Although we have based our fishing trips in Mammoth Lakes in the past, this year we stayed in Bishop. This year's fishing trip was just me and Rick. In the past we have had both families. We elected Bishop because it is central, but we tended to fish in the locations we have found fruitful before. In hindsight we could have stayed in Mammoth.
The La Quinta provided a nice place to stay and our breakfast was included in the deal. Got to start each morning with a good breakfast included in the deal.
I don't think Bishop is a pretty town, although I would have no trouble living there. What makes Bishop work for me is it's location. It is central to just about everything in the area and the views looking out form town in just about any direction are fantastic. In 1996, Men's Journal Magazine, according to Sierra Web was named the "coolest mountain town." That works for me: I agree.
From Bishop, one can drive west about 20 miles to the Lake Sabrina, 9,100 feet elevation. There are a lot of lakes in this direction, but Sabrina is an easy one to get to. Trails will take one into the high country lakes, which are simply incredible. Although I have hiked to these lakes in the past, that was not in the plan on this trip. Click here to see a satellite view of the area and zoom out to see all of the high country lakes that are relatively close by. One has to be in good shape for the hikes. Also, take a look at some really fine photos of the lakes taken by Susanne Z. Riehemann. Do not know her, but her pictures of the area - Sabrina Basin - are outstanding.
Big trout are caught in Sabrina every year, mostly rainbow I believe. Behind the lake stands Mt Tom, around 14,000 feet high, (unfortunately, not named after me) and at the lake there is the trail head for seven of the high country lakes. Steve Eckert put together some driving information for more of the trail heads in the area.
To the north of Bishop there are two options: Hwy 395 which works its way to Pendelton Oregon and Hwy 6, which runs through Benton and then turns east through Nevada and Utah. It ends in Green River, Utah. I have not taken the Hwy 6 option.
Highway 395 climbs out of the Owens Valley -Bishop sits at the north end of the valley at xxx feet - to about 7,072 feet at Tom's Place. Another location not named after me. Continuing even higher Hwy 395 continues north toward the June Lake cutoff. I'll cover this area in a following post.
To the east of Bishop are the Bristle Cone Pines, a forest of ancient trees at about 11,000 feet in the White Mountain Range. Actually, there is no direct east running road. One has to go south to Big Pine and then turn east, but at the top of the White Mountains, one realizes that the trees are east of Bishop. More on this in a follow-up post.
Also out of Big Pine is Big Pine Creek Campground and Glacier Lodge. Turn on Crocker St. which becomes Glacier Lodge Rd. More on this in a following post.
