Scenic 395 - The Official Guide 2022/2023

36 2022 Scenic 395 2300West Line St. • Bishop, CA 760-873-8844 MUSEUM • NATIVE GARDEN • GIFT SHOP LOCAL NATIVE AMERICAN CRAFTS PublicWelcome Admission by Donation Open Year Round Hours of Operation: Winter (Oct.-Mar.)Tues-Sat 10am to 4pm Summer (Apr.-Sept.)Tues-Sun 10 am to 6pm www.bishoppaiutetribe.com/culturalcenter Bishop Follow the road, which be- comes Glacier Lodge Rd., for 10.5 miles to where it ends at the trailhead parking area. The hike to First Falls is an easy quarter-mile hike with less than 200 feet of elevation gain. The trail crosses this im- pressive cascade over a wide, sturdy wooden bridge. It’s a popular photo spot with all the elements for great people and nature pics. Second Falls is another loca- tion on Big Pine Creek, a hike of nearly two miles further down the same trail as First Falls. It’s also a good workout to reach because it’s 1,000 feet hike. These two hikes make a wonderful later summer after- noon hike of four miles round trip. The creek is alongside much of the trail with inter- mittent views of the cascade. The sounds of the burbling creek and powerful cascades will accompany you as you hike. Mist Falls, Bishop This waterfall, near Bishop, can be seen from road- side and offers a must-see for anyone doing a drive through the area. The falls themselves are located on private proper- ty so it’s really a from the road spot. From the center of town fol- lowW. Line St. toward the Si- erra Nevada. This paved road wanders up into the Bishop Creek Canyon, where year- round adventure awaits. A 20-minute drive of 17 miles on the road to South Lake will get you to Bishop Creek Lodge. Less than a half-mile further is an obvious turnout that pro- vides a lovely view of Mist Falls. In autumn the changing col- ors of the large groves of aspen in this canyon make this an in- credibly picturesque scene. The streams and lakes in this canyon are world-renown for fishing. Cardinal Falls, Bishop Another roadside vista, Car- dinal Falls is located 17 miles from Bishop at the Cardinal Village Resort and near old Cardinal Falls mining area along US-168 W. on the road up to Lake Sabrina. This waterfall cascades down a narrow chute from the hanging valley above, in which North Lake sits. It falls into the deep valley below, where the village and mine are locat- ed, then cuts down the canyon into Bishop. The long view of this cascade is seen from the roadside turnout across and well above the valley below. It’s a stunning vista of can- yons and crags, and forests and streams. The cascade is fullest in spring when the winter snow melt runs into North Lake and high over the rim into this chute. It is perennial and some summers the flow remains strong. The falls might be best in autumn, when the as- pen groves in the valley below are changing color. In winter this road is plowed up to the village of Aspendell and on a sunny winter day the icy falls will sparkle from this vantage point. A closer look of the falls re- quires some hiking from the Cardinal Village Resort park- ing lot. To get to the falls on foot, follow the trail from the other end (south) of the resort toward the old mine site. The trail branches off to the water- fall. It’s not long, but it will re- quire a bit of rock scrambling to get close to the cascade. One way the trail is a little over half a mile with about 250 feet of elevation gain. Minaret Falls, Mammoth Lakes Both a roadside selection and a climbing opportuni- ty, Minaret Falls offers some great sights in a deep canyon. The towering Minarets, the iconic features of this town that can be seen from miles away, are most majestic from the Minaret Vista. It’s a sweeping view of the massive backcountry to the west and down to the valley below. The large waterfalls and cascades that flow into the valley from numerous creeks are barely seen as the scale of this vista is supremely impressive. A good roadside view of the Minaret Falls is in the heart of the valley from the Mina- ret Falls campground. Access to the campground in a pri- vate vehicle is only possible when camping here during the summer months, mid-June through Labor Day. During this period day-trippers must take the Reds Meadow/Devils Postpile shuttle bus into the valley from Mammoth Moun- tain Adventure Center. Once you’re down in the Reds Meadow / Devils Postpile area this is an excellent mod- erate hike of just under 3-miles roundtrip. It does have some elevation gain and loss in each direction, so hikers should be prepared with snacks, water, layers, sunscreen and good hiking shoes. The hike begins at the visitor center and skirts around the Soda Lake and crosses the San Joaquin river. At a half-mile it joins up with the Pacific Crest Trail and heads to the falls viewpoint one-mile further. Crater Creek Falls, Mammoth Lakes Looking for a hike to go along with a waterfall? Crater Creek offers both. The hike begins at Continued on Page 37 Continued from Page 35 North Bishop Creek in the fall. Via Wikimedia Commons