Roads

Horseshoe Meadows Road
The Horseshoe Meadows Road leads to the Cottonwood Lakes and New Army Pass trailheads. Drive west from Lone Pine along the Whitney Portal Road for 3.2 miles. Head left or south on the Horseshoe Meadows Road. The road passes Granite View Drive and Tuttle Creek Campground (free BLM) after about 2 miles, and comes to a gate (locked in winter) 4.7 miles later. The road then starts to climb several switchbacks and after another 13.0 miles is the trailhead for the Cottonwood Lakes / New Army Pass Trail. It continues an other 0.3 mile to Horseshoe Meadows, roads end with the Horseshoe Meadows campgrounds, and the trailhead for Cottonwood Pass.

Granite View Drive
Granite View Drive is an alternative approach to the Tuttle Creek and Horseshoe Meadows Trailhead. Drive west up the Whitney Portal Road 3.2 miles from Lone Pine to the Horseshoe Meadows Road. Turn left or south on the Horseshoe Meadows Road, past the Tuttle Creek Campground, to Granite View Drive, 2.0 miles south of the Horse shoe MeadowsWhitney Portal junction. Turn right (west) on the dirt road, and after 2.3 miles the road forks. Go right, and continue another 2.0 miles to a sandy parking area on a broad plain at the base of the escarpment which overlooks Tuttle Creek. Highclearance, fourwheeldrive vehicles can continue another 0.5 mile, but the road is steep and loose.

Whitney Portal Road
The Whitney Portal Road leads from Lone Pine to the Meysan Lakes and Mt. Whitney trailheads. Drive west up the road from Lone Pine, passing the Horseshoe Meadows Road after 3.2 miles, and continue up the steep grade to Whitney Portal. At about 6 miles there is the Lone Pine USFS campground and the trailhead to the Mt. Whitney National Scenic Trail. At 11.3 miles from Lone Pine the road passes the Meysan Lakes Trailhead, and the Mt. Vvlhitney Trailhead at 12.1 miles. The road ends in a loop 0.2 mile beyond the Mt. Whitney Trailhead. There is abundant parking at the trailhead.

Symmes Creek Road
The Symmes Creek Road leads to the Shepherd Pass Trailhead. Drive west from Independence on the Onion Valley Road for 4.5 miles to Foothill Road. Turn left (south) onto the dirt road, and turn right at a fork after 1.3 miles. Continue another 1.6 miles to a corral. This is the stock trail head; hikers should continue driving to the next fork, 0.4 mile farther. Turn right (west) and drive another 1/2 mile to an other fork. Go right, and continue another mile to the Shepherd Pass Trailhead for hikers.

George Creek Road
This road begins 5.3 miles south of Independence on Highway 395, or 10.3 miles north of Lone Pine on the same highway. Head west on the dirt road, pass a gate (leave it as you found it, either open or closed), and continue on toward the south south. Drive past the Manzanar Cemetery to a fork 2.6 miles from the highway. Turn right, and continue driving toward the mountains for 5.0 miles to another fork. Turn left anddrive to the trailhead after another 1.3 miles.The last 1/2 mile of the road is the worst. Only high clearance, 4WD vehicles are suitable.

Trails

Cottonwood Pass Trail (3 1/2 miles)
This trail leads from the end of the Horse shoe Meadows Road to the summit of Cottonwood Pass in 3 1/2 miles. The Cottonwood Pass Trail continues downhill, through Big Whitney Meadow, where it eventually joins the Siberian Pass Trail. One branch of the Pacific Crest Trail heads south and east from Cottonwood Pass to Trail Pass, and beyond. From Cottonwood Pass, the Pacific Crest Trail traverses the southern slopes of Cirque Peakbefore climbingand then descending to ajunction with the Siberian Pass Trail after 5 miles. Siberian Pass is 1 mile to the south, and you can meet the New Army Pass Trail by hiking 1/4 mile north. Continuing west ward, the Pacific Crest Trail gradually descends for 4 miles to meet the end of the New Army Pass Trail. The Pacific Crest Trail continues down Rock Creek another 1/2 mile, where it crosses to the north side of the creek. The trail then climbs to the saddle northeast of Mt. Guyot, goes through Guyot Flat, and descends to lower Crabtree Meadow after 6 miles. The Pacific Crest Trail heads north for 1/2 mile from lower Crabtree Meadow to a junction with the John Muir Trail. From Lower Crabtree Meadow, a shortcut trail gradually climbs to the northeast on the north side of Vvhitney Creek for I mile, where it meets the John Muir Trail near Crabtree Ranger Station. Another side route goes down into the Kern River Canyon by following the creek immediately south of Whitney Creek. Beautiful campsites can be found on the ridgetop just prior to dropping down into the Kern Drainage.

Cottonwood Lakes Trail and New Army Pass Trail (7 miles)
This is the direct trail leading from Horseshoe Meadows to New Army Pass. From the trailhead along the Horseshoe Meadows Road, the easy trail to Cottonwood Creek and on to Golden Trout Camp is 2 miles. IThe trail then heads up the creek another 2 miles to Cotton wood Lakes basin, where many use trails have appeared, leading fishermen to their favorite spots. Wood campfires are prohib ited within 300 feet of water in Cottonwood Lakes basin, and special fishing regulations are also enforced. The trail to New Army Pass takes off to the west, passing Long Lake and High Lake. The summit of the pass is approximately 3 miles beyond the Cottonwood Lakes basin. The trail descends the western side for 2 1/2 miles to the Siberian Pass Trail. The trail then goes north for 1/2 mile, crossing one of the tributaries of Rock Creek. One trail goes northeast from here, leading to the "Soldier Lakes" southwest of The Major General. The New Army Pass Trail continues down Rock Creek another 6 miles to a junction with the Pacific Crest Trail. There are two other, older trails leading to Cottonwood Lakes. One trail leaves the Horseshoe Meadows Road near the old pack station and ascends Little Cottonwood Creek before descending to Golden Trout Camp after 4 miles. The other trail, which leaves the Horseshoe Meadows Road below the new trailhead and climbs up Cottonwood Creek to Golden Trout Camp, is 1/4 mile longer than the current New Army Pass Trail, and it involves an extra 500 feet of gain. At one time there was a trail over Army Pass ( 1/2 mi NE of New Army Pass) but it has been abandoned. The northeastern side of the Army Pass Trail holds snow almost all summer long and rockfall was a continuous hazard.

Meysan Lakes Trail (3 miles)
The trailhead for the Meysan Lakes Trail is located 11.3 miles from Lone Pine along the Whitney Portal Road. Walk past the lower Whitney Portal Campground, through the summerhomes, following the signs. The trail starts its climb up the north side of Meysan Creek. The actual trail ends just before Meysan Lake, but there are many use trails around the lake, and crosscountry travel is easy in the upper part of this basin. This trail is heavily used, and wood fires are prohibited in the entire Meysan Creek drainage.

The Mt. Whitney Trail (11 miles)
This is the most heavily used trail in the High Sierra. Wood fires and pack and saddle stock are prohibited along the trail. Camping is prohibited at Mirror Lake and along Trailside Meadow. Crowds are abundant in the summer and permits must be reserved. The trail starts next to a big sign and register at the end of the Whitney Portal Road. It gradually climbs around north slope of the canyon and crosses the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek I mile from the trailhead. This is the takeoff point for the Mountaineers Route. The trail then climbs for 2 miles, crosses to the south side of the South Fork of Lone Pine Creek, and heads past the junction of the Lone Pine Lake Trail. There are great views from the eastern shore of Lone Pine Lake. The Mt. Whitney Trail continues another mile to Outpost Camp. The trail then crosses to the north side of the creek, and after 1/2 mile passes Mirror Lake.(camping is prohibited) After another mile, "Trailside Meadow" (no camping) is encountered and another mile after that it reaches Trail Camp (el. 12,000') 97 switchbacks then lead to Trail Crest (el. 13,777) The Mt. Whitney Trail meets the John Muir Trail 1/2 mile beyond Trail Crest. It is another 2 miles along The John Muir Trail and the Crest of the Sierra to the summit of Mt. Whitney.

The John Muir Trail (212 miles)

The High Sierra Trail (54 miles)

The Shepherd Pass Trail (12 miles)
The Shepherd Pass Trail is long, steep, and difficult. The middle part of the trail has a 500 feet of loss on the climb up. This trail offers direct access to the Upper Kern River Basin. There are two trailheads for the Shepherd Pass Trail, one for hikers and the other for stock. Those hiking the stock trail will hike an extra 1 1/4 miles. From the hikers trailhead, the trail crosses Symmes Creek four times before beginning its long, steep climb up and over a ridge before descending to the Shepherd Creek drainage. After 6 miles, the trail crosses Shepherd Creek near Anvil Camp. Wood campfires are prohibited in the vicinity of Anvil Camp. The trail crosses the creek again after another 1/4 mile at The Pothole; an abandoned trail leads over Junction Pass (which was the Muir Trail before Forester Pass was completed) from here. The Shepherd Pass Trail continues through moraines, and possible snowfields, to Shepherd Pass. The trail then descends the Tyndall Creek drainage 4 miles to join with the John Muir Trail. The Shepherd Pass Trail passes through the California Bighorn Sheep Zoological Area, east of the Sierra crest. Dogs are prohibited in this area.