Open 24 hours a day, Lee's Frontier has liquor, a deli, and gas.
Lee’s is less than a quarter-mile south of Downtown Lone Pine, but it feels like the last chance stop before countless miles of desert and parched landscape. For those traveling north, it’s a warm welcome from the Eastside and a fond farewell for those traveling south.
Lee’s has it all including free coffee for customers. It has all the road trip staples - sodas, chips and jerky - but a little bit more, almost a grocery store. Campers wouldn’t have to stop anyplace else for everything they might need.
There’s a deli with homemade sandwiches, soup and chili. Enjoy a delicious meal in the back yard.
Lee’s backyard has a giant post card view. There are picnic benches next to the chicken and goat pin, pretty safe for petting. Take in the panorama of the southern end of the Eastern Sierra. Lone Pine Peak and the jagged spine of the Eastern Sierra dominates the vista with the iconic summit of Mount Whitney and Mt Williamson to the north. The rusty orange Alabama Hills are at their feet.
Lee’s opened more than 30 years ago by Lee Keeler. Lee still lives in Keeler on the east side of Owens Dry Lake.
It’s part museum, too. There are local movie posters on the wall, plenty of John Wayne portraits and, as of Spring 2017, there was a working pay phone out front. Have your kids try and figure out how to use it …or maybe you should try?
Lee’s is open 24/7.
Mike Bodine has been reporting on the small town news and gossip of the Eastside for more than 15 years.