Inyo County Visitors Guide - 11th Edition

18 INYO COUNTY • 11th Edition 151 Pioneer Lane, Bishop, CA 93514 760-872-1000 • Fax 760-872-1643 • www.BishopCareCenter.com Physical, Occupational & Speech Therapies Orthopedic, Post-Acute Rehab, Pain Management & Skilled Nursing Services Fun on the water Inyo County anglers are not shy about sharing their favorite fishing spots. These locations can provide fun for the whole family since they also offer a variety of other activities besides fishing. D IAz L Ake – Created when an 1872 earthquake opened a depression in the earth 3 miles west of Lone Pine. The location of the early Opener Trout Derby every March. Birding, camping, fishing, hiking. B ILLy L Ake , I nDePenDenCe – Created in 1872 similar to Diaz, now a wet- land home to numerous birds and wildlife. Popular for warm-water fishing. Birding, wildlife viewing, fishing, hiking, hunting, photography. M T W hITney F ISh h ATCheRy , I nDePenDenCe – A French tudor structure built in 1916 resulted from a fish and game commissioner’s order for a building “to match the mountains… last forever… and be a showpiece for all time.” now closed due to damage from a mudslide, visitors can enjoy the scenic grounds and in the summer months tour the building. Birding, wildlife viewing, camping, hiking, motor touring, photography and mountain biking. T IneMAhA R eSeRVOIR , B IG P Ine – One of Inyo County’s best locations to view waterfowl and shorebirds… ducks, geese, American white pelicans and bald eagles (seasonally). Tule elk graze west of the reservoir. Thousands of trout are planted here each year, plus largemouth bass, bluegill and channel catfish. B IShOP C Reek R eCReATIOn A ReA , B IShOP – Sloping canyons, moraines, cirques and sawtooth ridges. Bishop Creek, South Lake, Intake Two, Lake Sabrina and north Lake are prime fishing spots as soon as the snow melts (closed to fishing in winter). Birding, wildlife viewing, fishing, fall colors, bouldering/rock climbing, hiking, motor touring, photography, spring flowers, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. P LeASAnT V ALLey R eSeRVOIR , B IShOP – Still water fishing from shore and float tubes, year round. each March, the Blake Jones Trout Derby provides anglers with a chance to get on the water just before the opening of fishing season. Birding, wildlife viewing, fishing, hiking, hunting, star gazing. O WenS R IVeR G ORGe , B IShOP – Feisty trout are caught in the bottom of the gorge, year round. Climbing, hiking, fishing. The steep vertical walls of the Gorge attract climbers from throughout the world and foot trails wind throughout the Gorge providing numerous hiking opportunities, especially during the cooler months. As the Owens River enters the flats of the Owens Valley, its speed slows as it makes its way peacefully through the bottomlands. About 10 miles south of Big Pine, at a location called Aberdeen, the River is diverted into the Los Angeles Aqueduct and from here, flows 233 miles to Los Angeles through a series of siphons, canals, pipes and reservoirs, entirely by gravity. It was and still is considered a marvel of engineering. In 2006, after years of negotiations and litigation, the City of Los Angles agreed to allow water to flow on a permanent basis, down the 63 miles of the Lower Owens River dry riverbed below the Aberdeen diversion, all the way to Owens Lake Dry Owens Lake itself is seeing a resurgence. For decades the dry lake fouled the local air with huge dust storms. Since 2001, the city of Los Angeles has been working under a court order to reduce the dust, and has cut the dust emissions coming off the lake by 95 percent. Shallow pools of water have been spread over much of the lake, providing a surge in visits by waterfowl. The City recently opened its Owens Lake Trails project. Three different access points provide 4 miles of hiking trails, taking in the scenery and providing wildlife-viewing opportunities. The Owens River has had a long history of serving humankind, and continues to go through many changes as it works hard to please everyone. Perhaps the Owens can be best summed up in a Mark Twain quote, “A river is like a book, but not a book to be read once and thrown aside, for it has a new story to tell every day.” Owens River Continued from page 17