If you’d like to get a taste of the Mt Whitney Trail without a permit you can hike up to Lone Pine Lake. It’s nestled into the mountains and has a great view down into the Owens Valley.
At roughly 5.5 miles, round trip from Whitney Portal, the hike can motivate you to start your Whitney training and sign up for the permit lottery. The Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains offer up great hiking adventures and wonderful places to wander.
Get out and #FindYourPark.