The mountain is accessible via the city of Lone Pine on US-395, running along the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada.

Although the western slope of Mount Whitney lies in Sequoia National Park, there are no roads over the crest of the Sierra Nevada (which also hides Whitney from view from Sequoia) to the mountain. The nearest routes to the other side are Tioga Pass in Yosemite National Park (which is only open in the summer) to the north, and via Bakersfield to the south.

Food, gas and other supplies are available at the base of the Mount Whitney trailhead in the town of Lone Pine.