photography is strongly discouraged. Really cool place.

My friend and I were passing through Lone Pine on our way back to OC from Mammoth Mountain and this…read moreplace caught our eye. The owners were absolutely wonderful and gave us an in depth tour of the whole place along with tidbits of life stories which added a personal touch. One of the best experiences we had on our trip and we will definitely be back!!

The museum is a special reminder of the History of the West. A step back in time to the Wild West…read more The backyard theatre and seating allow for a perfect setting for musicians, poets, and a beautiful mountain view of Mount Whitney. A unique spot to rent for your occasion and artistic venue. Rooms available as well.

As a child I read a story about Manzanar from the POV of a child. That story stayed with me all…read morethese years. The NPS has recreated some of the buildings here including the bath house, school, mess hall and 'improved' living quarters where walls were installed between family living quarters - replacing the blankets that were hungs as "walls". One of the things I remember in the book was how the toilets and showers were communal and how embarrassed they were to have to do such private business in a public space. No partitions, no privacy on the toilet or shower. Meals were also communal and menus were created by persons unfamiliar with an asian diet. Also from the book the author talks about sweet peaches being put over the rice. Definitely not how rice was eaten. Meals were served on a schedule and each 'block' of quarters had their own mess hall menu. Residents could earn a couple of dollars a month by working in the mess hall. Buildings were erected so hastily the wood was not dried creating gaps between boards so the desert sand would blow in covering everything with sand and allowing scorpians inside. Several families were housed in each building, and as mentioned, with no walls between. Camps were not prepared to educate the children and the first classes were held sitting outside on the ground. Over time teachers, furniture and supplies were provided. So much more information is provided. A short film runs on the hour in the visitor center. A self driving tour (one way) around the acres of camp include informational signs and some recreated buildings while other structures are just a sign (bldg 1, bldg 2, etc.) or foundation. The park has also excavated and reestablished gardens created by residents. A poignant and interesting history lesson for us all. Definitely worth a visit. The museum includes a lot of personal stories and information. The park rangers on duty were very helpful. Gift shop includes a number of books and a few other NPS souveniers. Be sure to get your passport stamped. Public restrooms by the entrance. A handicap drop off point is close to the building. On site parking is a short walk to the visitor center.

I came out here on a field trip with a class I'm taking this summer. It's 95 degrees, windy and…read morearid. Even as a visitor, I find these conditions to be uncomfortable, so I could not imagine being forced to live out here in subhuman conditions for an indefinite period of time. However, that is what over 120,000 Japanese Americans and Japanese Nationals living in the USA were forced to do during WWII - and 10,000 men, women, children and babies were forced to do just that at Manzanar. The Visitors Center is only open on Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday - so we were not able to see it, but we were able to eat our lunches in the Mess Hall. I also explored the barracks, and saw the rest of this historic site by bus and on foot. Don't miss seeing Merritt Park, the Children's Village area, and the Issei Obelisk. This site is a powerful reminder that History repeats itself, and visiting Manzanar is an extremely moving and meaningful experience for everyone. Peace.

This is a must stop if this is the first time traveling through the Owens Valley. Many informative…read moredisplays inside and a cool cross section of the pipes used for the aqueduct. Little gift shop inside and rangers here to answer questions. I usually stop here to use the bathroom but they were out of service two weeks ago. Fortunately, there are plenty of places in town down the street to use the bathroom.

The Eastern Sierra Visitor's Center is a great place to gather information before stopping at…read moreWhitney Portal, Alabama Hills, Big Pine, and Death Valley National Park. They carry detailed maps and souvenirs for purchase, and there are rangers on site who are available to answer any questions that you may have in regards to trails and weather conditions. I stopped here before attempting to hike from Whitney Portal to Lone Pine Lake. The rangers let me know that there would be too much snow and that a snow storm was brewing in Whitney Portal and that they didn't advise anyone to hike there at that time. They encouraged me to explore the Alabama Hills instead which I happily ended up doing. I was very grateful that stopped there first because it would have been scary to get stuck in the snow and/or snow storm up in Whitney Portal. You can also acquire Mount Whitney and hiking permits here. There are restrooms on site but they weren't open at the time that I was there, so they had portable restrooms right outside. There's a few small exhibits that you can check out as well if you have time. The rangers were very helpful and I will definitely stop by again during a different time of the year before heading to Whitney Portal.

**This review is from August 2025**…read more We lucked out on our drive back from Yosemite. On a whim, we turned into a neighborhood in Independence to look at some early 1900s homes and noticed what appeared to be a small museum. When we walked in, we were greeted by the nicest woman, who warmly welcomed us and mentioned there were clean restrooms in the back. They were, without question, the cleanest bathrooms we encountered during our entire trip. The museum was much larger than we expected. One side featured a beautiful collection of Native American baskets in a wide range of shapes, all with intricate and impressive designs. The other side was filled with historical artifacts from the region, offering a fascinating glimpse into the area's past. Eastern California Museum turned out to be one of the most memorable stops of our trip. Edited to add: We made the three-hour drive back to the museum last month so we could spend more time exploring. It was another great experience

This museum is a real gem. It has a big Native American basket collection on display. They might be…read moreutilitarian objects, but they are also very beautiful. They have a lot of interesting Native American and historic artifacts covering local history. On our visit, we were lucky to come across the volunteers with the Carson and Colorado railway firing up the Slim Princess #18. It's not everyday that you hearing a steam locomotive fired up. The volunteers shared information about #18, which they lovingly restored. While they don't offer rides, they are very happy to talk about the history of the train and the work that has gone into it's restoration. This is a worthwhile stop on any trip to eastern California. And don't forget to stop by the Carson and Colorado to see what they're up to. https://carsoncolorado.com/

We went to Cerro Gordo Ghost Town and had a fabulous day! The history, the people (Steven, Greg and…read moreof course, Brent) and the views made our day great. Yes, the drive up the road was a bit rough and we were glad to have our 3500, but absolutely didn't let that stop us from going. This was on our list to go and visit for a long time. Glad we went and we'll be back! One, because we love it and two, to support Brent. Thank Cerro Gordo team for a fabulous day. Dawn & Rob Your Fulltime RV Supporters

This young man that is restoring this old ghost is a remarkable man. Great job of spreading the…read morewealth of knowledge. His Youtube coverage is enviable.

I find it hard to understand why there are not more reviews about the Lone Pine Film Festival; the…read more26th annual Festival was just last month. My wife, Vickie, and I attended and we had a magical time for three days. It is an event where you wonder what you did to deserve what you are experiencing; mostly put on by volunteers. Sort of like seeing the Ramona Pageant in Hemet, California. We stayed for two nights in our campervan parked in right field of the ball field that the the Chamber of Commerce was renting to RVers. The draw for this location is that most of what you want to get to is within a "block"; or closer. Clockwise around our site: the Rodeo Arena, VFW Post with its Breakfasts, High School auditorium with its three days of film showings, The Film History Museum and its parking lot where the tours operate from. After the closing campfire we camped at the BLM's Tuttle Creek Recreation Site west of town; $5 as I remember; and other BLM land is available to camp on for free. Crystal Geyser has their spring water bottling plant just down the Highway from Lone Pine, in Olancha, and they donated "endless" water bottles to the Festival; it was available "everywhere". Go to the Festival website and see what is available: http://www.lonepinefilmfestival.org/ Below is part of the magic that we found: 11 October 2015: Late to the party; but very happy to have been invited. On the third day of the Lone Pine, California, Film Festival, Highway 395 was diverted around the town to make room for a parade. In a vintage convertible there was a fellow sitting on top of the rear seat back doing something with a rope; "Johnny Crawford" was printed on a card on the side of the car. My wife, Vickie, informed me that this was the kid from "The Rifleman". Later, at the Festival's closing campfire, the Cowboy Poet master of ceremonies persuaded Johnny to come forth out of the shadows of the audience to say a few words. His body actions and words conveyed a very funny and likeable guy; an unexpected cap to an already fun three days. I left Lone Pine thinking that Johnny must be a successful stand-up comic, in the Big City. Back at home, checking on Johnny, I find that he was an original Mouseketeer on the Mickey Mouse Club. Growing up in Burbank, California, I knew something of Mouseketeers. Don Grady graduated from Burbank High with many of us in 1962; as Don Agrati. One of my best friends married a Mouseketeer. I think that like being a Marine, it is "Once a Mouseketeer, Always a Mouseketeer". Then I find Johnny's music and singing for a time period that I already enjoy. This has worked out well, for me. Thank You, Johnny, for bringing beauty and happiness to us; and thank you for coming to Lone Pine!

We've been coming up to this area for years for the scenery & fishing pleasures, but now the whole…read morefestival has turned into an amazing greed-fest. The museum has really turned out to be a nice place to visit, but the campsites had no hosts unless you wanted to pay the big bucks. Water was no place to be found except Boulder creek & we got ripped off there to get just that for $10 for 10 gallons of Enough said. We had wanted to have a few other relatives enjoy the fun experiences we have had in the past. This so far, has left a very bad taste in all our mouths. (Kind of like the stink of horse manure at Portage Joe's.)

Over the past few yers I have become increasingly interested and in admiration of Mary Austin…read more I've listened to "The Land of Little Rain" on an audible type thing, and I have a large copy of the book with photos of the Eastern Sierra. This home was, from what I understand, one that she lived in for some years, I believe when she was a young girl living with her family. I believe she lived in a few various homes throughout the region with her husband as well, although I'm not sure where those homes are or if they are still standing, for that matter. Nonetheless, this house has history to it, and the informational plaque in front has a beautiful quote and info. You cannot go inside, as it looks locked up and like it cannot withstand much more traffic. I do hope there is an organization that will restore this home when it falls into further disrepair, as it really is a special part of local history. Also, if you have not read any of Mary Austin's writings, I highly recommend you do so. She wrote from a place of humility and great appreciation for the land, the native Americans, and all the wild creatures.

There's really nothing much to say, here, except there is a California State Historical plaque in…read morefront of this private home. Visitors cannot view the interior. There is an Owens Valley Historical Museum a short distance away that has a collection of books written by Mary Austin and some other materials about this author.

We had such a lovely and fun time here. We were first greeted by a dog named Sweetie. The scent of…read morelavender was everywhere. Although we could not ride horses (they were unavailable for rides today), we brought a little food and ate at a picnic table in the shade next to the creek. Kole was super kind in giving us a tour of the lavender garden, where we harvested our own bunch. He also introduced us to the horses, mules, and chickens. He was the same age as my kids, so they had fun talking and laughing. We also saw quail, honey bees, and the cutest bumble bees. The ranch is situated in a hidden pocket of the foothills. The drive to get there off the 395 is simple and beautiful, and also near the Alabama Hills. I'm so glad we visited. There was no one else there. It was so nice and peaceful. Definitely well worth the trip if you're passing through.

Cute little ranch located along horshoe meadow road. They have an actual lavender harvest which…read morethen they make oils, balms, spritz, and sachets for sale. Staff is friendly and will answer questions. They also encourage you to walk the grounds and check out the horses, chickens and nearby creek. The staff also mentioned they have cabins for rent.