Why the Eastern Sierra Keeps Pulling Me Back

For me, Eastern Sierra is one of those places. 

The first time I drove Highway 395, I wasn't really sure what to expect. I'd seen the photographs before — Mount Whitney towering above the desert, the strange rock formations in the Alabama Hills, the endless stretches of empty road disappearing into the distance. But photographs don't really prepare you for how massive everything feels in person.

The Eastern Sierra has a way of making you feel small.

Over the last few years, I've found myself returning whenever I need a reset. Sometimes it's for a dedicated photography trip. Other times it's simply because I have a few free days and want to disappear somewhere with my camera.

The routine is usually the same.

Leave the Bay Area before sunrise. 

Drive east.

Watch the landscape slowly change.

By the time I reach Lone Pine, it feels like I've entered a completely different world.

If there's one place I recommend to every photographer visiting the Eastern Sierra, it's the Alabama Hills.

The first thing that grabbed my attention was the contrast between the massive granite formations scattered across the desert floor and the snow-covered Sierra peaks rising behind them. It's one of those landscapes that almost feels too dramatic to be real, especially during sunrise and sunset.

But what keeps pulling me back isn't just the landscape.

I love spending mornings in nearby Lone Pine. There are old houses, vintage signs, weathered storefronts, and classic cars that look like they've been sitting in the same spot for decades. wWalking through town feels a little like stepping back in time. I'll often grab a coffee, wander the quiet streets, and photograph whatever catches my eye before heading out into the hills.

It's easy to understand why filmmakers have been drawn to this area for decades. Hundreds of movies and television shows have been filmed throughout the Alabama Hills and Lone Pine, including scenes from Iron Man. The combination of dramatic landscapes and old Western charm gives the entire area a cinematic feel.

As much as I love the Alabama Hills, some of my favorite places in the Eastern Sierra are scattered throughout the rest of the region.

If you're visiting during the summer months, Tioga Pass is worth the drive. The road connects the Eastern Sierra to Yosemite National Park and offers some of the most dramatic alpine scenery in California. Snow often lingers well into the season, and the combination of granite peaks, high-elevation meadows, and crystal-clear lakes makes it feel completely different from the desert landscapes farther south.

Another place I always recommend is Hot Creek Geological Site. The bright blue water winding through the valley almost looks tropical from a distance, which feels strange considering the surrounding landscape. Steam rises from geothermal vents throughout the area, creating a scene that feels both peaceful and slightly otherworldly.

I also found myself drawn to the lakes throughout the region, especially around June Lake. Early mornings there can be incredibly calm, with mountains reflected across the water before the wind picks up. The colors during autumn are particularly beautiful, but honestly, it's difficult to visit June Lake at any time of year and leave disappointed.

Part of what makes the Eastern Sierra so special is the variety. Within a single day, you can photograph alpine lakes, snow-covered mountains, volcanic geology, and desert landscapes without driving very far.

A few hours south, the landscape changes again.

What I love about Death Valley is how much variety there is within a relatively small area. You can spend the morning exploring sand dunes, the afternoon photographing colorful rock formations, and still make it to the salt flats for sunset.

The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes are easily one of my favorite places to wander with a camera. The light changes constantly as shadows move across the ridges, and every gust of wind seems to create a new composition. Just when you think you've seen it all, you'll find another pattern in the sand worth photographing.

But if I had to choose one place to end the day, it would probably be the salt flats.

There's something surreal about standing out there as the sun begins to set. When conditions are right, the reflections seem endless, and the stillness of the water creates a kind of quiet that's difficult to describe. Some of my favorite film photographs from Death Valley were made there. The way film renders the soft colors, reflections, and subtle light across the landscape feels almost dreamlike.

One thing I didn't expect during my first visit was how much I enjoyed photographing the towns surrounding Death Valley. Places like Beatty and Pahrump have a character all their own. Old motels, weathered signs, vintage cars, and buildings that feel frozen in another era make them incredibly fun to explore with a camera. If you're looking for photographs that feel a little different from the iconic landscapes, these small desert towns are worth slowing down for.

As much as I enjoy photographing cities, I've found myself becoming more drawn to remote places over the last few years.

Places like San Francisco and Yosemite are beautiful, but after photographing them repeatedly, they can start to feel familiar. The challenge becomes finding a perspective that hasn't already been photographed thousands of times before.

The Eastern Sierra feels different.

There's something rewarding about waking up before sunrise, driving for hours, wandering down a dirt road, or exploring a small desert town that most people pass through without stopping. Not every photograph works out, but when it does, it feels earned.

That's probably what keeps pulling me back.

Whether it's watching the light hit the granite formations in the Alabama Hills, photographing old cars in Lone Pine, exploring the lakes around June Lake, or standing on the salt flats in Death Valley at sunset, the experience feels less about checking locations off a list and more about slowing down long enough to discover something for yourself.

The Eastern Sierra and Death Valley aren't places I've finished photographing.

They're places I keep returning to because I know there's always something I missed the last time.