Owens Valley Drive

Owens Valley Drive – California
Mojave to Mammoth Lakes
Lying just east of the Sierra Nevada and north of the Mojave Desert, the Owens Valley of California is
one of the least known and most underrated places for vacationing in the state. With the High Sierra
immediately to the west and the Inyo and White Mountains to the east, this spectacular valley provides
the entrance to Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48 states, and to a wealth of other outdoor
adventure attractions including the John Muir Wilderness.
It's also the gateway to the western entrance to Death Valley—just a couple of mountain ranges to the
east.
Before the early 1900s, this long, narrow valley was home to the Paiute Indians, part of the Shoshoni
people, and to pre-historic natives before that. The Paiutes were nomadic desert inhabitants who were
hunters and harvesters. In the winter they lived in pit houses, covered with aspen branches, grass and
shrubs. And during the hot summers, they built more simple shaded lean-tos. Jedediah Smith and other
mountain men discovered the valley in 1827 and white settlers soon followed. They brought their cattle
and horses, started farms, and drove the natives from their homelands. In the short space of 38 years,
Indian life in the valley was extinguished.
Farms prospered throughout the valley and then the tentacles of a growing Los Angeles reached into the
valley and its ravaging truly began. In 1904, Los Angeles began using the water of the Owens River for
its water supply. By 1907, the first part of the aqueduct was completed, without too much effect on valley
farming. However, Los Angeles needed even more water and in 1921 more water rights were acquired
and many more farms were bought up, more water was pumped into the aqueduct and the farms quickly
disappeared from the valley. Wells dried up and the desert reclaimed what the early settlers had made
green. What used to be Owens Lake is now mostly dry—hard-baked salt and sand. Yet even after this
environmental calamity, the valley remains a treasure house of mountain beauty and a superb recreation
area.
In recent years, law suits managed to force the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to mitigate
some of the damage by restoring water to parts of the lake bed. You can see the results beside Highway
395 where a portion of the lake is covered with a thin layer of water, providing some relief to nearby
communities from salty dust storms. But the former days of Owens Lake being full of water, with ferry
and freight boats sailing from Cartago, are over for ever. Dirty Socks Hot Spring provides a good vantage
point from which to view the immense dry lake bed.
Along the Way
Red Rock Canyon
Our drive begins on California Highway 14 in the town of Mojave, an important crossroads in the high
(3,000 ft.) desert. To the west are the Tehachapi Mountains and to the east the desert stretches as far as
the eye can see.
North of Mojave is Red Rock Canyon State Park, with a campground situated in a setting of uplifted
layers of sandstone, lava and ruff. A short nature trail provides a glimpse of the interesting geology, and
the whole park—with its canyons and unusual rock formations—begs to be explored.
Driving the Owens Valley
Beyond Red Rock Canyon, the Owens Valley appears. Traveling up the 110 mile length of this
magnificent region is a vacation treat that everyone should undertake for historical and recreational
enjoyment. Highway 395 is the main north/south route through the valley, passing through several
distinctive towns including Lone Pine, Olancha, Independence, Big Pine and Bishop (the largest). Near
Lone Pine are the Alabama Hills. This striking landscape contains unusual twisted rock formations, where
many of the early western movies were shot, including films starring William Boyd as Hopalong Cassidy,
and others starring Roy Rogers and Gabby Hayes, Gene Autry, Gary Cooper and others. The annual Lone
Pine Film Festival, held on Columbus Day Weekend, honors that era and features the many films and TV
series made here.
The star attraction of the valley is Mt. Whitney, at 14, 495 feet the tallest peak in the contiguous United
States. It is possible for experienced hikers to walk to the summit from Whitney Portal, a delightful park
situated high on the Mt. Whitney slope, easily reached by driving west from Lone Pine on a paved,
winding road. The Portal offers astounding views of Mt. Whitney amidst pine and sequoia forest with
mountain streams tumbling to the valley below. There are four campgrounds along this road: two near
Lone Pine, another half-way along the route, and one at Whitney Portal.
North of Lone Pine is Independence, the seat of Inyo County which includes nearby Death Valley. A visit
to the old (and still operating) Winnedumah Hotel will restore memories of the glory days of the western
movies shot here, when the actors stayed in this very inn while filming in the Alabama Hills. The
Museum of Eastern California features displays on the valley's native heritage and mining history;
outdoors is a collection of early farm implements.
The peaks of the White/lnyo range have elevations of 11,000 feet and more,, and with the even higher
Sierra peaks to the west. The views up and down the valley are awesome in the true sense of the word. An
excellent place to view the Inyo Range and valley scenes is from the Onion Valley Road. This road runs
west for 14 miles across the valley and into the Sierra, with campgrounds along the way and in the high
Onion Valley. A trail through Bishop Pass offers eastern access to the Kings Canyon National Park area.
The trailhead is at the end of the Onion Valley Road and the trail climbs to the Sierra crest through the
John Muir Wilderness.
Highway 395 leads further north, past the California Bighorn Sheep Zoological Area (on the eastern
Sierra) and through the Big Pine Volcanic Field, where cinder cones and black basaltic flows are seen on
both sides of the road. The highway crosses the lava field at Taboose Creek. Big Pine, a town of nearly
4,000 people, is close to Sierra glacier country. For glacier views, take Glacier Lodge Road, west of
town.
Bristlecone Pine Forest
To see the oldest living trees in America, take Highway 168 East at Big Pine, leading to the Ancient
Bristlecone Pine Forest where there is an information center, and then the road continues into the
mountains to the Schulman and Patriarch Groves. One of the largest of the pines, "The Patriarch" is more
than 1500 years old and has a circumference of 36' 8". The trees are burly, much shorter than sequoias,
and are supported by twisted, gnarled trunks and limbs.
Bishop
This city of about 4,000 people in the Chalfont Valley, has a good range of motels and visitor services.
Highway 395 continues north, reaching the ski and summer resort community of Mammoth Lakes, on the
way to Carson City & Reno.
Mammoth Lakes
This year-round resort town features great hiking and nature-watching opportunities, plus the lure of
several hot springs in the area. Winter brings an abundance of snow, making the slopes of Mammoth
Mountain the favorite winter resort of Angelenos and other southern California residents. Natural
attractions includes the Devil's Postpile National Monument, a geological feature left from the early
volcanic eruptions that created the Sierra Nevada.
The map that follows shows the route from the Mojave Desert to the High Sierra at Mammoth Lakes.
Highways 14 and 395 — Mojave to Mammoth Lakes
Highway Log
Mojave to Mammoth Lakes
201 miles - 4 hours
Mojave A desert town with motels, gas, food, stores. The Visitor Center in an old caboose beside the
highway. Take Highway 14 north (19 miles to Red Rock Canyon State Park). The Tehachapi Range is to
the west and high desert ahead. Picnic area at the County Park.
Junction-Sideroad to California City RV park just north of the junction.
Jawbone Canyon Store—a convenience store and deli where you would least expect it (originally called
Bonk’s Store), gas. Road leads west across desert hills.
Junction-Red Rock-Randsburg Rd. Services in Johannesburg, 27 miles from junction. Randsburg is a
near ghost town, worth the short drive off the highway.
Red Rock Canyon State Park The boundary is just north of the junction with campground & ranger
station via Abbot Drive (to west).
Memorial Plaque (Father Crowley)
Freeman Junction Highway 178 to Walker Pass, Onyx & Bakersfield. Only a sign remains from the
village.
Junction-Sideroad to Inyokern A short cut to the desert valley town.
Homestead/Indian Wells Only a pair of cafes remain from the old watering place & wayside town.
Junction-Highway 395 Leads east to Inyokern & Ridgecrest.
Take Hwy 395 north into the Owens Valley.
Pearsonville Off the divided highway and known as the "Hub Cap Capital of the World." Gas, store, fast
food, picnic park.
Junction-Forest Rd. J41 This road leads up Nine Mile Canyon to camping, hiking and fishing areas.
Little Lake Historic lodge with saloon to the west of the highway.
Coso Junction Rest Area to the east.
Haiwee Reservoirs To the east. Part of the Los Angeles Aqueduct system.
Olancha Gas, store, 22 miles to Lone Pine. Old town beside former shore of Owens Lake. The industry
in the former lake port village is a prominent bottler of mountain water.
Olancha Peak (12,123 ft.) is to the west.
Junction-Hwy. 190 Connects with Hwy. 138 – to Panamint Springs. Dirty Socks Hot Springs is 4.5 miles
east, just north of Hwy 190.
Cartago Former steamboat-landing town on edge of Owens Lake.
Junction-Highway 136 Leads southeast to Keeler, Panamint Springs & Death Valley. The Eastern Sierra
Interagency Visitor Center is here, with information on Owens Valley attractions as well as Death Valley
National Park.
Lone Pine (pop. 2,060) Southern Owens Valley town with gas, motels, cafes, stores.
Junction-Whitney Portal Road This scenic byway leads through the Alabama Hills and part-way up Mt.
Whitney with campgrounds along the way and at the portal park. To the Mt. Whitney Trailhead.
Manzanar Historic Site West of the highway. Site of a World War II concentration camp which housed
10,000 Japanese-Americans.
Independence Inyo County seat with motels, hotel/inn, gas, stores, cafes and museum.
Onion Valley Road A 14-mile scenic drive ascending the Sierra range to camping & trail through Bishop
Pass. Prime sunset views.
Goodale Campground East of highway.
Rest Area East of highway within black lava fields.
Aberdeen Mobile home park on Goodale Creek.
Big Pine Town with gas, motels, cafes, store. Klondike Lake is a recreation area north of town.
Junction-Highway 168 To Westgard Pass & Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest.
Glacier Lodge Road To the rustic mountain lodge & several campgrounds plus trailer park.
Bishop A large town, 16 miles north of Lone Pine, with full services including RV parks, golf course and
a fine bakery (Schotts). Paiute-Shoshone Indian Cultural Center on West Line St.
Junction-Rd. 168 West To Lake Sabrina (19 miles) & South Lake (22 miles).
Junction-Hwy. 6 This road leads east to Tonopah, Nevada.
Sherwin Summit (el. 7,000 ft.)
Tom's Place Store, cafe off the highway near the summit above the Owens Valley, following the route of
the Owens River.
Crowley Lake Reservoir To the east.
Junction-Road to Mammoth Lakes 31 miles from Bishop. A ski and summer resort town with all
services including campgrounds, RV parking, motels, condos, restaurants and stores. Chamber of
Commerce info center on Main Street. Hwy. 375 leads north to Mono Lake, the Tioga Pass summer road
through Yosemite National Park, and farther north to Carson City and Reno Nevada and crosses the state
line into northeastern California.
NOTE: If you would like more information on this area, The Owens Valley Drive will be added to the
2013, 4th edition, of Southwest Adventures - The Road Guide, including information on destinations
along the route including recommendations for attractions, lodging and dining.