Mt. Whitney (Lone Pine, CA)

The lowest point in North America is Badwater Basin at 282 feet below sea level.

The highest point in the lower 48 is Mt. Whitney at 14,505 feet.

Did you know they are only 84.6 miles away from each other? Pretty crazy. Mother Nature is amazing.

 It was November during our visit and it was cold. We stopped in Lone Pine after Death Valley for a night before continuing towards the coast. When we have the opportunity, we will visit Lone Pine again. I’d like to explore the Alabama Hills and take a hike on Mt. Whitney. I’ve read pretty amazing reviews on the hiking in the area, so if the weather is good, please go exploring!

During our one-night stay, we found a spot to park behind McDonald’s. We got the tip from freecampsites.net and the parking is fairly inconspicuous. You’ll see a large area behind the parking lot with unmarked spaces. A semi parked next to us for the night as well. In addition to the free place to stay, McDonald’s wifi can be reached from the outside. This McDonald’s also has several outlets so it’s a good spot to recharge devices as well. Lone Pine is a very small town, so you won’t miss McDonald’s right on the 395.

The morning we left, we went to the Visitor’s Center to obtain more information. I highly recommend stopping in so you have a general idea of what you want to do or see in the area.

Information:

Visitor’s Center: LonePineChamber.org, 120 South Main St. Lone Pine, CA 93545

McDonald’s address: 601 South Main St. Lone Pine, CA 93545

Alabama Hills Information: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/bishop/scenic_byways/alabamas.html

Mt. Whitney Trail information: http://www.wildbackpacker.com/backpacking-trails/mount-whitney-trail/