Whitney Arch

Whitney Arch is one of the most picturesque rock arches found in the Alabama Hills area, though unlike the other most notable arches like Mobius Arch which are located adjacent to graded roads or set along trails, Whitney Arch sees far fewer visitors. It's not a hard arch to reach, however it requires a bit more effort and planning.

Whitney Arch can be viewed from a distance from around the intersection of Whitney Portal Road and Olivas Ranch Rd if you know where to look, although during lighting throughout much of the day, the small stone arch tends to blend in to its surroundings and may be hard to spot. With just under 3/4 mile hike each way, it's possible to get right up to it.

An unsigned trailhead begins at a fork in dirt roads. From here, a small bridge crosses Lone Pine Creek (half washed out at the time of our visit in early 2024) and continues up a single track that gradually climbs in a northwest direction. At about a quarter mile into the hike, the arch comes into view near the top of the boulder field. A metal sign post along the single track marks a good place to leave the trail and begin walking cross country in the direction of the arch. This portion of the hike can be sandy and rocky, and requires a a couple dips through dry washes and a final steep climb toward the arch at the end. 

The arch sits high in stone, and it takes some manuevering around to find the best angles to view it, however it situated right, this is one of the arches that offers a framed view of Mt. Whitney and the Sierra Nevada range through the stone. In another direction it's possible to see Owens Lake from this elevated vantage point. The views are wide, and the air tends to be silent up here.

From the arch, hikers can retrace their route back to the single track path and descend back to the trailhead.

Hikers should be aware that there is no shade along the hike, no water located in the Alabama Hills area, and vault toilets are located further away along Movie Road. All amenities are available in Lone Pine. There is also very weak to nonexistent cel coverage in the area, so any navigation and communications should be taken care of before heading into the Alabama Hills.