California Highpoint
Mount Whitney
14,505 ft · John Muir Wilderness · Inyo National Forest · Sequoia National Park
Strenuous hikeLoading map…
The standard route begins at Whitney Portal in Inyo National Forest and reaches the summit in Sequoia National Park. The trailhead and summit are separated by several miles of steep High Sierra terrain.
NOAA National Geodetic Survey: Whitney station GT1811Standard route
Mount Whitney Trail
The classic route begins at Whitney Portal, climbs past Lone Pine Lake, Outpost Camp, Consultation Lake and Trail Camp, ascends the long switchbacks to Trail Crest, then follows the Sierra crest to the summit.
Distance
About 22 mi round trip
Elevation gain
More than 6,200 ft
Route
Out & back
Difficulty
Very strenuous
Trailhead
Whitney Portal Trailhead
- Official day-hike estimate
- 12–14 hours
- Trailhead elevation
- About 8,300 ft
Typical hazards: Altitude illness, exhaustion, thunderstorms, exposed high terrain, snow and ice, dehydration, navigation problems, and rapidly changing mountain weather.
The trail is non-technical when snow-free. When snow or ice covers the route, winter mountaineering skills and equipment may be necessary.
Recreation.gov: Mount Whitney permitsAlternative routes
Mountaineer's Route / North Fork Lone Pine Creek
A steeper mountaineering approach using the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek rather than the standard Mount Whitney Trail.
Typical hazards: Route-finding errors, rockfall, steep snow or ice, altitude, exposure, and rapidly changing conditions.
The Mount Whitney Trail overnight permit does not cover overnight trips using the North Fork approach. Those trips require the appropriate North Fork of Lone Pine Creek wilderness permit. Day use within the Whitney Zone still requires a Whitney Zone day-use permit.
Recreation.gov: Mount Whitney permitsPermits & fees
2026 requirements
Permit requirement
A wilderness permit is required year-round to enter the Mount Whitney Zone.
- Day use
- Required for day hiking anywhere within the Whitney Zone
- Mount Whitney Trail overnight
- Required for multi-day trips beginning on the classic Mount Whitney Trail
Quota season
The main Whitney quotas apply May 1 through November 1.
- Whitney Zone day use
- 100 people per entry day
- Mount Whitney Trail overnight
- 60 people per entry day
2026 lottery and fees
- Lottery results
- March 15
- Award claim deadline
- April 21
- Unclaimed dates
- Open for reservations April 22
- Whitney Zone fee
- $15 per person
- Reservation fee
- $6 per permit reservation
Permit printing
- Day use
- Print before noon on the day before entry or the permit is canceled as a no-show
- Overnight
- Print before 10 a.m. on the entry date or the permit is canceled as a no-show
Access
Whitney Portal
The standard trail begins at the end of Whitney Portal Road west of Lone Pine. Trailhead parking is limited, and road conditions can change after storms or during the winter season.
Parking is available around Whitney Portal but can fill during busy periods. Recreation.gov recommends carpooling. Remove all food, trash, and scented items from vehicles and use the bear-resistant lockers provided at the trailhead.
Know before you go
Whitney Zone requirements
Pack out all solid human waste and toilet paper. There are no restrooms along the Mount Whitney Trail.
Overnight hikers must use bear-resistant containers for food and trash.
At Whitney Portal, remove food and scented items from vehicles and store them in bear-resistant lockers.
Do not cut switchbacks.
Drones are prohibited in wilderness.
Conditions
Check before leaving
Do not treat the permit date as evidence that the route is safely hikeable. Check current snow, ice, trail, weather, wildfire, and Whitney Portal Road conditions immediately before the trip. Snow or ice can change the standard trail from a hike into a mountaineering objective.