Snuggle up in sleeping bags or motel beds
by Catherine Felty, Outpost staff
Through many trips to Lone Pine, Calif., my husband, Steve, and I have found that there are campgrounds to suit any nature-lover's taste. Nearly every environment may be found in or around the Owens Valley, from the rolling and rocky Alabama Hills and the Sierra Nevada to Death Valley National Park, about 100 miles east.
Only a few miles from Lone Pine, small creeks, frequently stocked with trout by the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife, provide threads of greenery that wind down from the 14,494-foot peak of Mount Whitney, the highest point in the continental United States.
Campers find scenic spots to pitch tents
Campgrounds may be found along these little creeks, nestled down in little canyons cut by the creeks over thousands of years. We've found that trees shade many of the campsites, a most welcome amenity in summer months.
For high desert camping, try the Bureau of Land Management sites at Tuttle Creek, west of the rock formations in the Alabama Hill. You can reach Tuttle Creek by taking Whitney Portal Road west from Lone Pine about five miles to Horseshoe Road, then south on Horseshoe for three-quarters of a mile. Tuttle Creek has 85 campsites. There is no piped water, so bring your own. No camping fee is charged for the sites. Tuttle Creek is open seasonally, from mid-March through Nov. 1.
Teresa Crawford, another Nevadan who has spent many seasons trekking about the Eastern Sierra, finds the small campground on Lone Pine Creek to be the most pleasant of the outdoor lodging. This site, a few miles past the rock formations in the Alabama Hills, is on Whitney Portal Road in a little canyon formed by the creek.
"It is a less crowded campground and warmer at night with terrific views of the escarpment," Crawford said.
She advised campers to get there early enough to snag one of the sheltered sites near the creek. Look for a site that has a good view of the mountain peaks to enjoy sunsets of pink, lavender and indigo.
And Lone Pine Creek campground provides an alternative for hikers heading for Mount Whitney, a destination for backpackers from around the world.
"A trail to Whitney Portal leaves the west end of the campground and follows the creek," Crawford said. "It's shady and cool even when the desert is broiling."
"I have climbed Mount Whitney at least 13 times," Crawford said. "The first time, I carried a pack and camped on the summit during a full moon in October. It's a 22-mile round trip from the trailhead, with a 6,000-foot elevation gain to the summit."
But Crawford said visitors don't have to climb to the top of the mountain to enjoy the scenery. There are plenty of sites within three miles of the trailhead, including "two lovely lakes, dramatic cliffs and a large meadow."
Lakeside sites lure desert campers
When my husband, Steve, and I made our first trip to Lone Pine in 1986, we headed for the Diaz Lake campground, and we've headed there ever since. Operated by Inyo County, the lake is two miles south of Lone Pine on Highway 395.
|
Trees, views and lakeside camping makes for happy campers at Diaz Lake, south of Lone Pine. Photo by Catherine Felty |
There are usually few campers, lots of blue jays and plenty of shade trees.
The lake, set at the foot of the Alabama Hills, has plenty of mountain top views, including Mount Whitney. Sunsets provide a spectacular light show of soft gold and rose colors on the mountains, and at night, coyotes howl from the hills behind the campground.
The campground has room for about 200 vehicles. But there are no designated sites, so campers set up under any tree that looks inviting. Flush toilets add a touch of home, and water is piped into the campground at various spots. Camping is $7 per night.
The campsites, right on the water, have piped water and flush toilets. While there are no designated spaces in this Inyo County campground, the area is designated to handle about 200 individual campsites. Pick a tree that looks inviting and put your tent under it.
Diaz Lake is the also the scene of the Lone Pine Chamber of Commerce's annual spring fish derby held on opening-day of the trout season.
"We have an early season here, opening the first weekend in March," Donna Bonnesin of the Lone Pine Chamber of Commerce said. "We have a jump on all other fishing in the area."
Although trout season closed in October, Lone Pine is already planning for next spring's opening day.
Wildlife abounds at the lake. Look for both waterfowl and land-dwelling birds. Most campers enjoy the birds and the squirrels -- but on a trip in 1993, I was glad a visiting skunk wanted to share another couple's motor home instead of our tent.
If spending the night curled up in a tent doesn't sound appealing, there are plenty of sites that can accommodate recreational vehicles and trailers. Although the BLM sites often have narrow roads and smaller campsites, there are many areas at Diaz Lake with room for large RVs.
A private campground, located on U.S. Highway 395 just past the entrance to the lake, offers a controlled environment with paved roads and RVs in neat rows. The campground has shade trees and a convenience store. The tree-shaded mobile home park on the north end of town also has overnight campsites.
Motels offer plenty of options
If you haven't brought a tent, trailer or RV, then check out the many local motels in Lone Pine. All are within easy walking distance of restaurants and cafes. We've often stayed at the Portal Motel, a few blocks south of the stop light on U.S. 395. The smaller rooms (about $45 - $55 for a double) in the front may be noisy from street traffic, but the larger rooms (around $60 per night) located on a side street are quiet. These rooms have refrigerators and microwave ovens and picture windows that look beyond the parking lot to Mount Whitney.
Across the street, the Dow Villa Motel has a swimming pool and spa, but the rooms, some of which are named after movie stars (the John Wayne suite) can run more than $80 per night.
If you're budget-minded, ask for a room in the Dow Villa Hotel, constructed in the 1920s, that's located on the same grounds. You still get to use the pool and spa, and your hotel room, though smaller than the motel rooms, will cost about half the price.
Hotel rooms with shared baths run about $35 per night, while rooms with private baths -- some with big bathtubs and tiled floors -- cost about $45 per night. Shared baths are located in the hallway. If you have friends staying there, too, ask about adjoining rooms that share a bath in between two rooms.
Although the prices are good in the hotel, check-in for both the hotel and motel can get hectic at times. On a recent trip, we waited for about 15 minutes to check into our room -- but it was a Friday on Labor Day weekend.
On a holiday weekend, most motels fill up by 6 p.m., so reservations may be necessary. During the week or on a slow weekend, visitors who check in by 4 p.m. can usually find rooms. And arriving early allows time for viewing the sunsets.
Posted Nov. 11, 1998
Copyright 1998 Nevada Outpost