California Elopement in the Alabama Hills

By Robert Trumble

Finding the Perfect Location

I zoomed my rental car across the desert leaving the cities I have explored before. I was traveling solo on this trip and had just spent a few days in Malibu and Los Angeles. Lone Pine, California was where I was headed. Lone Pine is where the desert meets the mountains. The Lower 48’s highest point, Mount Whitney, stands tall casting a shadow on the small town. I rolled into the small western town excited to see what it offered. Scouting the perfect location for elopement photos in the Alabama Hills was my immediate priority so I passed through town and headed out on the dirt roads. I passed a few old ranches and drove down dusty roads that wound through the rock outcroppings. After a while, I found the perfect spot for a quintessential California elopement in the Alabama Hills.

Quintessential California

Cell service was low so I drove back to where I last had it and contacted Allison and Tyler. After making sure they knew where I was, I waited for them to arrive. The sun was just beginning to dip behind the towering mountains so I grabbed my camera and took some landscape shots. This area reminded me of Teton Valley in Wyoming. Just not as lush. The way the mountains rise straight out of the valley floor with little to no foothills is so cool. The Mars-like outcroppings of rock create a unique setting for an elopement.

Elopement in the Alabama Hills

Allison and Tyler were not too far away so soon they were driving down the road towards me. They followed me to the location where we would be taking the photos. It was a flat area, suitable for a lot of movement, and had a large rock outcropping behind it creating layers against the mountains. Tyler and Allison got ready behind the cars and we were ready to take some stunning images.

We had so much fun. I had them chasing each other through the brush and exploring the rock formations. It is always a goal to simply just have fun when taking photos. We took photos until it was a little too dark to do much more. We said our goodbyes and parted ways.

Camping for the Night

The Alabama Hills are an Overlanders paradise. There are so many spots for vans and overland rigs to park for the night. I was camping out of my rented Subaru Crosstrek so I boogied around the dirt roads until I found the perfect spot for the night. The sunrise the next morning was absolutely stunning. The mountains glowed bright orange as the morning sun peeked over the horizon.

The Alabama Hills are one of Southern California’s best locations to elope. They are located not too far from Los Angeles and the small town offers the essentials that you might need. The mountains contrasting with the desert make for such a classic California setting. Reach out soon so we can start planning your California elopement in the Alabama Hills.