Mount Whitney
Mount Whitney Trail is a 8.7 miles trail in Inyo National Forest, California. The Forest Service rates it trail class 4, highly developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking. It enters John Muir Wilderness and Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Inyo National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 36.5869, -118.2402 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 36.5593, -118.2915 · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 6 segments.
The trail
| Length | 8.7 miles |
| Trail class | 4, highly developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 12-20 percent |
| Typical tread width | 48-60 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Evaluated and does not meet accessibility guidelines |
| Trail numbers | 3404 |
| Forest | Inyo National Forest (unit 0504) |
| States | California |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed |
| Mountain biking | Allowed year-round |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Wilderness
- John Muir Wilderness WildernessFS · about 87% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
- Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness WildernessNPS · the line touches the boundaryWilderness Connect ↗
Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.
Trailheads
No season published · listed closed One night stay limit. Active bear area, bear boxes are provided and must be used (typical bear box size 48" x 30" x 36") | 0 mi |
Distance is from the point to the nearest part of the trail line. Season text is what the forest wrote and is often a season name rather than a date. The recreation page link goes to the Forest Service site, which may redirect to the forest's recreation index.
Camping nearby
Campsite Atlas cards carry site counts and booking links from Recreation.gov. Forest Service cards come from the recreation layer and link the agency page.
Explore
Park units nearby
Historic places nearby
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Mount Whitney Trail?
8.7 miles, the sum of the 6 segments the Forest Service records under this name in Inyo National Forest.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Mount Whitney Trail?
hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Mount Whitney Trail start?
The line begins at 36.5869, -118.2402 and ends at 36.5593, -118.2915. The nearest recorded trailhead is Mt. Whitney Trailhead Campground, 0 miles from the line. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Mount Whitney Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters John Muir Wilderness and Sequoia-Kings Canyon Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: John Muir Wilderness Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Mount Whitney Trail?
Mt. Whitney Trailhead Campground (0 mi), Whitney Portal (0.5 mi) and Lone Pine (3 mi) are within five miles of the trail. Site counts and booking links are on Campsite Atlas.
Source: Campsite Atlas
How developed is the Mount Whitney Trail?
Trail class 4, which the Forest Service describes as highly developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Mount Whitney Trail?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 48-60 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Mount Whitney Trail accessible?
No. The Forest Service evaluated it and found it does not meet its accessibility guidelines.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Mount Whitney Trail?
Inyo National Forest, Forest Service unit 0504. The trail is in California.
Source
This page is built from 6 segments named MOUNT WHITNEY in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0504. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed September 17, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.