Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board CottonWood Lakes / Horseshoe Meadow

In prep for whitney mid/late june I want to spend time "up" and thought horshoe meadow might be nice. I know the road isn't open yet - but my question - the campgrounds. Two are tent only? Anyone seen the horse campground? I called the forest service and asked if I could take a tent trailer (so my wife can come) to the horse campground w/ no horses and they said yes.

Anyone stayed at the horse campground before? What does it look like - does it have spots for a small trailer? any reason I can't or shouldn't do that?

Been there, done that. Looks like any other campground and yes, you could fit a tent trailer in the sites. No problems with what you are wanting to do up there.

You will enjoy it there. It is awesome and absolutely peaceful.

Is the road up to Horseshoe Meadows Campground closed? I am supposed to pick up some PCT thru-hikers there on June 6th. Is this going to be impossible? Any info is appreciated.

Ditto what CaliHawk says. Serene, spacious, and not far below timberline at about 10,000 feet, so it's a different feel than most forest campgrounds. Trees, but not shoulder-to-shoulder. It's also quite a bit higher than the Portal campground, so better overnight acclimation. You'll enjoy it.

Normally, the HS Meadow Road opens Memorial Day weekend. I'm heading up that way Sat - I'll post Mon if it is still closed.

Last week I called the Interagency Visitor Center in Lone Pine and they told me the Road to Horseshoe Meadows might be open as early as yesterday and by Memorial Day Weekend at the latest, but that was before the most recent snow. I'd call the Interagency Visitor Center and check to see if the road is going to open if I were heading that way.

What I heard last weekend was that the road had been cleared, but they hadn't finished clearing the parking areas, so basically, there was no way to turn around to head down the road. That work was going to be completed this week, but if the snow if falling hard up that high, it may not be happening.

Of course, this is all rumors and inuendo.