Whitney Portal Road Reconstruction Extended Delays to Start

The Whitney Portal Road Reconstruction is underway through a funding request from Inyo County. The road is being re-paved and needs significant repairs for safety. The project begins just west of Lone Pine and ends just east of Whitney Portal.

Starting on July 11, the construction schedule will be Monday – Friday 6:30 am to 6:30 pm. Visitors and residents should plan for extended delays from 8:00 am - 11:00 am & 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm in the upper section of road (starting just before the first switch back at the winter closure gate). Expect 30 minute delays outside of the extended delay times and areas, but within construction schedule. Road side parking will be unavailable throughout the project until further notice. Please follow all posted instructions for parking in the Portal area.

These extended delays in the upper section of road are necessary during pulverizing and paving operations.

Whitney Portal is the most popular trailhead on the forest; with hikers applying, by lottery, to ascend the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States. Mt Whitney is also the southern terminus of the John Muir Trail (JMT).

Day hiked Whitney yesterday. Checked out the road work on July 4th (after picking up permit,) and parking was a breeze at the Portal. Same early yesterday morning. You have to have a parking pass to park before 6am or overnight.

Roadside signs were up yesterday. Were not there the 4th. They say, if you read them, starting July 11 til some date in September for the no parking, but no one was parking on the road between all of the signs. (The no parking is in big red letters and the dates are smaller, scribbled with black felt pen...)