Lone Pine, California
Sierra Nevada & Alabama Hills

The drive from Death Valley to Lone Pine takes you from the lowest point in the western hemisphere to the foot of Mount Whitney, the highest point in the lower 48 states. Along the way, you won't pass much that's worth stopping for. Once you leave Father Crowley Point and exit the park, Route 190 passes through mostly flat and empty land. The road splits to take you around the normally dry lakebed of Owens Lake. Route 190 takes the southern route, 136 heads to the north, and ends at Lone Pine.

The town of Lone Pine sits in the shadows of the Whitney Range of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The jagged peaks stretch north and south as far as you can see.

Tip:

If you want to cross the Sierra Nevada, you'll need to drive north to Tioga Pass Road (the entrance to Yosemite National Park, 120 miles) or south to Route 58 (113 miles). Of course, if it's Fall, Winter, or Spring, there's a good chance Tioga Pass is closed by deep snow.

The sun sets early in the Owens Valley, but it takes longer on the Inyo Mountains to the east.

From downtown Lone Pine, turn at the only stoplight, headed toward the Sierra Nevada Mountains. You'll be traveling on Whitney Portal Road through BLM-managed land. In the winter, the road is closed at a parking area at the foot of the mountains. Once the snow melts in the summer, you can drive farther on the narrow, switchback road, to a trailhead used by climbers headed for the top of Mount Whitney.

Since it was mid-April during my visit, the upper portion of Whitney Portal Road was still closed to traffic.

In between the foot of the Sierra Nevada and the town of Lone Pine is an unusual outcropping of rounded granite boulders known as the Alabama Hills. You can get closer by taking the dirt roads that branch off from Whitney Portal Road.

By the time I found my way into the Alabama Hills, the sun had already set behind the mountains, and I didn't have enough light to properly explore. So, the Alabama Hills will be the first stop on day 4.

Tip:

I recommend the Dow Villa for your overnight stop in Lone Pine. The Dow gives you two choices: a traditional motel (two story, outdoor entry) or the older Hotel. The older section offers a few benefits. The rooms are cheaper (around $50 during my visit), and they also have a lot more character (for example, separate hot and cold faucets on the old porcelain sink). Some rooms in the old hotel have shared bathrooms, others have their own, so be sure to specify which you want.

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Lone Pine, California Sierra Nevada & Alabama Hills

Lone Pine, California
Sierra Nevada & Alabama Hills