Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Fishing and day hikes at Whitney Portal Campground

Me and two others will be staying at Whitney Portal Campground a day and half to help acclimatize before we start Main Mt. Whitney Trail in early September. Can anyone recommend any cool day hikes or fishing spots in that area?

A great day hike would be Horseshoe Meadows to Cottonwood Pass/Lakes, depending on how early you leave in the morning. Horseshoe Meadows Road is about halfway up the Portal Road to the left. Follow it to the end and you will find the trailhead.

Gochoa, Check out the California Department of Fish and Game website for trout planting during the week that you will be at the Whitney Portal Campground. For example, this week there are plants at all the nearby creeks, including Lone Pine Creek. Not infrequently a Fish and Game tanker is seen stopped next to the bridge between campsites 15 and 16 as the warden releases scores of large trout into the creek. Right after a planting do not plan on being the only fisherman at the lucky spot, however. If you are at campsite 15 or 16 that evening, you will hear the bears fishing down at the creek too. Good luck out there. Jim

Thank you for your comments guys! I followed up on your suggestions. Oxnard, We're you referring to the New Army Pass Route trail from Horseshow Meadow to Cottonwood Lakes Basin? I noticed there was another trail originating from Horseshoe Meadow called Cottonwood Pass Trail, but that didn't go to Cottonwood Lakes Basin. Cottonwood Lakes sounds like a great fishing hole. Hopefully it won't be a problem acquiring a day pass?

The Main Mt. Whitney Trail is the only trail in the Inyo National Forest which requires a permit for dayhiking, and then only if you enter the Whitney Zone above Lone Pine Lake.

There are make hikes out of Horseshoe Meadow but for fishing the Cottonwood Lakes/South Fork Lakes/New Army Pass Trailhead would be best, IMHO. Make sure you are up on the special regulation for this area.

Just reminder, the current version of the Cirque Peak 7.5'Quad does not show the trailhead for this trail at its current location. It is for all intents and purpose correct after you make the first stream crossing. Also, the lakes are numbered wrong. Check the info. board for the correct numbering because the special regulation for fishing refers to the lake numbers.

Gochoa, I gotta agree with Travis on the fishing. The New Army Pass/Cottonwood Lakes trailhead is best. However, for a nice day hike and source of acclimation, the Cottonwood Pass trail is a great hike also.