This is a must stop if this is the first time traveling through the Owens Valley. Many informative displays inside and a cool cross section of the pipes used for the aqueduct. Little gift shop inside and rangers here to answer questions. I usually stop here to use the bathroom but they were out of service two weeks ago. Fortunately, there are plenty of places in town down the street to use the bathroom. read more

The Eastern Sierra Visitor's Center is a great place to gather information before stopping at Whitney Portal, Alabama Hills, Big Pine, and Death Valley National Park. They carry detailed maps and souvenirs for purchase, and there are rangers on site who are available to answer any questions that you may have in regards to trails and weather conditions. I stopped here before attempting to hike from Whitney Portal to Lone Pine Lake. The rangers let me know that there would be too much snow and that a snow storm was brewing in Whitney Portal and that they didn't advise anyone to hike there at that time. They encouraged me to explore the Alabama Hills instead which I happily ended up doing. I was very grateful that stopped there first because it would have been scary to get stuck in the snow and/or snow storm up in Whitney Portal. You can also acquire Mount Whitney and hiking permits here. There are restrooms on site but they weren't open at the time that I was there, so they had portable restrooms right outside. There's a few small exhibits that you can check out as well if you have time. The rangers were very helpful and I will definitely stop by again during a different time of the year before heading to Whitney Portal. read more

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The visitor center has a gift shop, clean restrooms, a nice drought resistant garden, a 3d map of the sierras. Nice place will return. read more

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Great place to stop on your way to the Western Sierra Nevada's (WSN) for permits, weather information and to learn about the history of the WSN. The workers here are super-helpful and friendly and can point you in the right direction. Best place to stop for a bathroom break and water refills too. The views from here are outstanding and if you're off-roading, I highly recommend you stop here before you head off into the desert on your own. Located right on highway 395, if this is your first trip to the area or you're into the outdoors and want to know the conditions of local hiking and biking and camping areas/trails, stop here to get the scoop before you proceed. read more

Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center - Visitor Centers Near Me - Lone Pine, California

This visitor center is gorgeous and jam-packed with useful info about the entire region. The walls are covered in displays and highlights about the different sub-regions of the Eastern Sierras. These go all the way north to Mono Lake, east to Death Valley, and other fascinating areas. There's a giant 3D map of the dramatic mountain ranges and valleys, that puts everything into much clearer context. There's a staffed information desk, and a well-stocked gift shop with all manner of National Park and nature gear. I was able to pick up a Mt Whitney edition from my favorite brand of outdoor-proof maps! My favorite part is the huge viewing alcove on the west end of the building. It frames Mt Whitney and the other stunning peaks in the area, and illustrates which peak is which, to get your bearings. It's a wonderful spot to sit indoors out of the heat (my visit was at the end of June) but still enjoy a beautiful view of the the Eastern Sierras. The staff were friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. I even got good local lunch advice. The grounds include lovely trees and fields, large and clean restrooms, and a native plant interpretive garden. If you're in the area and are curious to learn more about the stunning scenery all around you, this visitor center is definitely worth a stop. read more

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Always the stop to pick up wilderness permits for Mt. Whitney and Big Pine Lakes. Of all the visitor centers I've been to, this is on the list of my favorites. It's big and spaced out, you're not cramped trying to walk around. Their information counter is big and from experience, always had about 4 rangers on duty, ready to help you. Restrooms are well kept and clean, multiple stalls. Vending machine for other refreshments available. There's a water fountain to refill your supply. They have maps and information packets (suggested donation of $3). The shop is also loaded with all kinds of things from patches to books to shot glasses. Nice stop to break your drive to or from Mammoth Lakes. My favorite spot here? Towards the right end... there are couches for you to sit on facing the mountains, directly looking at the peaks, while getting some nice a/c. LOL. I've picked up wilderness permits here after hours and they have this little hut outside along the street where they leave your permits. They provide you with the code to open and you just look for your last name, take the permits and leave the yellow envelope it came in. You have to inform them beforehand that you need it at the lock box. So convenient and no pressure to make it to the visitor center before they close. Huge parking lot. I've never seen it full. So far, the many times I've been here... it's never been busy. This is located on the corner of Hwy 395 and Hwy 136 (Death Valley). Make the stop, let your car rest, stretch your legs, refill your nalgenes... and sit inside for some good old a/c. read more

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Beautiful visitor center, gorgeous location. Even if it's closed stop by and enjoy the views, you will not regret it. I wish there was a penny machine (pressed pennies with images of the area attractions) at this visitor center. Would love to have an image of Alabama Hills or a cowboy on a penny. The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable, but the center was somewhat busy so we didn't want to take inside photos. read more

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Better then any rest area around. And for sheer majestic views of the Eastern Sierras and the Alabama Hills, you've got to make this stop on any road trip through the Owens Valley. Such a beautiful and peaceful setting outdoors, with informative and fun exhibits indoors. And don't forget the gift shop! But another reason we made this stop was because my wife knows the woman who designed it; her coworker in Los Angeles. read more

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This visitor center is a usefull stop if you have never been up the east side of the Sierra Nevadas before- and even if you have. Nice displays, friendly, helpful staff. Lots of parking and nice bathrooms. A great place to start when heading out to the mountains. read more

Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center - The visitor center has all the info....and some wild life! - Visitor Centers Near Me - Lone Pine, California

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Fantastic center, it is called InterAgency Visitor center since because the visitor center is operated by federal, state and local governmental agencies, including the US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Inyo County, Mono County, California Department of Transportation, and California Department of Fish and Wildlife. That's a lot of departments/agencies! I pulled that info off their website http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo/recarea/?recid=20698 where you can pull off all sorts of other useful information like how. "At this location, one can view the highest peak in the "lower 48 states" (Mt Whitney) or plan a trip to the lowest place in the western hemisphere (Death valley)." This is a must visit place if you are conquering the ever popular Mt. Whitney. Even if you are going to other camping/hiking areas it's nice to stop by and get recent weather conditions that the rangers write on an up-to-date white board and get permits. I guess you don't HAVE to check in, but it's courtesy like how many people are on a certain trail so it won't be overcrowded, there are limits. What checking in does not do is tell the world you are on a certain trail and to come rescue you if you get lost, be smart and responsible for yourself if you're backpacking. :p Clean flushing toliets are a real draw here, after pooping in 6 inch holes or in a WAG bag for the everyone to see... toilets are luxury! :) I find the "Grow your own redwood" gift in the giftshop funny, in my neighborhood there is a tall redwood growing in the small patch of lawn in front of a condo. It's not big enough to be a problem, but just the type of tree and the location it's at it going to be hilarious in another 150 years. The rangers are very helpful and knowledgeable of the trail around and can give you conditions and estimates on time it will take you to hike the length of them. Also helps that they are young and handsome. Do stop and sign the guestbook and leave your mark in history! ;) read more

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This visitor center is awesome! When we pulled into Lone Pine I didn't realize this was right on the way into town! I also didn't realize this was the spot to pick up your Whitney permit until right when we walked in and read the signs! When you are coming up the 395 going North bound, it's on the right hand side. The roof is lined with solar panels. The building looks brand new! Nice clean toilets as well. When we walked in there weren't very many people there, but within 20 minutes the place got busy, seems the crowd comes in waves. What we got out of the visitor center: - picked up our Whitney permits -picked up maps for Mt Whitney Trail and Alabama Hills - rented a bear canister for $2.50/day - picked up wag bags - picked up some souvenirs Very informational and the rangers are very helpful in telling you where everything is, like the famous rock face, or how to use a wag bag haha. Great views of the mountains from this building as well. Bear canister return, they do have an after hour drop box as well. read more

Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center - View from their parking lot - Visitor Centers Near Me - Lone Pine, California

Great visitor center, crappy hours. The gift shop is incredible, I wanted to buy all the things. Lots of great books about the animals/nature/plants/animals of the area. This is also where you can get permits for things like Mt Whitney and Charlotte Dome. Permits for the same day are lottery'd out at 8am, and for the next day at 10am. You draw a number out of a hat and then they call them in order. The trip leader from every party gets a number. They often add a couple extra numbers to the hat, so that there are more numbers than trip leaders. THEY SHOULD STOP DOING THIS. I witnessed someone, at the last minute, acting like they were a "trip leader" when their trip leader had already drawn a number. Luckily my belief that the universe is just was strengthened when they BOTH drew high numbers and we were served before them. This place also has pretty stunning photography on display. Definitely worth a stop! read more

ONE STEP CLOSER TO THE RIGHT TO HIKE!!! BACKGROUND: This unique facility provides regional information and orientation to travelers in the Eastern Sierra Nevada and Northern Mojave Desert. At this location, one can view the highest peak in the "lower 48 states" (Mt Whitney) or plan a trip to the lowest place in the western hemisphere (Death Valley). Passes and permits that are required for some activities on public land are available at this visitor center. STATS: Hours: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily Free Parking Fees: Entering Mt. Whitney Zone: $15/ Person. Not entering Mt. Whitney Zone: $5/ Person. Transaction fee of $6/ Group. ESSENTIALS: A reservation to hike EXPERIENCE: After winning the Lottery for the opportunity to hike Mt. Whitney, our last essentials are picked up here; Permit and Wag Bags. Inside the visitor's center is a gift shop filled souvenirs, assorted clothing, maps and books. In addition, there is a huge three dimensional map of the Sierra Mountain Range, as well as grand pictures of Mt. Whitney and other Peakable Summits. The staff at the Visitors Center are extremely knowledgeable and helpful and provided us with important information about our upcoming adventure. If ever in the Lone Pine hood and enjoy the great outdoors, stop by this visitor's center and take a gander at all that they have to offer. read more

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Beautifully modernized Visitor Center with some awesome bathrooms! It's a great pit stop for picking up permits, maps and getting your questions answered about adventuring in the Sierras or the surrounding environs. I enjoyed reading their presentation on Wag Bags and how they function, as this is the place where many people stop before trekking up Whitney. I've found that the older rangers are a little more knowledgable if you need to get in depth questions answered. We've been here several times and have had loads of questions and we've found that sometimes those young guys kinda make up answers to the questions they don't know about. Thankfully we take their advice with a grain of salt and utilize the internet or other visitor centers to clarify our questions. read more

A great center with clean bathrooms, a gift shop, maps, nice rangers, and an abundant amount of information. I love that you can just sit (or stand) and admire Mt. Whitney from here. This is a great place to stop even if you're not picking up a permit. It was nice to take my parents here and read about the history of the area. =) read more

Nice little stop as we headed into the Alabama Hills. We were able to pick up a great book on the history of movies filmed in the Alabama Hills (complete with maps, pictures, and even GPS coordinates). The woman at the counter was friendly and helpful with a great deal of knowledge of the area, as she was a local herself. It's always a pleasure to stop into places like this and ask locals about the best places to visit. Stop in and explore! read more

This Visitor Center is a hidden gem. It lies conveniently at the junction of the 395 and the 136, so anyone on their way to Death Valley via Lone Pine--or vice versa--will pass right by it. From the road it appears as a fairly nondescript building with a great big parking lot, but don't be tempted to pass it by--everyone visiting the area should stop here! There is so much fascinating history in this valley that most visitors driving through between SoCal and Bishop/Mammoth/Reno don't take the time to appreciate. An hour in here is a great start for a deeper understanding of this wonderful area. Let's start, though, with the grounds: Copious parking for all size vehicles, shaded picnic areas, the best view of Mt. Whitney you could hope to get, large and clean bathrooms, water refill stations, and a garden highlighting all the native plants--this property is a winner before you even walk in the doors! Once you come inside, you will be amazed at the amount of information they have available here. The exhibits are separated by region--Death Valley, Mojave-Kern, Mono County, and Owens Valley--so there's a lot to take in about this vast landscape. A huge 3D topo map gives a really fantastic visual for the geology of the area, especially for the kids, who sometimes have a hard time grasping how the highest point in the lower 48 is so close to the lowest point. A massive cross section of a piece of pipeline gives another important reminder of the relationship between this area and the LADWP. If all the learning wears you out, then you can relax in the sitting area facing the enormous picture window that frames Mt. Whitney. Before you leave, though, don't forget to visit the store! This gift shop is as well stocked as some of our more popular national parks. Fantastic souvenirs and local handicrafts make it a great place to browse, and the book section has every possible title currently in publication on this fascinating area. Seriously...I've been to a LOT of Visitor Centers, and this one ranks among the best. It is a must-stop in every regard. **JUNIOR RANGERS: As of 2015, the Inyo National Forest entered into the NPS Junior Ranger program. Their program is active at any of the visitor centers in their four ranger districts: Mt. Whitney (this location), White Mountain (at Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest Visitor Center), Mammoth (at Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center), and Mono Lake (at Mono Basin Scenic Area Visitor Center). The workbook covers all four districts, and you can pick it up at any visitor center. Completing the relevant section of the book will earn you the badge (which covers all districts), and each district has its own individual patch that you can also earn at each site. read more

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Stopped by on Friday at 3:30 and they were closed. I guess I am hiking Whitney without my permit

We stopped here on the way to Mt Whitney Portal to pick up our permits. The view from the outside of this place is nice because you can get a good photo opp of the Sierra Nevada mountains. The place is pretty small but it's nice and clean. There's maps and neat displays of the surrounding Sierra Nevadas. They have a cute gift shop with lots of books on the outdoors, keychains, shirts and postcards. I got a few postcards with photos of Mt Whitney on them. read more

Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center - Photo opp outside. It was very bright. - Visitor Centers Near Me - Lone Pine, California

If you need a permit for your hiking adventure, you gotta get it somewhere. The Lone Pine center is a shorter drive from So. Cal., so you can plan to stop here instead of trying to make closing time further down the road. The center is very large, with a gift shop if you have kids in tow or need guidebooks for your hike. If there is a crowd, get a number since there really wasn't a line here. The rangers are friendly and happy to answer questions, just be aware that they cover a huge area, so they may not know the particulars of your trailhead. read more

I've been to this visitor center many times throughout the year, either picking up a backpacking permit, stopping to look at their merchandise, etc. I've always got good customer service and always look forward to my visits here! read more

Very nice, spacious, modern, clean visitor's center which can get you started on your trip in the area. The person who helped me was very nice and informative, giving me a lot of information about the arches in the Alabama Hills that helped me plan my visit there. I definitely recommend stopping in if you're visiting the area. read more

I stopped here with the munchkin on my last trip to mammoth to just chill and see what junior ranger stuff we could find... WHOA!!! they had it all I think... We got hooked up with the Inyo National forest Junior Ranger guide book and badge as well as the Death Valley Junior Ranger guide book and badge. This place rocked on the Jr Ranger end of the spectrum. However, the most important reason to be able to come here is quite simply this. If you are cruising the PCT, the JMT, looking to hike Whitney, camping in the Inyo NF (fire or camp permits) this is where you need to come to pick this stuff up. They have the official stamps and paperwork here. You can get a bunch of maps, eastern sierra PCT, JMT, Whitney swag as well. They have some flora and fauna examples here and that makes things nice. They also have a bunch of animal displays and information on anything you can think of in the area. The rangers and staff here are very helpful. They have bear boxes for grub to rent. The public restrooms could be critical for your drive as well ;) There is a small swag area filled with the typical ranger station/visitor center types of goods for sale. Honestly I highly suggest that you stop in here and see what this place has to offer... I bet it has something that you may need, want, or can learn. read more

Fortunately, anyone picking up passes to hike Mt. Whitney or trying to get in on the walk-in daily permit quota for the summit has to stop at this comprehensive center. Right at the turnoff towards Death Vallely, this glassy structure quenches the eye amidst the arid, breath-extracting Sierra scenery. The bathrooms are state-of-the-art, and the bubblers are delayed to prevent freezing in the fountain, and there's a note informing you of the fact. Indoors, friendly rangers with magnetic smiles gently seek you out to make sure you're being helped. There's plenty of space to browse the funky merchandise suitable for all age ranges. Any map, any information that you sought before is here. There are even dioramas and historical videos to make this comfortable checkpoint oddly hard to leave. The ranger who printed and signed our permits was young, happy, and accessible, but still managed to lay down some serious rules and admonitions. These included removing scented sunscreen from cars to deter roving black bears and carrying our crap (literally) in a "Wag Bag" with water-activated odor neutralizing gel powder all ready to go. He gave us our bags and also informed us that flooding on the Whitney Trail had washed away some log crossings at a creek crossing. He told us we had to suck it up and take our shoes off rather than trying to do the Jesus walk (he didn't say "Jesus walk," but that's what I was thinking) and falling into the knee deep water. Even after the somber talk of bears, shit, and creek crossings, his expertise and the tranquil space of the Visitor Center equipped us with all the psychological preparation we needed to go back into the wild. read more

Lovely place for a bathroom stop when you are on your way to Yosemite/Mammoth from Los Angeles. The bathrooms are super clean and parking is plentiful. There's also really interesting information inside the visitor center and rangers to assist with any questions. read more

Raina Aide is knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly. Cool displays and books too. Wish there was always a ranger here for permits.

Great place for information on hikes and really cool to see US Forestry officials working the permit desk. Love this place!

This place is a really awesome facility in what feels like a desolate place! This is the location to pick up hiking permits for Whitney, and a great resource for other information about the area. The building is air-conditioned and very modern. The displays and rangers inside are helpful and informative. This is a much nicer place than I expected when I was told to pick up my permits in Lone Pine :) read more

Great place to stop before driving into Death Valley. Most of the National Parks you drive into have the information/welcome station near the entrance of the park, but Death Valleys wasn't until about the middle of the drive. Stop here and pick up your maps, information, and to ask any questions. We were extra thankful we stopped here because the welcome station was out of the newspaper info guide they give out and we find that most helpful! Clean bathrooms and a small gift shop too! read more

As the main visitor center for the region, it fulfills the necessary spectrum of services. The information desk has passes and permits. Recent reports from other visitors about the latest trail conditions are available inside and summarized outside the building. The educational displays cover topics for the entire valley including a picture window with view of the range with Mount Whitney (the highest summit in the 48 states). The gift shop includes a bookstore with maps and guides. Without a postal address, the building is located at the southeast corner of Hwy 395 and Hwy 136. When on Hwy 395, the junction also has signs for Visitor Center and Death Valley National Park. read more

I won't talk about the permit pickup because it looks like it's been covered by everybody else. This is a beautiful center. I wish I spent a little more time here. It has exactly what you need - maps, information about the area, how to use the wag-bags, a flushing toilet, and a place to get a grip or just relax while looking at the mountains. read more

The workers are super nice and helpful :) feel very welcomed. We got permit for a big group going up Whitney - mountaineering route. They helped with maps and some useful pointers. read more

Great customer service. On my first attempt to summit Mt Whitney, I made a call to the station to ask if I could pick up my permit after hours. They had the permits nearly organized in a lock box near the ranger station and wag bags. The ranger I spoke to on the phone also gave me perfect directions. Since I was required to turn around due to a snow storm, I decided to re-attempt Whitney again the following weekend in two days. This time, I was able to show up in person to pick up my permit. Ranger Winter was friendly and helpful. Thanks Ranger Winter! I was able to make it to the top! :) read more

Great pit stop on the 395 with a very clean, large restroom and area to run your dog. The visitors center is a great resource for researching books and history of the area. (Prices are all full-boat and can be better had online.) T-shirts, hats and (Chinese produced!) coffee mugs of the JMT, Mt. Whitney and other knick knaks on sale here. Go to the west end of the center for a free museum on the Owens Lake and LA Water project. Stand inside a former, giant water pipe! View of Mt. Whitney from the large picture window. Really a 5-star building and presentation...the area around the building is under constant improvement. Service a bit sketchy here. There are always a lot of "rangers on duty but only some actually help you and you always have to ask for it. Not the regular, happy rangers in the parks I find hiking and fishing. Hence, the 3-star rating. (My Rant: Rangers work for us and their job is to serve us. They seem too busy working their email (or FB!) to chat with you about water history or guide you on best hiking info. Really? Too bad.) read more

I notice that most of the hot reviews are from SoCal folks & out of state. My email from Recreation.gov says I have to pick up my wilderness permit here for Shepherd Pass. I'm looking at possibly driving way past my trailhead & then having to turn around and go back when I could easily pick up a wilderness permit in Bishop. If my phone call turns out that I can pick up the permit in Bishop after all, I'll put a word in. So this just in. I reached them by phone & I believe it was Alan (don't know the real spelling) double-checked with someone to make sure he had the right scoop. I can pick up the permit in Bishop or any other place where permits are available-- it's a reservation, not a walk-in. I called the Bishop (White Mountain) ranger station to confirm, and got the same story from a woman on the phone there. FYI the Bishop location is a lot less busy. I've been in the door in both places. So I've upgraded my star rating. It's not 5 star because Interagency Visitor Center was kind of hard to get on the phone. ***Important for some folks: if you have reservations for Whitney you have to go the Interagency Visitor Center.*** read more

Pick up your Whitney passes here! It's a pretty cool place that has 3D topo maps of the location, and an interpretive area that educates you on the history and environmental uniqueness of the Owens Lake basin area. There is a wildlife souvenier store for maps, books, shirts and trinkets. Also some very clean and well kept restrooms as well. Folks at the kiosk were very helpful. P.S. If you have never used a WAG bag before (to dispose your waste on the Whitney trail) there is a good poster board here that demonstrates the setup and disposal. read more

This place is so efficient on permits! Leslie at the permit desk was awesome!! So helpful and engaging! Give that gal a raise!

Very helpful, very useful information and very friendly staff. I like how they handled the raffle drawing with mount Whitney walk-in permits. Everyone had a fair chance. Free WAG bags were also given out to high altitude hikers. Nice modeled map of the region middle of the visitor center was really cool. read more

This is a very nice visitors center. Staff very helpful about things to do around the area. Gift shop very nice with lots of information about the area. read more

I've stopped in here 10 or 15 times over the past years to pick up permits and buy maps. The staff is always friendly; the facility is modern and enjoyable; and the bathrooms are clean and air conditioned! Advice from the staff can range from worthless to priceless, but it is normally very good. We had an especially great time speaking to (Tom or Tim?) a man at the front desk about possible hikes near Convict Lake. If you are heading up to the Sierras to backpack, you are already going to stop in here, but it is nice to know it will be a pleasant experience. read more