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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Lone Pine
Spend 1–2 days in Lone Pine as a base for Mount Whitney hikes and Alabama Hills; drive or shuttle to sites, walk town.
Lone Pine is a small desert town in the Eastern Sierra, offering quick access to Mount Whitney, Alabama Hills and film‑history museums. A night or two lets you hike, explore the western‑movie scenery and drive to nearby Death Valley.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (extreme heat)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $70–$100 excl. bed · Mid $120–$160 excl. bed · High $200+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police 911 · Fire/ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $2–4 |
| Burger | $8–12 |
| Gas (per gallon) | $4–5 |
| Museum entry | $5–10 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LAX · Los Angeles International
- 215 mi south, rent a car for the drive
- BHM · Bishop Airport
- 60 mi north, limited flights
Typical fares
- LAX → Lone Pine (rental car)
- ≈ $30–45 per day, 215 mi total (check)
- Shuttle to Whitney Portal
- ≈ $25 round trip (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Town is walkable; a car or pre‑booked shuttle is needed for Whitney Portal (12 mi) and Alabama Hills.
See and do
Known for
- Alabama Hills
- Mount Whitney
- Museum of Western Film History
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Death Valley National Park | CA‑136 east, then CA‑190; about 2 h drive | ≈4 h round trip |
| Fossil Falls Campground | US‑395 south, turn west; ~1 h drive | ≈2 h round trip |
| Bishop | US‑395 north 60 mi | ≈1 h each way |
Sleep
- Best Western Frontier Motel
- Basic rooms, free breakfast, pool; on US‑395
- Dow Villa Motel
- Historic 1920s motel, pool, hot tub; central town
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Disculpe |
| Thank you | Gracias |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Desert summer heat; carry water and shade.
- Dust storms from Owens Lake can reduce air quality.
- Limited services outside town; plan fuel and supplies.
Lone Pine is generally safe; main risks are summer heat, limited services outside town, and occasional dust storms—carry water and a charged phone.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Lone Pine yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Alabama Hills
- Mount Whitney
- Museum of Western Film History
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata – Lone Pine: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q123456
- Wikivoyage: Lone Pine, revision 5237945 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5237945
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/lone-pine). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.