This tutorial saves you time and makes life easier by providing up to date access and road information to guests planning to visit the area in the next several months. Guests who are “in the know” get their info through this comprehensive feature. It contains digital links in one central location to authoritative agencies and locals who monitor and manage local travel and recreation features.
Regardless if you’re an adrenaline junkie, a history buff, or just a nature lover, Bishop and the Eastern Sierra has something for you. Take yourselves on this journey of E.S.T. – the highest, lowest, hottest, oldest, saltiest, rockiest, earliest, purest, strangest, loneliest, and wildest 555-Mile Road Trip of the Eastern Sierra.
Tucked in a quiet section of Owens Valley you’ll find the Alabama Hills. Although close to the mighty Sierra to the west this locale doesn’t share any resemblance of the tall peaks. Instead, you’ll find a landscape with arches, rounded rocks, and eroded hills that looks otherworldly. It’s no wonder they’ve been featured in hundreds of films over the years.
Bishop in winter offers the perfect family getaway. Get out of the big city and into the mountains where the snowy peaks rise up on either side of this broad, beautiful valley. The nights are chilly, the days are often warm, the air is clear and crisp, and our big backyard is a natural playground. We’ve created a suggested 5-Day adventure itinerary so you don’t need to figure it out. Just follow the links in this blog and make your bookings for your 5 days of fun.
Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate love. Especially the love shared with a cherished partner. It’s a day to set aside time to spend with your partner and indulge a little, or a lot, in things that make you both happy. Bishop offers a unique experience for locals and visitors from near and far a chance to reconnect. It’s a wintertime playground for lovers of all ages and abilities to connect, not only with each other, but with nature. We’ve put together a Valentine’s Day itinerary for leisurely lovers and amorous adventurers of food, activity, relaxation, and gift giving. Take a look. You’ll love it!
Fishing knots are created and used everyday by many anglers worldwide. There is a variety of fishing knots, each has a different role, from attaching a line to a hook or swivel, attaching a line to a lure, to connecting and joining lines. If you have the right fishing... You’re getting the itch to go camping in the Eastern Sierra, but unless you’re the hardy winter camping sort it’s a little too early to head up into the high country. Perhaps you bought some new gear recently or you need to dust off the old stuff and get things... Maybe because it’s situated within a hundred miles of the highest AND lowest points in the contiguous points. Or that Bishop is in one of the least populated counties in the Golden State. For whatever reason, Bishop has one-of-a kind attractions that most zip by. Take a tour of the giant telescopes from the movie Arrival at the Owens Valley Radio Observatory. Learn about a chapter in the nation’s history unknown by many at the Manzanar National Historic Site. See the natural phenomena of the “sailing stones” in Death Valley that kept scientists baffled until 2014.
Out of anywhere in the world, Bishop might be the epicenter of soaking up all the seasons’ offerings to the fullest. The changing of the seasons isn’t a short bang like most other places. Rather, it’s like a well-orchestrated symphony. Starting slowly and lasting for months with a crescendo. The spring wildflower bloom starts in February and lasts until July. Similar to spring’s slow opening, fall foliage begins in early September and finishes in November.
Do you remember “Choose Your Own Adventure” books? That’s what visiting Bishop is like in the winter. You are the leading character. And the choices you make in the morning and throughout the day will determine what kind of fun you’ll have and the outcome. From... From the peak of Mount Whitney to the depths of Death Valley—that’s how many options there are for things to do near Bishop, California. If that’s a bit extreme, here are a few more ideas: birding and fishing, cool rocks and hot springs, 4-wheel drive and all-star skies. Written by Visit USA Parks. Story also available in French and German.
While Bishop sits at around 4,500 feet above sea level and rarely gets snowfall, it is surrounded by mountains on both sides. Even if you’re staying in town mid-summer, it’s a good idea to take a quick peek and see what’s going on up high. For a full list of webcams…
Located only 45 minutes “up the hill” from Bishop, California, Mammoth Lakes is home to Mammoth Mountain and surrounded by the Eastern Sierra wilderness that Ansel Adams made famous. After four weeks of public voting, Mammoth Lakes came out on top, named the “Best Ski Town” of 2022.
Bishop is an all-season wonderland. Each season has its own special look and feel that brings joy and offers experiences like nowhere else on earth. And winter … winter is a true, classic wonderland! Our town is warm and welcoming and our big backyard is wild and exciting.
Stop in Bishop. Stay in Bishop. Play in Bishop and in our big backyard.
Photo: Michael WhiteWinter in the Eastern Sierra is wild and wonderful and always unpredictable. The region is well-known worldwide, as a premier hiking destination. The Pacific Crest Trail, the John Muir Trail and the hike up to the highest point on the continental... Thanksgiving weekend is a wonderful time to start a winter road biking regimen. After the helpings of good food and time indoors with family and friends the first ride of the holidays will begin to work off the excess and exhilarate the body and mind.Research has... Death Valley is one of the most unique and beautiful places in all of America. This park blew us away as each area felt like a completely different world from the last. Making it in our opinion, one of most underrated parks in all of the US, and one you need to have on your bucket list.
There are places etched into your memory forever. That are different. Special. Unlike anywhere else you visit. I still remember the first time I laid my eyes on the moonscape known as Death Valley. It didn’t look like it belonged on Earth. Even as a young kid and... No matter how you look at it, fall is a transitory season. It’s where summer finally concedes, and winter hasn’t won just yet. A battle of wills climate-wise. Animals become restless and birds have begun their migration to warmer climates. If you love nature, this is... The Tungsten Hills sit directly beneath the Sierra skyline towering above Bishop. The rocky mounds are webbed with trails and OHV roads. With plenty of options, it’s a playground for winter trail running. This Tungsten City Loop is a 4 mile run that gets you close to the big mountains with no shortage of additional miles if you desire a longer run.
Notes on Home Shoot the Landing: War and Planes in Owens Valley Kendra Atleework It is June 1 of 1943, a warm and cloudless morning, when three young women, nine suitcases, and one box of shoes get off a bus in Independence, California. The women have come to learn to... Have you ever wondered where the giant radio telescopes in the 1996 movie The Arrival are located? Well, it’s HERE in Bishop’s Big Backyard at the Owens Valley Radio Observatory or OVRO for short. It’s also where Jodie Foster’s character Dr. Eleanor... Less than five minutes from downtown Bishop, Rossi Hill is the quickest access to trails through Bishop’s sage and granite boulders. This 5.75 mile run serves as an ideal introduction to the Bishop winter landscape. Close to town, but within a warm-up jog, you’ll feel somewhere much further away.
Are you looking for camping that’s near the world-class recreation of Bishop? Look no further than the Pleasant Valley Pit Campground. Just north of Bishop and only a half mile off Highway 395, this gorgeous and friendly campground is the perfect spot to base yourself...