Lower Owens River – Fishing
Intro Located below Pleasant Valley Reservoir and just north of Bishop, the Lower Owens River parallels Highway 395, making it easily accessible and a perfect spot for winter fly fishing. The river makes its way through a valley surrounded by the striking peaks of the...
Motor Touring Round Valley
Read on for a motor tour of the Round Valley, Bishop area you can easily do in the morning or an afternoon. We recommend stopping by one of our friendly coffee houses for you favorite beverage before heading out on this pleasant loop, and it never hurts to throw a pair of sturdy shoes in the car in case you decide to explore a little more on foot.
Round Valley Mule Deer
Mule Deer Comprising one of the highest numbers of megafauna (large wildlife) species in the Eastern Sierra, Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) can be found in numerous herds throughout Inyo and Mono Counties. Look for their white rumps, black-tipped tails, and...
Camping In The Alabama Hills
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.
Only One Tank Away… Or None At All
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.
Break Into Spring With A Climbing, Skiing, Or Both Type Of Adventure
If there’s a time of year to visit for backcountry skiing in the Eastern Sierra, it’s spring. As the Owens valley gives way to wildflowers in full bloom, the upper elevations above Bishop are still deep in snow.
Tip Toe Through The Lupine In Bishop This Spring
The fresh and fragrant smell of wildflowers. The warmth of the sun against your skin. Even though every season has its merits, spring in Bishop’s big backyard is our favorite… or until the next season arrives. Like a well-orchestrated symphony, wildflowers start slowly typically in February and climax with blooming fireworks in the high country around early July. Here’s a quick rundown of what to expect and where to find the best wildflower displays in the Owens Valley and Death Valley.
Polar Express Playing at Bishop Twin Theatre
Wear your jammies to this special showing of the holiday classic and get a free bell! Proceeds benefit Hospice of the Owens Valley. Call (760)872-4663 for more information.
Fall Colors Car Show at Bishop City Park
Take a drive to the spectacular Owens Valley to join us at the Bishop City Park for the annual Fall Colors Car Show. October 6-7, 2023
Wonderful Winter Women’s Weekend in Bishop
When it’s time to get the girlfriends together for a long weekend of play and pampering, head for the hills. The mountains … actually!
Bishop, California is located in the heart of the Eastern Sierra in a deep valley known as the Owens Valley. It is bounded to two magnificent mountain ranges, the Sierra Nevada and the White and Inyo Mountains. We call this incredible space in and around our sweet town our ‘big backyard’ and a women’s winter weekend getaway is wildly wonderful. Take a look at this!
Laws Railroad Museum and Historical Site – Quick Guide
A visit to the Laws Railroad Museum and Historical Site is a trip back in time to experience the daily life of the early settlers of the Owens Valley. Close to 50 authentic structures on eleven acres are filled with artifacts and original objects. Take a train ride on the old Death Valley car. Enjoy colorful, period-themed events and have a happy holiday with carol singing, storytelling and a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. Open daily – except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Erick Schat’s Bakkery
The Original Sheepherder Bread® 1938 was introduced to the Owens Valley during the California Gold Rush by immigrant Basque sheepherders who missed the bread of their homeland. They shaped loaves of their traditional bread by hand, used stone ovens for baking, and...
Laws Railroad Museum & Historical Site
Take a trip back in time and experience the daily life of the early settlers of the Owens Valley. The Laws Railroad Museum and Historical Site celebrates the rich history of the period and tells of a time when the railroad station was the heart of a bustling western...Day Hikes in Bishop’s Big Backyard
Day Hikes in Bishop’s Big Backyard Hiking in Bishop’s big backyard is epic! The dictionary defines epic as heroic; majestic; impressively great! Gazing up toward the numerous 13,000+ foot peaks of the Sierra Nevada from beautiful Bishop, it would seem the word was...
Mt. Whitney
Mt. Whitney is the highest point in the contiguous United States. It stands at 14,505-feet above sea level within the tallest portion of the Sierra Nevada range that runs for about 400 miles down the eastern side of California. The range rises steeply and dramatically...
Canal Walk E. Line St.
The Bishop Creek Canals are favorite paths for easy walks, runs, and bike rides. Close to downtown Bishop are several easily accessible trails along flat, graded dirt roads. They follow the twists and turns of the canals and waterways that run in and around town, and...
Drain
By John Pugh, 2005. The artist has graphically illustrated the piping of water from the Eastern Sierra. In this controversial piece, an agricultural Shangri La appears as a mural within a mural. This vision of the valley’s past derives from old paintings...
Home of Mary Austin
At 235 Market St. in Independence, CA Mary Austin and her husband, Stafford Wallace Austin, built a small house at the “end of the village street.” Here, in the heart of the Owens Valley, Mary Austin wrote her best known and classic work, The Land of Little Rain. It...
Mt. Whitney Fish Hatchery
The Mt Whitney Fish Hatchery was once the largest and best equipped hatchery in California. In 2007 a large wildfire burned upstream of the hatchery and a year later a heavy thunderstorm resulted in a massive mudslide that swept down the scarred, barren Oak Creek wash...
Chalk Bluff
Just north of Bishop a 300-foot-high bluff stretches for 5-miles across the northern Owens Valley. Known as Chalk Bluff, this impressive escarpment marks the southern end of the Volcanic Tablelands that were formed by a massive volcanic explosion about 760,000 years...
The Slim Princess
By Robert Thomas, John Knowlton and Richard Perkins, 2000. This mural depicts Laws, a thriving railroad depot and community, just outside of Bishop circa 1909. The railroad line, called the “Slim Princess,” by the local population, was a major...
McGee Creek Pack Station
Horseback rides, mule rides, and pack trips into the High Sierra Nevada of California in the summer and throughout the Owens Valley in the winter.
Mural Walk
On buildings throughout Bishop the history of the Owens Valley is depicted on the exterior walls in the form of historically accurate and visually beautiful murals. A walk around town is a wonderful way to learn a little of its history from the beautiful murals that...Visual Guided Story Maps
Pick your path along these inspirational story maps that inform and inspire.
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