Bishop

An outdoor town in the Owens Valley with world-class bouldering, alpine lakes and fall color along Bishop Creek, and the White Mountains' ancient bristlecone pines, the oldest trees on Earth.

Bishop sits at the north end of the Owens Valley in Inyo County, California, at about 1,260 m, backed by the steep wall of the Eastern Sierra to the west and facing the White Mountains to the east. It is the largest town in the Eastern Sierra along US 395 and the region's main outdoor supply hub. It's known for three things: world-class bouldering (granite at the Buttermilks and volcanic tuff on the Volcanic Tableland), the alpine lakes and fall colors of Bishop Creek Canyon, and the ancient bristlecone pines in the White Mountains, the oldest trees on Earth. Seasons: spring and fall are best; aspens along Bishop Creek turn gold from late September to mid-October; Oct–Mar is peak bouldering season; summer is hot in town but cool up in the lake country, ideal for hiking and fishing; in winter, the high mountain roads and the road to the bristlecone forest close. Mule Days is held every year in late May. Areas to explore: in town, bakeries, museums and a cultural center; to the west, Highway 168 leads to the Buttermilks and to Lake Sabrina, North Lake and South Lake; on the northern outskirts, the Volcanic Tableland and the Laws Railroad Museum; to the southeast, the road via Big Pine climbs into the White Mountains to the ancient bristlecone forest; to the south, the Big Pine Lakes and Keough's Hot Springs. Mammoth Lakes and Lone Pine/Alabama Hills are separate destinations. Getting there: about 4.5 hours' drive from Los Angeles and about 4.5 hours from Las Vegas; Bishop Airport has seasonal flights. A car is essential. Plan on 2–3 days.

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