A gentle introduction to the Eastern Sierra
The Eastern Sierra are a mountain range in the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada of California. This area is very popular among photographers, hikers and nature lovers world wide. I am an amateur photographer who was introduced to the Eastern Sierra by my friend, photographer and hiker, Durgesh Srivastava. I have grown to love the Eastern Sierras and over the past decade written many long emails to many friends and acquaintances introducing them to the Eastern Sierra. This page is a collection of those thoughts.
This page talks about the area between Bridgeport, CA to Lone Pine, CA. These cities lie along Hwy 395, which runs North to South.
This is written for first time visitors to the Eastern Sierra. If you are an accomplished hiker, climber, runner or photographer, you would find this page too shallow :).
Acknowledgment
Many photos from this page were shot by my friends Raja Ramakrishnan and Durgesh Srivastava. Thanks to them for allowing me to share their images through this page. Special thanks to Durgi for introducing me to the Eastern Sierra and Galen Rowell.
Here is a custom Google map with main points of attraction. https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1RtQltwn5Y5Ws_uhRSHUnbOC3hcYrVu8I&usp=sharing
Getting there from San Francisco Bay Area
From the San Francisco Bay Area, you can get to the Eastern Sierra by the following routes.
Non winter months
- Reno, Hwy 80
- Lake Tahoe, Hwy 50
- Carson Pass, Hwy 88
- Monitor Pass, Hwy 89
- Sonora Pass, Hwy 108
- Tioga Pass, Hwy 120
- Bakersfield and Lake Isabella, Hwy 178
Winter months
- Reno, Hwy 80
- Bakersfield and Lake Isabella, Hwy 178
Note that the passes close at various periods, so even in winter, you may be able to get across the Sierra Nevada via certain routes. Make sure you follow road advisory (chains / snow tires on AWD vehicles are always needed in winter).
Getting there from Los Angeles
From the LA area, you have got it made. Just get onto Hwy 395 any time of the year from San Bernardino and drive North. That’s it.
Flying in
Mammoth Lakes has an airport where you can fly into. There are car rentals available at the airport itself for local commute.
Bridgeport
We start at the northern edge (at least for the purposes of this post) at Bridgeport, the town closest to Sonora pass. It is about 6,500 feet above the sea level and gets a fair amount of snow during late fall to early spring. The town has a sports bar which is open most of the year (if not all).
If you are driving during winter months, be very careful and check the weather.
Bodie state park
A few miles south of Bridgeport, at this small village called Dog Town, you take Hwy 270 (Bodie Road) to visit the Bodie historic state park. It is about 13 miles long and a dirt road towards the end, but minivans make this journey without hassle. The state park is closed during winter, so check the status before you head out.
Bodie is a historic ghost town and state park, a pretty rowdy town from the gold rush days left alone to decay.
For a couple of nights during Fall, Bodie state park is open after normal hours — you need to reserve ahead of time to be at Bodie after hours. It is a great place to see the night sky and photograph the stars amidst the ruins of Bodie.
If you drive a car that can be taken off roads, explore the many dirt roads that are around Bodie state park. There are some unique sights to be seen in the Sierra Nevada mountain range once you get off road.
Lee Vining
Further south along Hwy 395 is the town of Lee Vining, the entry point to Mono Lake. Lee Vining has a few restaurants, including the excellent restaurant inside the Mobil gas station where Tioga Pass ends in 395. There is a body shop in Lee Vining who can help you out if your car breaks down (and tows your car when you are stuck). There are many hotels to stay as well, all moderately priced.
Mono Lake
Mono lake is to the east of Hwy 395, a few miles into Hwy 120.
Mono lake is the home of the Tufa towers. They are most prominent along South Tufa, off Hwy 120.
Mono lake also is the place for the most breathtaking sunsets you will see.
If you plan to visit Mono Lake, make sure that you do so during sunset hours.
June lake loop
The next stop along 395 is June lake loop. Hwy 158 starts and ends on Hwy 395. Along this loop are many beautiful lakes. Some of these lakes have recreational activity such as canoeing. June lake loop is one of the best areas in California to see fall colors.
Mammoth lakes
Further down south of Hwy 395, is the city of Mammoth lakes. There are many beautiful lakes around Mammoth lakes and a great place for fall colors. Mammoth lakes is also a great ski resort during winter. Mammoth Lakes has plenty of places to stay and some really good food, it is a very good destination for families. You could use Mammoth lakes as the base to explore the various places described in this post. Mammoth lakes has an airport and during winter months, there are daily flights from the Bay Area and LA to this airport. There are car rental options available at the airport as well.
Devil’s Postpile
Devil’s postpile is a geological wonder along the John Muir trail, you can access it from Mammoth lakes. It is a pleasant short hike to Devil’s postpile from the shuttle terminus. There is another short hike to Rainbow falls, which is very pretty. This is closed during winter months, but during other months, highly recommend the hike.
Convict lake
Further south of Mammoth Lakes is Convict Lake. Convict lake resort is open throughout the year and that means that the lake is accessible throughout the year as well. There is a marina and boat rentals are available in Convict lake. This is a great location for a boat ride amidst the mountains.
Lake Crowley Benton Crossing Road
The Eastern Sierras offer a lot of wonderful off-roading opportunities. The Bishop visitor center website offers two motor tour guides that can be accessed via Mono county motor guide and Inyo county motor guide. Print the motor guides and check it out. It has some great backroads you can drive through.
One of the wonderful places from that guide is Benton Crossing Road, which is accessible from very close to Convict lake. Benton Crossing Roads runs alongside Lake Crowley, you can explore the lake and continue to Volcanic Tablelands area which has some wonderful petroglyphs.
From the Volcanic Tablelands, you get some amazing views of the white mountain ranges.
Bishop
Further down south along Hwy 395 is the city of Bishop. Bishop is at 4,150' of elevation and is the northern end of Owens Valley, one of the deepest valleys in the United States. Bishop Visitor Center is a great source of information of what to do in and around Bishop. The visitor center has a series of handy guides containing information on what to do in the area. I highly recommend obtaining these guides before heading out to Bishop. Here are a few highlights on what the area offers:
Mountain light gallery
Galen Rowell is one of the greatest landscape photographers I know. He was also a great climber, a wonderful writer and a great humanitarian. Galen lived in Bishop. His gallery, Mountain Light Gallery is located in downtown Bishop. I highly recommend spending a couple of hours in this gallery to see what the Eastern Sierras look during various seasons.
Buttermilk road
Hwy 168 runs west of Bishop. Along Hwy 168 is a detour to a dirt road called Buttermilk road. The road is paved for a short while and beyond that is accessible only by special terrain vehicles. Buttermilk road offers some unique perspectives and views of the Eastern Sierras.
North lake, South lake and Lake Sabrina
Further west on Hwy 168 are North lake and South lake, two beautiful lakes which are awesome for fall colors and are pretty to visit in any season. The drive to North lake campground is an interesting one, so watch out for that.
Ancient Bristlecone pine forest
As you drive South on Hwy 395, you will pass the town of Big Pine. Hwy 168 branches off at this town and if you follow this Hwy, it takes you to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. It is the home to some of the oldest living organisms on Earth, including Methuseleh, a near.y 5,000 year old tree.
Bristlecone pine forest is also one of the best places to see the night sky. If you have a AWD vehicle, consider taking the dirt road up to Patriarch Grove, it is very serene and quiet up there.
There are many stunning views on the drive to Bristlecone pines, the best one being the Sierra overlook. Do not miss it.
Independence
Further south on Hwy 395 is the town of Independence, CA. Mount Williamson (14,400 feet) is around this town, there are many hiking trails to explore in and around this town as well.
Manzanar Japanese Internment Facility
As you head south on Hwy 395, you would pass by Manzanar Japanese Internment Facility where Japanese were “relocated” during the second world war. The appropriate term to use here would be “imprisoned”. This is now a national landmark and national historic site. When you visit this place, please spend time seeing the videos on the history of Manzanar and visit the bunkers where families where kept.
Lone Pine
Lone Pine is the last major town in Owens Valley this page covers. It is the gateway to Mt. Whitney, the highest summit in continental United States. If you have watched any western movie or any modern adventure movie such as the Transformers or Iron Man, chances are, you have seen Lone Pine.
A good number of western movies were shot in and around Lone Pine, particularly around the Alabama Hills area. The museum of western film history in Lone Pine is a must see if you like westerns.
There are a few good restaurants in town as well as good hotels to stay. Lone Pine is a great place to stay if you want to explore the Alabama Hills area.
The road up Whitney Portal road leads to the trail head to climb Mt. Whitney, you get to see spectacular views of the Inyo mountains from there.
Similarly, Horseshoe meadows road and the ranch roads close to this road offer great views of the Inyo mountains. These roads are mentioned in the motor guide I mentioned above.
That is a very gentle vista point introduction to the Eastern Sierras. I hope this helps you to plan a visit to this area.
