Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest Bishop Creek Buttermilk Country

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©1999 LONDIE G. PADEL
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©1999 LONDIE G. PADEL
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Village Resort
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690 N. Main Street, Bishop, CA 93514 • 760-873-8405
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EL. 8,369
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EL. 13,126
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©1999 JANE DOVE JUNEAU / BACCVB
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Horseback riding at North Lake
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SAWMILL
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Mt. Abbot
EL. 13,704
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Valley
V O L C A N I C
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EL. 11,943
LAKES
VALLEY
Long
Lake
Piute Mtn.
EL. 12,564
Campito Mtn.
EL. 11,543
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EL. 11,472
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Ruins of the mine are still clearly visible, but for years now, the Cardinal
Resort has operated in place of the old mine, even utilizing some of the
original mining cabins for lodging.
Another reservoir created to harness hydroelectric power along
Bishop Creek, Lake Sabrina is dwarfed by an amphitheater of glacierdotted spires. Along with boating and fishing at the lake, you can hike
up several fairly steep trails that access Emerald Lakes, Blue Lake and
countless smaller lakes. For a relaxing day, have lunch at the Lake
Sabrina Boat Landing Café and take a leisurely walk along the shore.
A nearby pond and the meandering waters of Bishop Creek are great
spots to find a priceless fishing hole.
North Lake, off in its own private corner of the Sierra, is reached
by a narrow, winding, one-lane road. Not suitable for trailers or RVs,
the road heads right from Hwy. 168 just before Lake Sabrina. The view
from the road is spectacular, with vistas from Owens Valley to the White
Mountains. In April and May, snow may prevent auto travel altogether up
the road, providing an opportunity for a scenic two-mile walk to North
Lake—a splendid time to see the waterfall below North Lake at its fullest
and catch some great early-season fishing.
There are no stores or resorts at North Lake, which keeps things
quiet even in the height of the summer season. A pack station offers day
rides and extended pack trips into the high country, and a small campground serves fishermen and backpackers. If you want to stretch your legs,
there is a marvelous wildflower walk around the back of the campground
at the beginning of the Lamarck Lakes trail. In midsummer, this just might
be the greatest show of easy-to-reach wildflowers this side of the crest.
Lake Sabrina, Bishop Creek Canyon
as they perch grandly on the hillside, each taking on a personality of its own.
Across the road from the boulders, a narrow meadow meets the
rocky base of Grouse Mountain, skirted by a brisk little creek. The
main gravel road follows the creek’s course a short distance around the
north side of the solitary mountain before dwindling to a more difficult
and narrow track. For low-clearance vehicles, this is a good place to turn
around. It’s also a good spot to walk up the creek a ways to a surprising
little waterfall, another gem of a spot to picnic and explore.
If you have extra time, you can walk up the track and around to
the west side of Grouse Mountain. The meadows here are now a deer
preserve, and faint roads throughout the basin provide good walking
trails. This is a gorgeous spot; you’re high enough
now to find aspen groves and stands of Jeffrey pine
along the flanks of Grouse Mountain, and never
absent is the jaw-dropping vista across the rising
plain to Basin Mountain and Mount Tom.
The narrow, rutted road swings west across this
vast, high meadow, and there are two extended trips
in this direction—a hike up to Horton Lake or a
loop trip (four-wheel-drive only) around the basin
and back to Hwy. 168. Most visitors, however, just
plan on returning down Buttermilk Road the way
they came, treasuring the free feeling of wide open
spaces and a vista of Owens Valley and lofty White
Mountains on their way back to Bishop —a fitting
finale to a day worth remembering.
lk Boulders
Every stop on your tour of discovery
offers something for both families and
the solitary visitor—kids and adults alike
love exploring desert rock formations
and ambling along a tumbling creek or lakeshore, looking
for the flash of a trout, the sparkle of gold beneath the
water. The treasures change with the seasons, a rainbow
of summer wildflowers giving way to the rustling of
golden autumn leaves, a rare summer shower unlocking
the heady fragrance of sage in the valley floor, a winter’s
storm leaving a dazzling hush of snow.
The natural treasures of the Eastern Sierra are
complemented by an array of fine museums, where you
can relive the mining and ranching era and learn about
the native Paiute peoples and how they adapted to the
varied Eastern Sierra environment. Visitor centers and
shops offer a wealth of local guidebooks to help you
choose your next route of exploration, whether you’re
searching for bighorn sheep, the best fall color or that
special fishing hole.
Trout fishing along the Owens River
U.S. 395 stretches 60 miles between Bishop and
Lone Pine to the south, passing through Big Pine
and Independence on the way. This is the heart of
Owens Valley, still prime ranching and grazing land
as it has been for over a century. The meandering,
tree-lined Owens River runs from Bishop to Lone
Pine, and can be reached in a number of locations
by driving east from U.S. 395. The river here is open
for fishing year round, and it’s a good place to cool your heels on a warm
summer day.
An unusually fun stop just eight miles south of
Bishop is Keough’s Hot Springs. This historic retreat
has recently undergone a revival as a public swimming
and hot springs resort.
The town of Big Pine is located 15 miles south of
Bishop, serving as a jumping off point for hiking,
camping and fishing in Big Pine Canyon to the west
and the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in the White
Mountains to the east. Heading south from Big Pine,
you soon come upon Tinemaha Reservoir and the
Wildlife View Area for Owens Valley’s tule elk herd.
A species that was nearly extinct in the 1870s, about
500 tule elk live here in Owens Valley, where they
Monument at
were first introduced in the 1930s.
Continuing south, it’s time for a refreshing break at the historic
Mount Whitney Fish Hatchery, just two miles north of Independence.
It’s definitely worth a stop to see the hatchery’s landmark Tudor mansion,
which dates back to 1917. The graceful structure, oddly at ease in the
desert, is surrounded with immaculate lawns and towering shade trees,
just right for a picnic.
The next stop is the town of
Independence, peppered with
historic homes of gracious design.
You can take a walking tour
through Independence, stopping
by the Commander’s House, a
structure built in 1872 (open
to the public on weekends
during summer). Built in 1863,
the Edwards House at 124
Market Street is the oldest
Commander’s House in Independence
building in Owens Valley, and
the Mary Austin House, 253
Market Street, is where famed author Mary Austin wrote her first book,
“Land of Little Rain” (1903), a classic in desert literature.
The Eastern California Museum, located in Independence at the
intersection of Center and Grant streets, three blocks west of U.S. 395,
is a delightful surprise, jam-packed with more than a century of local
memorabilia exhibited side by side with displays featuring local wildlife,
flowers and minerals. The finds here range from Native American
basketry, arrowheads and petroglyphs to mining implements, ranching
memorabilia and an intriguing collection of photographs and items from
the 1940s Japanese Relocation Camp at Manzanar.
Leaving Independence and heading toward Lone Pine, you’ll come to
SKY
©1999 LONDIE G. PADEL
©1999 JOHN DITTLI
T
he story of the Eastern
Sierra is a story of treasure
seekers—lonely prospectors
plodding the mountainsides in the late
1800s looking for that lucky strike, ranchers driving
their cattle up the Owens Valley to rich grazing land,
and early 20th-century developers drawing upon a wealth
of water resources sent flowing down a mighty aqueduct
to Southern California. Today’s visitors take advantage
of a new sort of treasure hunt, one in which a vast array
of natural wonders lie waiting to be discovered.
The Eastern Sierra is an abrupt wall reaching two
miles above the floor of Owens Valley, encompassing
everything from desert scrub and alkali springs to lush
alpine meadows and jagged mountain summits dotted
with glacial ice. Whether you find yourself admiring a
delicate desert wildflower, stopping to watch a herd of
deer or surprising upon a sparkling lake along a trail,
there’s something new at every turn, more riches to
discover with each visit.
Plan on a full day for traveling into the White
Mountains to see the Ancient Bristlecone
Pine Forest, a hauntingly beautiful and barren
landscape dotted with the oldest and most picturesque trees on earth. This trip takes you to a
million-dollar view across Owens Valley to the Sierra crest, past two
groves of ancient and wildly sculpted bristlecone pines, and on to a gate
and turnaround five miles south of White Mountain Peak’s sky-high
summit (14,246 feet). There are no services available in the White
Mountains, so be sure to have enough fuel in your car, a warm jacket,
and food and beverages for the day.
To reach the White Mountains from Bishop, take U.S. 395 south
15 miles to Big Pine and turn left (east) on Hwy. 168 toward Westgard
Pass. Stay on Hwy. 168 for 13 miles, then turn left onto the Ancient
Bristlecone Pine National Scenic Byway. Eight miles up the road, you
come to Sierra View Overlook, one of those stops you won’t want to
miss. A short path around a knobby hill next to the parking lot brings
you to an observation point with an extraordinary view, encompassing
over 100 miles of the Sierra range, from Mount Whitney to Yosemite
National Park.
It’s another two miles to Schulman Grove, the first of two main
bristlecone pine areas in the White Mountains. Schulman Grove is
home to the world’s oldest known specimens of bristlecone pine, with
trees boasting ages well above 4,000 years. The grove features a visitor
center, picnic area, ranger talks and two self-guided interpretive trails—
the mile-long Discovery Trail and the 4.5-mile Methuselah Trail Loop.
Both trails lead you through a barren, moonlike landscape that is home
to these ancient, gnarled pines. The secret to the bristlecone’s longevity
is its adaptation to this unique environment—the ability to survive
with only a short growing season each year, a pattern of slow growth
amounting to only an inch in diameter every 100 years, and a root system
that anchors it tenaciously to dry, rocky slopes where it is exposed to
high winds and freezing temperatures much of the year.
From Schulman Grove, continue on a dirt road another 11 miles to
Patriarch Grove, where you’ll find the most picturesque trees. Among
them is the Patriarch, the largest known bristlecone pine, measuring
more than 36 feet around.
The road ends about 4.5 miles north of Patriarch Grove at a locked
gate. The summit of White Mountain Peak—the third-highest
mountain in California—lies 5 miles beyond the gate, a very strenuous
hike at this elevation, even for those in excellent physical condition.
©1999 JANE DOVE JUNEA
U/BACCVB
©2010 CRAIG CANNON
©1999 JIM STROUP
pot
Mount Whitney Fish Hatchery
Manzanar National Historic Site.
Here, over 11,000 Americans of
Japanese ancestry were interned during
World War II.
Lone Pine, 60 miles south of
Bishop, is the farthest destination on
this Owens Valley tour. This is the
gateway to Mount Whitney, the
highest peak in the “lower 48,” at
14,494 feet.
The Alabama Hills are situated
west of Lone Pine off Whitney Portal
Manzanar Cemetery
Road, which continues another 10 miles
past the Alabama Hills to the trailhead
for Mount Whitney. The easiest area to explore is along Movie Road
(dirt), which leads off to the right (north) about three miles west of
town. Ambling among formations of weathered, golden granite, it’s easy
to see why these dry hills and boulders, backed by the snowy Sierra,
have attracted movie crews since the film industry’s earliest days. Kids
like to scramble around on the rocks and hunt for lizards and horned
toads, imagining a bandido hiding behind every boulder. Be sure to visit
the Beverly & Jim Rogers Museum of Lone Pine Film History on
U.S. 395. Depending on your inclination, you can return to Lone Pine
and U.S. 395 the way you came into the Alabama Hills, or you can
continue six miles along Movie Road and Moffatt Ranch Road to the
junction with U.S. 395 just south of Manzanar.
©2012 Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau / Design, illustration and cartography by Laura Patterson Design / Copywriting by Sue Irwin / All rights reserved
Mt. Whitney and Lone Pine Peak tow
er over the Alabama Hills
©1999 JOHN DITTLI
A favorite half- or full-day excursion from Bishop
is a visit to the Buttermilk Country, a rising
upland of meadows and boulder fields situated
beneath impressive Mount Tom and Basin
Mountain. Named for the dairy farms that once drew stagecoach
travelers for a refreshing drink of buttermilk and a break from their
dusty travels, Buttermilk Country is now best known for recreational
opportunities provided by “the Buttermilk,” a diverse population of
weathered granite formations and giant, solitary boulders just perfect for
exploring and climbing. You can relax for hours in the boulders’ warmth
in spring or fall, or relish their shade during hotter summer days.
From Bishop, drive toward the Sierra on
Hwy. 168 for about seven miles, then turn right
on Buttermilk Road, a wide, well-graded dirt and
gravel road that runs due west for about four
miles. Within the first mile, the road skirts
around the south end of the dry, stony Tungsten
Hills, where several old mines are located on the
north side of Buttermilk Road. The barren-looking
hills soon give way to a lush strip of Longley
Meadow, and sizeable boulders begin to dot the
landscape on the right. You can stop and play in
the rocks at any point, but the biggest boulders
and outcrops are about three miles up the road
from the highway—and you can’t miss them.
These boulders seem to survey the countryside
Buttermi
#9 at Laws Railroad Museum and De
the main road climbs past a pack station and ends at Mosquito Flat,
the trailhead for hikers and backpackers entering Little Lakes Valley,
part of the John Muir Wilderness. Mosquito Flat is a fun place for kids
and grown-ups alike to dabble in the creek, which meanders through
a narrow, grassy meadow adjacent to the parking lot and restrooms.
Those looking for a dramatic but easy hike in the High Sierra need look
no farther. The main trail from Mosquito Flat wanders up the canyon
past a string of mountain lakes, each rivaling the last for beauty and
views. The trail is rarely steep,
but the elevation of over
10,000 feet can be demanding.
Returning to Bishop, head
down to Tom’s Place and
begin driving south on
U.S. 395. Within less than a
mile, turn right on Lower
Rock Creek Road (the old
highway). This route follows
the course of Lower Rock
Creek through stands of
aspens studded with gigantic
Jeffrey pine. A delightful
trail follows the creek here
too, a favorite route for
mountain bikers. Turnouts
yon
Can
ek
Cre
k
Valley, Roc
allow room for a few cars
to park along this section
of the creek, also well-valued by trout fishermen. After two miles or
so, the road steeply climbs the side of the canyon above Rock Creek
Gorge, a wild and steep cut through volcanic rock deposits. Above
the gorge, you top out and begin a winding descent to scenic Round
Valley. Sporting deep green meadows studded with wild iris and giant
cottonwood trees, Round Valley sits peacefully below Wheeler Crest and
Mount Tom, one of the richest and most dramatically situated ranching
areas of the Eastern Sierra.
©1999 JOHN DITTLI
South Lake, the highest and largest reservoir in the Bishop Creek
system, is set like a sapphire deep in a glacial basin about six miles from
the junction with Hwy. 168. Surrounded by granite peaks and jagged
ridges, the lake invites you to stay awhile, enjoying the mountain scenery
and a boat ride out to the island. South Lake is also the location of a major
trailhead for backpackers traveling over Bishop Pass (5.5 miles, 11,972
feet) deep into the wilderness. You can also day-hike the Bishop Pass
trail up to Long Lake, or loop around Chocolate Lakes. If you don’t feel
like hiking, it’s great to picnic at the trailhead tables and take in the view.
The South Fork of Bishop Creek Canyon has more to offer than the
lake at road’s end. You can fish and hike along the creek, camp, explore
side trails, check out the waterfall across from Bishop Creek Lodge,
and enjoy horseback riding from the pack station. Sit a spell at either
Bishop Creek Lodge, Creekside RV Park or Parchers Resort, all of
which offer a restaurant and cabin rentals. A favorite trail along the
creek takes you from Willow Campground to Parchers, with plenty
of great picnic areas and fishing spots along the way. Fly fishermen
especially prize Weir Lake, not far from the road’s end. The canyon
is a real find in autumn, with blazing fall color igniting the landscape.
The road to Lake Sabrina, heading straight at the fork to South
Lake, continues west about three miles along the Middle Fork of
Bishop Creek. Just above the fork, it passes the old Cardinal Mine,
touted as the World’s Greatest Gold Mine after it was opened by
millionaire Gaylord Wilshire in 1906. While the Cardinal never
lived up to the boast, it did yield over $1.5 million in gold during
the 1930s.
For great year-round fishing or a fun family
outing, head north eight miles on U.S. 395 to the Pleasant Valley Reservoir
turnoff, and then loop back toward Bishop following Chalk Bluff Road
(dirt). Here, the Owens River winds lazily, its lush banks shading many
a favorite fishing hole. Continue along Chalk Bluff Road to Five Bridges
Road and Hwy. 6, then head south back to Bishop.
Laws Railroad Museum—a fascinating destination for railroad buffs,
families and anyone interested in Old West ranching history—is located
four miles north of Bishop on Hwy. 6. The site of the original Bishop Station,
Laws grew up around the depot for the Carson and Colorado narrow
gauge railroad, which ran from Owens Lake to Nevada in the 1880s.
The museum, open daily,
brings the old days to
life with its steam Engine
#9, engine house and a
number of historic buildings, including homes, a
newspaper office, a
dentist office and farm
buildings packed with
treasures from a
century ago.
If you’re seeking pristine mountain lakes and an
easy walk through the high country, don’t miss out
on the loop trip to Rock Creek Canyon. A quiet
destination for cross-country skiers during the
winter months, Rock Creek Canyon is a beehive of activity in summer,
a place treasured by many repeat visitors. Fall is a favorite time to visit
the canyon, which is ablaze with gold, red and orange aspen groves.
Drive north from Bishop on U.S. 395 for about 25 miles to the Tom’s
Place turnoff (left). Tom’s Place itself is well worth a stop for food or
refreshments in a genuine old-time setting
with lots of local flavor. Continuing up the
canyon road, you wind through the “narrow,”
flanked by steep mountainsides that channel
the waters of Rock Creek, which tumbles
noisily down the granite boulders from the
winter snowfields high above. The winding
road takes you past several campgrounds on its
10-mile course up the canyon, which widens
near East Fork Campground. Here the creek
slows into eddies perfect for trout fishing, and
the road offers a dynamic glimpse of Sierra
peaks ahead.
About two miles above East Fork is the
entrance to Rock Creek Lodge, offering cabin
rentals, a store, gear rentals and food service.
Little Lakes
Just beyond Rock Creek Lodge, the canyon
broadens into a beautiful meadow with a gem
of a trail—great for families and wildflower enthusiasts.
Rock Creek Lake, eight miles up the road from Tom’s Place, is a
showy introduction to upper Rock Creek Canyon and Little Lakes Valley
two miles beyond. The deep sapphire lake is a trout fishing paradise, known
for its huge fish and relaxed campgrounds. There’s great picnicking near
the creek inlet by the main parking lot, and an easy trail leads around the
“back” of the lake from here. A trip to Rock Creek wouldn’t be complete
without a stop at Rock Creek Lakes Resort, well-known for its boat
rentals, comfortable cabins, cozy dining counter and,
best of all, delicious homemade pie. Above the lake,
©1999 JIM STROUP
Bishop Creek
Bureau
©1999 JIM STROUP
©1999 JIM STROUP
Bishop Creek Canyon lies about 15 miles west
of Bishop, and nowhere along the Eastern Sierra
do auto travelers get a better sense of the vastness
—both the height and length—of this mountain
chain. Three main drainages of Bishop Creek—the North, Middle and
South forks—combine to create a wide-ranging complex of streams
and canyons that together comprise Bishop Creek Canyon. Driving
up any of the three routes, travelers come up against the impassable
ramparts of the High Sierra, and it’s no stretch to imagine the physical
and psychological barrier these mountains presented to early California
settlers arriving by covered wagon. But yesterday’s challenges are
today’s treasures, and the wilderness areas of the Sierra Nevada are
of inestimable value in the modern world.
Bishop Creek Canyon is located up Hwy. 168, which begins as
West Line Street in downtown Bishop. The climb of over 5,000 feet
is gradual over the 18-mile drive into the mountains. As you ascend
along the banks of Bishop Creek, you might notice several electric
powerhouses on the way; whatever wealth the area brings us in natural
wonders is mirrored by the value of electric power generated here
since the beginning of the 20th century. You can go fishing and take a
walk around one of these stations, Intake 2, located 16 miles up the
highway, just past the fork that heads left to South Lake.
Bishop Chamber of Commerce and Vis
itors
©1999 JANE DOVE JUNEA
U/BACCVB
©1999 JIM STROUP
The largest town in the Eastern Sierra, Bishop
is well known by vacationers as a place to stock
up on information and supplies for fishing and
camping getaways, rock climbs, ski weekends, bike rides and field trips.
Named for rancher Samuel Bishop, the town dates back to the 1860s,
when the Owens Valley was being discovered by cattlemen and miners.
Today, Bishop retains an old-fashioned charm while providing a host of
services and destinations, including visitor centers, museums, outdoor
outfitters, guide services, an airport, gift shops and restaurants. On
warm summer nights, a peaceful stroll around town, maybe stopping
for ice cream and an evening concert in the park, brings back
treasured memories from a
not-so-distant past.
Central Bishop, with its
quaint old-style architecture
and dramatic mountain
backdrop, is home to dozens
of shops and services, all
within walking distance of
one another along Main
Street (U.S. 395) or a few
Bishop City Park
steps down a side street.
A recent addition to the
town is a series of colorful murals depicting the area’s Western tradition.
Located right downtown, the White Mountain Ranger Station and
nearby Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce and
Visitors Bureau are useful resources for trip ideas,
lodging information and books and brochures of local
interest. Bishop City Park is a great place to relax
and let the kids run around to their hearts’ content.
A stream, duck pond, playground, tennis courts,
broad lawns and public swimming pool all invite you
to kick back. Across Main Street, the famed Erick
Schat’s Bakkery serves up pastries, sandwiches and
fresh-baked breads worth their weight in gold.
Continuing north on U.S. 395, Meadow Farms
Country Smokehouse offers world famous
Eng ine
mahogany smoked meats and jerky.