A Weird and Wonderful Road Trip: 13 Strange Sights to See Along US-395
The inside of the Burro Schmidt Tunnel. COURTESY PHOTO
Oddities of nature and the stuff of human ingenuity and absurdity exist here in the Eastern Sierra just as they do the world over. The fascinating history of these weird and wonderful things is as incredible as the objects and attractions themselves. We find ourselves looking at these mysterious manmade and naturally occurring phenomena and wondering, “When? How? Why?”
The Eastern Sierra is often referred to as “the other side of California,” and these places might also make it “the weird side of California.” Along a stretch of US Highway 395 in the Eastern Sierra are some of the most curious, grotesque, mysterious, and awe-inspiring features of nature and feats of humankind.
Feats of Obsession and Ingenuity
One of the greatest examples of human perseverance and obsession is the Burro Schmidt Tunnel. One man, William “Burro” Schmidt, with his two donkeys, a few hand tools, a wheelbarrow, and some explosives, spent over 33 years single handedly digging a tunnel almost a half mile long in the solid rock of Copper Mountain in the remote Mojave Desert of California. Even after discovering rich veins of gold, silver, copper, and iron, he disregarded mining entirely, obsessed with the big dig. During his lifetime he would never fully explain his tunnel excavation project, except to say that is was a “short cut.” Ultimately, the tunnel emerged on a high ridge, well above the desert floor, becoming known as the “short cut to nowhere.” Schmidt never transported a single ounce of ore through it.
Further north, high in the Inyo Mountains, the Charcoal Kilns are another testament to human ingenuity. During the 1860s and 1870s, Cerro Gordo was California’s most prosperous mine for silver and lead. When lumber in the nearby mountains was denuded, a quality fuel for the smelters was urgently needed. Kilns were built near the shores of Owens Lake and Cottonwood Creek to ‘cook’ wood into charcoal. The charcoal was then transported across the lake on steamboats and hauled up the mountain to the Cerro Gordo smelters. These 25-foot wide, plaster- covered clay brick structures stand as an eerie reminder of a vastly different economic and environmental era.
History, Humor, and the Macabre
Some of the area’s strangest stories are housed in its museums. The Coyote Teeth Dentures, on display at the Eastern California Museum in Independence, tell the macabre tale of a man who, around 1930, found himself toothless and unable or unwilling to see a distant dentist. He fashioned a set of dentures by melting celluloid from toothbrush handles, molding it to his gums, and pressing in the yellowed teeth of a dead coyote. The result is a gruesome yet ironically creative artifact.
The Laws Railroad Museum and Historical Site displays another strange exhibit, the Two-Headed Lamb. Around 1940, conjoined twin lambs were born on a farm northwest of Bishop. Though often called the “two-headed lamb” they were joined at the neck, and each had a complete body and head. After the lambs lived for a short time, the farmer’s son stuffed them for posterity.
In Lee Vining, the Upside-Down House — a tourist attraction built by former silent film star and wilderness guide Nellie Bly O’Bryan in 1956 — is a weirdly wonderful exhibit at the Mono Basin History Museum. The restored house now features prominently in the museum’s collection.
Geological Wonders and Strange Phenomena
The natural attractions along US-395 are equally compelling. Fossil Falls is a geological wonder, though water seldom falls here. This surreal canyon of basaltic black lava rock has been beautifully sculpted by eons of rushing water from a prehistoric age. The rock is smooth and shiny, starkly different from the surrounding landscape, and is evidence of a much wetter time in the valley’s past.
An exceptional set of circumstances due to an artificially created reservoir has resulted in exposing a fascinating and unique natural feature that was obscured for thousands of years under the earth. The Crowley Lake Columns were slowly unmasked by the powerful waves of the lake pummeling the softer rock of the cliffs. They appear as if an alien life form is growing out of the sand and creating a dark labyrinth into which one might just disappear … forever.
Near Mammoth Mountain, the Devils Postpile National Monument protects an enormous formation of columnar basalt. About 100,000 years ago, hot, basaltic lava was trapped in a deep lake, and as it cooled, it contracted and cracked, forming colossal columns of rock into near symmetrical hexagons and polygons. During subsequent ice ages, glaciers scoured and polished these pillars, creating a smooth, startling surface that seems improbable in the natural landscape.
Further north, Mono Lake is geographically, geologically, and historically unique. The most peculiar features are the Tufa Towers, formations of calcium carbonate that appear unearthly as they rise from the water. These towers were exposed when the lake lost almost half its depth after water was diverted to Los Angeles 80 to 50 years ago.
Spiritual Curiosities and Lingering Echoes
The Tuttle Creek Ashram is a special, spiritual place tucked high into the mountains above Lone Pine at 8,000 feet. The stone building, built in 1930 by philosophers Franklin Wolff and Sherifa, was specifically located near the highest point in the contiguous USA, Mt. Whitney. The couple believed a country’s spiritual point was near its highest elevation. Though once vandalized and abandoned, it is now considered historically significant and is under the jurisdiction of the US Forest Service.
Mining was big business in California 100 years ago. This landscape with its craggy crests and rocky ridges presented monumental challenges for transporting goods and lumber between settlements, mines, and mills. On the Sherwin Plateau north of Bishop, deep Wagon Wheel Ruts were slowly carved into the soft Bishop Tuff rock by massive, multi-ton wagons pulled by 20-mule teams hauling lumber up and down the steep Sherwin grade. If you stand in the remnants of these old ruts and listen quietly, you might still hear the braying of the mules and creaking of the wheels as if carried on the wind from a century ago.
On the outskirts of Bishop, the Pet Cemetery is a hauntingly beautiful, wildly wonderful place where hundreds of beloved pets are buried. Gravestones with sweet epitaphs and adornments like toys and collars show the palpable love and enduring loyalty felt for these animals. Tread lightly here. It is just possible that their eternal spirits are running along the trails, jumping in the streams, or stalking through the bushes that they so loved when they lived here.
For a bit of fun, Gravity Hill, is a particular spot on a quiet, remote road just west of Bishop. At a particular point in the road where it appears to be heading uphill, you can stop your car, place it in neutral, and it will slowly begin to move forward and upward. It’s an optical illusion of the freakiest kind. Perhaps it should be called “Un-Gravity Hill.”
More Weird and Wonderful
From geological marvels to human eccentricities, a road trip along US-395 is a journey into the weird and wonderful heart of the Eastern Sierra.
Pro Tip: Choose only one or two for a day trip or make your base in one of the lovely towns along the route and spend a few days exploring. Consider the season and know when is best for each. Take your time and come back often.
Get Info: Stop in at one of the region’s information centers and chat with the staff. These folks are friendly and knowledgeable and can offer maps, directions, and suggestions about these and other weird and wonderful sights.
- Eastern Sierra Interagency Visitor Center, US-395 & CA-136, Lone Pine, CA 93545
- Bishop Chamber of Commerce and Information Center, 218 S. Main Street Bishop, CA 93514 USA
- Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center, 2510 Main St, Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546
- Mono Basin Scenic Area Visitor Center, 1 Visitor Center Dr, Lee Vining, CA 93541.
The Crowley Lake Columns. COURTESY PHOTO