Whitney Portal Road Reopens After 17 Months!

Whitney Portal Road Reopens After 17 Months!

At last! On Saturday January 25th, Whitney Portal Road reopened to the public after a 17-month closure due to damage caused by Hurricane Hillary in August 2023. Locals and visitors alike can rejoice that this major access road for the Alabama Hills National Scenic Area and Whitney Portal is passable again thanks to Inyo County Public Works, Inyo County Road Department, Federal Highway Administration and Central Federal Lands. During the closure period there were 3 detours in place, none of which were well equipped to handle the volume of traffic that this area sees throughout the year. As visitors travelled these alternate routes they also discovered parts of the Alabama Hills that had previously received scant visitation. As a result, the pressures of camping and day use shifted to these areas. The Alabama Hills Stewardship Group along with concerned neighbors, brought these areas to the attention of land managers at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, who responded with increased monitoring and signage.

Now that the Alabama Hills is, once again, easily accessible via Whitney Portal Road, it’s a good time to remind people about the new camping permit requirement. Starting October 1, 2024 camping at designated semi-primitive campsites requires the Alabama Hills free permit. This free permit does not guarantee a campsite, as all sites are still first come first serve. The free permit, which is valid for one year, acknowledges that the visitor knows how and where to camp in the Hills. The Alabama Hills free camping permit can be found online, at the Eastern Sierra Visitor Center in Lone Pine, or issued in person by a BLM park ranger within the Alabama Hills.