Mount Whitney Hiking Guide

Questions

Is Mount Whitney open?

Yes, in October 2026: the Inyo National Forest listed no trail closure and Whitney Portal Road was open all the way up. The road is gated below the trailhead in winter, and outside about late June to mid-October there's snow and ice above Trail Camp.

How long is the Mount Whitney hike?

Officially 10.7 miles each way from Whitney Portal, 21.4 round trip, with over 6,000 ft of climbing. My GPS recorded 20.8 miles over two days: 7.3 to Trail Camp, then 13.6 to the summit and back down to the Portal.

Do you need a permit to hike Mount Whitney?

Yes, for day hikes and overnight trips, all year. From May 1 to November 1 permits go by a lottery on recreation.gov (apply February 1 to March 1; leftover dates from April 22). From November 2 to April 30 there's no quota and you book two weeks ahead. $15 per person plus a $6 reservation fee.

Do you need crampons for Mount Whitney?

It depends on the month. From about late June to mid-October you usually need neither crampons nor an ice axe. In spring, early summer and late autumn the Forest Service and the national park say ice axe and crampons; I wore microspikes in late April 2021 in a light snow year.

Can you hike Mount Whitney in one day?

Yes: most permits are day permits. It's about 21 to 22 miles round trip with over 6,000 ft up and down, and day hikers take about 12 to 16 hours. Spend a night or two at around 8,000 ft first for the altitude.

How much does it cost to hike Mount Whitney?

The permit is $15 per person plus $6. Waste kits are free, a bear can rents for about $5 a day in Lone Pine, and Whitney Portal Campground is $34 a night. A three-night trip from Las Vegas by car comes to roughly $550 to $950 for one person before food, flights not included.