Interagency Visitors Center, Lone Pine, CA

 Despite the clunky name, the Interagency Visitors Center is well worth a visit.  It is a large center with exhibits about local bears, the Sierra Nevada Mountains, outdoor activities in Mono and Inyo counties, elevations maps, information about upcoming area events and much more.  There is a nice gift shop, a picture window with a good view of Mt. Whitney and tidy restrooms.  We picked up brochures about the nearby Alabama Hills Park and used the maps to plan our next trip - to Mono county.  The Center is staffed to answer questions about the area.  The staff member we chatted with was very nice and helpful.  The gift shop has practical items and souvenirs.

The Center is a collaboration between the National Park Service, Forestry Service, Mono County, the Bureau of Land Management, Inyo County and others.  I can't find a website for the Center itself.  It was definitely worth a quick visit and is an excellent orientation to the area.  It is conveniently located, just south of the center of Lone Pine, on SR 136 (which goes into Death Valley) and Hwy 395.  There is ample parking.

This topographic map shows Badwater Basin (Death Valley), the lowest point in North America and Mt. Whitney (Inyo County), the highest point in the contiguous United States (lower 48).