Bishop CA

Continuing north along US-395, we pass the site of fish hatcheries.  The mountain streams and lakes here are famous for trout fishing and thus a huge draw for many of the campers we encounter.  Here too is the vast Los Angeles Aqueduct system that drains down the many lakes of this region to serve its citizens.  I have mixed emotions about seeing this area’s sacrifice of water to support the city of L.A.  The necessity of water for the fields of the San Fernando Valley’s crops is justifiable, even if it leaves little for this valley aside from cattle ranching and growing alfalfa hay.  Although we did not encounter them, this area harbors a herd of Tule elk, a subspecies of Elk found only in California and rare California bighorn sheep.

We also cross en route to Bishop the Big Pine Volcanic Field where rock hounds search for gems and minerals among the dark black and brown rocks reflecting their fiery birth.  To our west is the largest glacier field of the Sierra Nevada range, the Palisade Crest.  To our east roads lead over the White Mountains to the Death Valley National Park or a 10,000-foot climb to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest with its thousands of year old, wind shaped, gnarly pines.  It was tempting to seek them out, but we had to leave them also for the next trip.

Volcanism and earthquake activity still occur in this valley creating hot springs through this part of the valley that hosts Bishop.  One of our parks actually has a hot spring pool and spa heated naturally to 90 degrees and 104 degrees respectively, which are open year round.  On one of our longer days it seems like a grand idea to join those floating in this pool, but unfortunately we did not stay at this particular park during our time in Bishop.  Outside the pool area there was a rock sculpture and the original bathhouse building constructed in the 1920s.  We found an Internet café here, which helped us to get our work done while we sipped on awesome ice cold Italian sodas. 

Bishop is the main commercial area of this valley.   We found a super market and K-Mart and bought gas not knowing what the next leg of the journey to Mammoth Lakes would yield.  They host an annual event here called the “Mule Days Celebration” on Memorial Day, as well as a Wild West Rodeo, complete with stagecoach parades, arts and crafts, concerts and dancing.  It sounds like an event that would be entertaining to experience.

This is the first time we have stayed at a park without full hookups.  I learned the meaning of water management well during our three-night stay.  (Little did I know at the time that this would become the norm for the next two parks after this one as well.)  After our inspections in the area, we learned where to stay the next time for full hook-ups.  We left Bishop seeing the moon set over the mountains and continue up US-395 to Mammoth Lakes along this trail of exotic mountains knowing why people settled here amid all of this natural beauty.