Mount Whitney Trail

Mount Whitney Trail
Trail Crest, at 13,600 ft (4,150 m)
Length11 mi (18 km)
LocationInyo National Forest, Inyo County, California
TrailheadsWhitney Portal [1]
UseHiking
Elevation change6,145 ft (1,873 m)
Highest pointMount Whitney, 14,505 ft (4,421 m)
Lowest pointWhitney Portal, 8,360 ft (2,550 m)
DifficultyStrenuous
MonthsPeak season is May to November

The Mount Whitney Trail is a hiking trail that climbs Mount Whitney, the tallest peak in the contiguous United States. It starts at Whitney Portal, 13 miles (21 km) west of the town of Lone Pine, California. The hike is 21.4 mi (34.4 km) round trip, with an elevation gain of over 6,100 feet (1,860 m). It is a very popular trail during Summer and Fall when ice and snow are not present, and therefore its access is restricted by quotas from May to October.[2] Access during non-peak months require permits from the United States National Forest, but quotas are not necessary.[3]

  1. ^ "Mount Whitney Trail". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved January 15, 2009.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference infzl was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Inyo National Forest - Recreation Passes & Permits". Archived from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved March 30, 2023.