Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Campground Availability at Whitney Portal

We're driving up on Saturday morning, with a permit to enter the Portal on Monday. Will we have a problem getting a campground at the Portal?

You can reserve a site in advance. There is a link at the WPS home page. There are also some walk-up sites that can't be reserved. You may have a decent chance for the walk-up sites if you get there early in the day.

You could also try Horseshoe Meadows as a backup if no spots are available. Campsites are primitive but altitude (9500ft) is higher if getting acclimated is a concern for you. Also, lots of firewood.

can you give me a wild guess as to what "early in the day " means on a Thursday in early July? Before lunch? 2pm?

There are about 18 campsites that are not reservable in the family campground. Nonetheless, the campsites only become available when people leave, and not every FCFS campsite becomes available every day, since people can stay multiple days (up to a week I believe). You should have a good shot at a FCFS campsite if you arrive by lunchtime. If none are avilable, there are still 10 backpacker sites across from the trailhead.

thanks. I was actually aiming at a backpacker site, but having another 18 potential sites available is good to know.

Having trouble finding driving directions to Horseshow Meadow. Seems like they should be posted, no?

Take the Whitney portal Road west from Lone Pine, at the streetlight. You will drive about 3-4 miles before you see the Movie Road turnoff to the right into the Alabama Hills. Continue west on the Whitney portal road down through the s curve drop through some trees. Within another half mile or so you will see the Horseshoe Meadows turnoff to the left. It is a large two lane paved road. Take the Horseshoe Meadows road another 20 miles to the end, were the road forks into two. The right fork goes to the Cottonwood lakes trailhead and the road continuing straight goes to the Cottonwood pass trailhead.

If you see the Olivas Ranch Road or the turnoff to the Lone Pine Campground you missed the turnoff to Horseshoe Meadows.

This link says the Horseshoe Meadows turnoff is at 3 miles, which seems a little low to me. It also says the total distance to Horseshoe Meadows is 22 miles from Lone Pine, and includes the shortcut from the south up Lubken Canyon road.

http://www.climber.org/DrivingDirections/HorseshoeMdw.html

See The drive up from Lone Pine. As noted earlier, it is about 20 miles after you turn left off of Whitney Portal Road.

My odometer registered 3.1 miles from US-395. That is close enough to three miles in my book.

Yes, you also can turn off US-395 at Lubken Canyon. The Lubken Canyon interchange is 5 miles south of WP Road and across fom the Boulder Creek RV Park. The route saves you from having to drive into Lone Pine if you come from the south. Nonetheless, people still need to pick up their wilderness permits at the Visitors Center and that is 2 miles south of WP Road.