Lone Pine Lake is as far as you can hike via the Mt Whitney trail WITHOUT a permit…read more The hike is short. 5 miles roundtrip. Out and back. There isn't to much of an elevation gain. You cross across some rivers by stepping on big logs. And, there are nice views of waterfalls along the way, as well as the lake itself. It is a very fun and easy hike.

I think people are so consumed with summiting Mt. Whitney that they forget there's a beautiful lake…read morejust a short distance from the main trail. It's only 2.5 miles from the trailhead, but because of the high altitude it took us longer than we expected. The lake is at 10, 050 ft. and it is absolutely gorgeous! It was also very tranquil and had we not been pressed for time, we would've liked to sit on one of the tree trunks to just relax and enjoy the scenery more. The lake is also the only place you can hike to without a permit. Don't be stupid and think you can go beyond the lake without a permit! If you get caught by the wilderness police, i.e. Park Ranger, you'll be fined $5000 and a 6 month imprisonment!!

Great scenery. It gets Cold and Windy in Winter time. I've…read moreheard it's the same in summer time, too. Definitely recommend.

The Alabama Hills area serves as a steady transition from Lone Pine civilization to Whitney…read morewilderness. + Quiet, peaceful scenic area. Pleasant nature ambience. - Minimal shade, water, and restrooms. Dry climate. - Barely anyone around to ask for help or directions. . Tip: I recommend stopping by Nightmare Rock and Mobius Loop trail to see the photogenic Mobius Arch circumscribing Mt Whitney next time you're cruising through Alabama Hills. . Fun fact: many old western movies were filmed among these hills, including Django Unchained.

Wow!! Just got back from a two night backpacking trip. I stood at lake one and lake two and it…read moredidn't disappoint. This is my third time here and first time as an overnight. I got to explore, fish, swim, relax, and wake up to an amazing view. This hike is hard especially with a 35-40lb backpack. Plenty of tent site if you got a permit.

Stayed couple days in mid-May at the Upper Sage campground and did the hike to the first two lakes…read more Due to snow, it's where most people turned around. It was the perfect distance for a nice day hike, at about 10 miles. Nice reward of picturesque lakes at the end, and you turn around head back. I went down to touch the water, but some people went swimming in the ice cold water! This was a very popular trail and seemed like everyone brought their dogs. Out of maybe 20 parties with dogs, 1 actually had it on a leash. I would recommend starting this hike early so you can grab a parking spot at the trailhead and avoid the heat.

A fun trail to walk with kids. There's plenty of free parking in the lot. The route to the hike is…read morereally just a dirt road. The trail is about a mile to and back. There are 2-3 porta potties available at the parking lot. There is very little to no shade. It's literally the desert and rocks. I do not recommend this hike during the summer. It's definitely too hot. Remember to bring a hat, sunscreen, and water!

+ Short, beginner-friendly hike. About 1.25 mile, 30 minutes…read more + Fantastic photo ops with vantages of arches circumscribing Mt Whitney. + Free access and parking. . One or two porta-potties. . Moderately crowded. . Minimal shade. - No water.

Drove by so many times never got there, I didn't know this place exists,…read moreBeautiful, check it out, easy access and lots of parking.

Majestic falls accessible to all. If you're in Lone Pine, just take Whitney Portal Road 'til it…read moreends in a campsite (which is also the trailhead if you plan to hike Mount Whitney) and there's the waterfall to the right. We parked in one of the many available spots and were able to just walk up along the waterfall to get a closer look. It was really beautiful, surrounded by tall evergreens. Just needed a bear fishing, off to the side, to complete the National Geographic cover. Seemed like the trees along the water had cement to resemble bark, which I noticed while trying to steady myself standing on one of the boulders taking pictures. I've seen pictures of the falls frozen over in the winter, so hopefully I can make it up here again before the close off the road near the end of the year.

Completed on 8.20.22 We stayed the night at Cottonwood Lakes trailhead campgrounds which sits at…read more10034 elevation, to acclimate ourselves to the altitude. Damn! This trail is GORGEOUS and offers amazing views of lakes, medows, and of course Mount Langley! Started at 5am and was back at the trail head by 6pm, spent 45 mins at the summit and 30 mins swimming at CW lake #4. Yes, it's a long, strenuous hike. 22 miles out and back, with an elevation gain of 4000ft+...If the altitude doesn't get you exhausted, the ascent will. I started to feel symptoms of AMS around 9000ft and then again at 13000ft, take your time, hydrate, and eat. Took the new army pass up, pretty and well maintained trail, as you pass "High Lake" you'll see what's to come... New army pass is almost vertical climb up to a flase summit. You have about another 1500ft of climbing to do, to reach the summit. Desecended down the "Army Pass", this trail is a bit sketchy and nerve-wracking, if you're afraid of heights. It's totally manageable and doable, just try to focus on the trail... I carried 5l of water and lots of healthy and not so healthy snacks. Also GU gels and Tylenol will help you on this hike. There's plenty of water source in the area, so you don't necessarily have to hike with a full pack, just bring water filtering system...you'll be alright. Weather was perfect for this hike...bugs were present, but wasn't too bad. I would definitely hike this trail again! Good luck, do research, and believe what you read. It's really important to listen to your body! Happy Trails!!

This is an often overlooked mountain that is overshadowed by its sister, Mount Whitney. However,…read morethis 14er is nothing to sneeze at. The beauty of this hike is that it is good training for Whitney and it does not require a permit for day hiking, which is what we did. Depending on the trail that you choose, the total mileage can range from 20-24 miles. New Army Pass is better maintained but will add 2 miles each way. We chose to go up New Army and down Old Army for 22 miles. The first 6-7 miles are pretty easy overall, with about 1,000 feet elevation gain. However, keep in mind that the trail starts at 10,000 feet, so acclimation is always recommended. Once you start the switchbacks on New Army Pass, the ascent becomes more difficult. I personally feel that the views on this hike are more picturesque than most along the Whitney trail. What makes this hike really difficult is the last 1-1.5 miles, in which you will gain just short of 2,000 feet elevation. The climb is very steep in loose sand/scree combined with boulder climbing. It reminded me a lot of Iron Mountain in SoCal but with boulders. Follow the rock cairns closely to lead you to the summit of 14,042 feet.

Wanna catch a nice fish? Go talk with Slippery Dan, and he'll set you up right. Fantastic peopleread more

Had the pleasure of meeting Dan, who I presume is the owner and operator of this little shop. A…read morefriend needed to update his fishing license, so we popped in, and I'm so glad we did. Dan was extremely friendly and helpful. I had my German Shepherd outside on the leash and Dan insisted I bring him in. I had my 6 and 4 year old boys with the intention of finding somewhere to fish for trout. Dan helped me add to my gear and shared some places to go. He knew lots of places to go and what the fish were biting and it was true. So this is more of a "Thank You" to Dan. Than a review because sure enough, with the help of his guidance, we caught a beautiful rainbow trout! Thanks again Dan!

First time for us four at Sequoia NP and we loved our experience in Crystal Cave. The staff overall…read moreloved what they do and you can tell. Right from the get go the staff welcomes your group and is telling you instructions to take care of yourself, your group and the caves/park. They greet you with enthusiasm and you learn so much. Please arrive on time! For parking there's quite a bit of spaces. There's restroom nearby so you can go before heading out. You can bring your backpack onto the trail but can't bring it inside the cave. So you can either bring it and leave it on the floor outside the cave or in your car. The trail can be a little challenging for some but very doable. Can be a little challenging for some children and some older adults. This also includes for the caves.The staff are there to watch for your safety but they do warn you about your surroundings. The cave is very cool to explore but there will be some tight spaces you will navigate through. So I don't recommend bringing a stroller and make sure your kids are able to walk and stay near. They will definitely enjoy the cool nature stuff inside! There's a gift shop stand near the entrance of the trail. You can buy nice souvenirs, snacks, and support! Overall we loved our tour and we would comeback again for this. Thank you to all the staff of Crystal Cave for all that you do and taking care of this natural beauty.

We made reservations to see the crystal cave and arrived early. They were able to move up our time…read morewhich was really nice since there's not much to do around there. Once it was time to hike down they made some general announcements and we met the guide at entrance of the cave. It was nice to have someone tell us the history of the cave and guide us through. The 20 minute hike down and up wasn't too bad and was completely doable for my 6 year old son. Overall, it was a unique experience and I'm glad we made the stop during our Sequoia trip!

A beautiful and historical place to see and walk. If you're luck you'll see obsidian, but cannot…read moretake out. Leave as is. Highly recommended.

+ Pleasant trail. Fascinating views of volcanic igneous rocks. They are black, and have various…read moresmooth, round, and porous shapes. . 3/4mi took 1/2hr. + Opportunity to get some scrambling in around the little canyon of vesicular basalt. . Note: the rocks may be smooth or slippery on the feet, yet they're easy to grip by hand. - No shade. + Free, plenty parking. -- Only 1 restroom by the trailhead. Not well maintained. Outta tp. Trash can full. Stinky. - No hand sanitizer or sink. Didn't see any fossils falling, despite the name. v_v loljk