Lone Pine Lake

One of the most coveted permits in the country is the one that gets you into the Mount Whitney Zone. The trail is epic, and the first few miles are some of the most gorgeous during the spring and fall seasons. Not to mention the bragging rights of saying you bagged the tallest peak in the lower 48! But, what do you do if you don’t have a permit but still want a taste of what the trail has to offer? You trek up to Lone Pine Lake!

Lone Pine Lake via the Mount Whitney Portal is only 5.5 miles round trip. But with just under 1,800 feet of elevation gain, and the views that come along with the climb, it’s worth the trip! The trail starts off at the famous Mount Whitney Portal. Parking is free and pit toilets are available at the trailhead. Make sure you take care of business before hitting the trail as everything has to be packed out here. Pack a wag bag…just in case!

This trail boasts beautiful colors during the fall season and lots of green during the spring and summer. Bring your hammock and lunch! You’ll definitely want to hang out here for a bit. There are plenty of trees and lots of photo opps for you ‘gramers. It’s an incredibly peaceful spot! If meditation is your jam, then this spot will sing the music your soul wants to hear. <yeah, yeah, sometimes the hippy in me comes out> This also happened to be my 52nd hike of my first 52 Hike Challenge (be sure to check next week’s post for my 52 Hike story).

The water was too cold for my liking, but with no inlets or outlets, Lone Pine Lake is warmer than the other lakes in the area. But not by much! 😉 If you visit during the summer, a dip in the lake could be super refreshing.

If you’re wanting to camp here overnight, a wilderness permit is required. Most campers hang out here to acclimate to the altitude before continuing their trek up to the top of Whitney, so you will likely run into other dayhikers and backpackers while you’re there. We got very lucky and only saw 4 other people! But on our way down, we met numerous hikers and backpackers who’s destination was at the lake.

Looking for a good trail guide? Check out this one from CaliTrails. It’s the guide I used when I visited in October 2017. And don’t forget to download a map from AllTrails! And, if you’re looking for another great dayhike to do in the area, but don’t want to fuss with permits, stop by and read my trail highlight on Big Pine Lakes.