Whitney Portal Campground — Inyo National Forest

Whitney Portal Campground sits at the top of a 13-mile paved climb out of Lone Pine, tucked into pines and boulders beside Lone Pine Creek. It’s a small, tight forest camp with roughly 40-some sites, and it fills fast. Most of the crowd is hikers staging for Mt. Whitney, so expect early alarms, headlamps, and a lot of trail talk. There are vault toilets, picnic tables, fire rings, and bear boxes. Black bears work this canyon, so use the boxes. Fire restrictions come and go by season, so check before you strike a match. The Whitney Portal Store down the road sells burgers and basic supplies, but verify its hours ahead.

The road is paved but steep and winding, so big rigs and long trailers should take it slow. The camp runs roughly late spring through early fall, depending on snow and road conditions. Sites are reservable through Recreation.gov, and summer weekends book out well in advance. Mt. Whitney day hikes and overnights need a separate permit. Cell signal is basically nonexistent, so plan accordingly. After a few nights here, the Alabama Hills below feel like another planet.

Pines, granite, and the Whitney trailhead.