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Jeff Crider photo
June Lake Loop, CA
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Jeff Crider photo
Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest
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Jeff Crider photo
Ancient petroglyphs of the Coso Mtns, Eastern CA
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Jeff Crider photo
Bodie State Historic Park
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Jeff Crider photo
Horseshoe Meadows Road overlooking Owens Valley, CA
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Jeff Crider photo
Mount Whitney and the Alabama Hills in Owens Valley, CA
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Jeff Crider photo
Mount Whitney Trail, CA
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Jeff Crider photo
Mount Whitney Trail, CA
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Jeff Crider photo
The historic Victorian Courthouse in Bodie, CA. Built in 1880, it's the second oldest courthouse in California
Story & photos by Jeff Crider
One of the most interesting routes to take heading south into Southern California is Highway 395, which goes from the Washington border near the Laurier Port of Entry to Hesperia, CA, in the Mojave Desert roughly 30 minutes north of San Bernardino.
The most beautiful and interesting section of Highway 395 runs along the steep eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains from the Lake Tahoe / Reno area southward roughly 560 km (350 mi) to the vicinity of Ridgecrest.
Several interesting side trips can be made from this stretch of highway, which offers spectacular scenery as well as insights into some of the most interesting chapters of American history:
— Donner Memorial State Park, Truckee, CA: One of the most morbid events in U.S. history occurred in the Truckee area, about 50 km (30 mi) west of Reno. It involves the ill-fated Donner Party, which comprised emigrants from the Midwest who thought they were taking a shortcut across the Sierra Nevada when they became stranded in a series of snowstorms in the mountains near Truckee in the winter of 1846-47. Many of the Donner Party members perished and some of the survivors resorted to cannibalism. In addition to showcasing historical artifacts, photos and other memorabilia involving the Donner Party, the state park visitor center includes exhibits that tell the story of the emigrant experience as Americans traveled west to California in search of a better life with new opportunities. The visitors center also documents Chinese construction of a railroad over the Sierra and early motoring adventures over Donner Pass. http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=503
— Virginia City, Nevada: Located about 25 km (15 mi) northeast of Carson City, Virginia City was a major gold and silver mining town in the late 1800s. Virginia City actually helped finance the U.S. government during the Civil War and its riches helped build San Francisco. Virginia City was also home to the Territorial Enterprise, the newspaper where Samuel Clemens aka. Mark Twain worked in the 1860s before publishing The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and other famous books. Today, Virginia City is a tourist attraction because of its many Victorian style buildings, mine shaft tours and colourful history. The city is also considered to be one of the three most haunted cities in the U.S. http://www.visitvirginiacitynv.com
— Bridgeport, CA: This tiny town, which features historical Victorian architecture as well as quaint hotels and restaurants, was literally built around a bend in the road as Highway 395 makes its way across a vast subalpine meadow just east of Yosemite National Park. The landmark worth seeing here is Mono County Courthouse, a masterpiece of Victorian architecture built in 1880. It is the second oldest courthouse in California. More information about Bridgeport is available at www.bridgeportinn.com
— Bodie: The largest, best preserved ghost town in the Western U.S., Bodie features a large collection of mostly wooden Victorian area buildings as well as a museum with numerous paintings, photos, artifacts, furniture and other historical items, including a horse-drawn hearse from the 1800s. Named for Waterman S. Bodey, who discovered gold in the hills north of Mono Lake, Bodie was a mining boomtown with close to 10,000 residents at its peak in the late 1800s. But the town was also infamous for the frequency of its gunfights and its large numbers of saloons and prostitutes. Bodie is open year round, with mornings and late afternoons offering the best times for photographing its aging historical structures, which are in a state of “arrested decay.” The park remains open even after the winter snows begin. However, because the road to the park is not plowed, it is only accessible by snowmobile, cross-country skis or snowshoes during the winter months. http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=509
— June Lake Loop: This 24 km (15 mi) loop road off Highway 395 is one of the prettiest drives in California, offering spectacular views of the jagged peaks of the eastern Sierra Nevada as it takes motorists into some of the state’s largest aspen groves. World-class trout fishing is also popular in this area, with several lakes of varying sizes, including June Lake itself at 320 acres and 1,100-acre Grant Lake. There are several campgrounds and restaurants in and near the town of June Lake. www.junelakeloop.com.
— Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest: Located above 3,000 m (10,000 ft) in the arid White Mountains of eastern California, this forest is home to the world’s oldest living trees, including the 4,800-year-old Methuselah Tree. Visitors can walk among these ancient trees by taking very short, easy loop trails. The oldest trees are no longer identified with signage because of recent problems with tree vandals. Even so, just walking among such ancient trees is an experience in itself. With their gnarled branches, wide girth and colourful bark patterns, Bristlecones are unique photographic subjects, particularly at sunrise or sunset when the whitest areas of bristlecone bark are infused with the red and yellow hues of the sun.
From Big Pine, take State Route 168 20.6 km (12.9) mi east into the White Mountains, then go left on White Mountain Road for 16 km (10 mi), climbing to just over 3,000 m (10,000 ft). The drive is steep, narrow and winding with no roadside services along the way. The road typically closes with the first major snowstorm of the season, but you can call ahead at (760) 873-2500 to check the latest road conditions and visitor’s center operating hours. Also visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/inyo/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5129900
— Manzanar National Historic Site: Located on the west side of Highway 395 11 km (7 mi) south of Independence, this is the best known of the 10 prison camps where Japanese Americans and U.S. residents of Japanese descent were held during World War II. The Manzanar museum includes a bookstore and a 22-minute historical film. Foundations of some buildings remain as well as a cemetery. For hours and other information, call (760) 878-2192, Ext. 3310 and visit http://www.nps.gov/manz/index.htm
— Lone Pine Film History Museum in Lone Pine: This museum features historical memorabilia covering the history of filmmaking in the neighbouring Alabama Hills just west of town, whose unusual granite rock formations have intrigued filmmakers from Hollywood and around the world. More than 700 movies and commercials have been filmed in the area, from silent movies to the classic Westerns of the 1930s, 40s and 50s to science fiction and action movies and commercials. The museum has an 85-seat movie theater and organizes numerous special events. (760) 876-9909, www.lonepinefilmhistorymuseum.org
— Whitney Portal: It is a 21 km (13 mi) drive from Lone Pine to the road’s end Whitney Portal, where hikers can take the John Muir Trail to the summit of 4392 m (14,495 ft) Mount Whitney, the highest mountain in the United States outside of Alaska. Hikers are required to obtain wilderness permits, even for day hikes to Lone Pine Lake or Mirror Lake. But even if you don’t plan to hike, the drive to Whitney Portal offers excellent views of Mount Whitney and the surrounding peaks. There is also fall colour in the Whitney Portal area and along the Mount Whitney Trail. There is also a Forest Service campground at Whitney Portal and the Whitney Portal Store, which offers hot showers and a small restaurant with excellent pancakes and hamburgers. Visit www.whitneyportalstore.com and http://www.recreation.gov/permits/Mt_Whitney_Ca/r/wildernessAreaDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=72201
— Horseshoe Meadows Road: Not for the faint of heart, this is a white knuckle road that switchbacks up the steep eastern face of the Sierra Nevada to just over 3,000 m (10,000 ft) with panoramic views of the Owens Valley and the Inyo Mountains to the east. It makes for an interesting side trip off Highway 395. There are campgrounds at the end of the road, but no services. Take Whitney Portal Road 5 km (3.1 mi) west from Lone Pine, and then go left on Horseshoe Meadows Road. The road to Horseshoe Meadow closes with the first major snowfall, usually sometime in November. http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=20700&actid=50
— Coso Mountain Petroglyphs: Anyone interested in ancient Native American rock art will want to visit the Coso Mountains of Central California, which has the largest known concentration of petroglyphs in the Western Hemisphere. The canyons are located in eastern California, southwest of Death Valley National Park. However, public access is only allowed through tours that are approved by the U.S. military, since the petroglyphs are in a canyon on a military range. For information on tours and tour dates, contact the Maturango Museum in Ridgecrest at (760) 375-6900 and visit www.maturango.org. Ridgecrest is located in the high desert, roughly 13 km (8 mi) northeast of Highway 395.
PLACES TO CAMP:
Some campgrounds worth a stop along the way include:
— Coachland RV Park in Truckee: This 131-site park provides water, sewer and cable TV service as well as 30- and 50-amp electrical hookups and wireless Internet or Wi-Fi service. www.coachlandrvpark.com
— Tahoe Valley Campground in South Lake Tahoe: This Equity LifeStyle Properties park has about 400 sites that are kept open during the winter months. Campsite amenities include water, sewer, 30- and 50-amp electrical hookups and wireless Internet or Wi-Fi service. http://www.rvonthego.com/california/tahoe-valley-campground/
— Meadowcliff Lodge & Coleville KOA in Coleville: In addition to offering RV and tent sites, this park features motel rooms. Meadowcliff Lodge was originally built as a 10-room motel in 1959 and has spacious rooms that are twice the size of today’s hotel rooms. The lodge also has separate, fully stocked kitchens, which families can rent so they can prepare their own meals. Meadowcliff also has its own restaurant, which is frequented by guests as well as travelers and local residents from nearby communities. www.meadowcliff.com
— Mammoth Mountain RV Park in Mammoth Lakes: This 125-site park is open year round. During the winter months, Mammoth Mountain RV Park features plowed RV sites with electrical hookups as well as a water filling station and dump station. Other amenities include restrooms with hot showers and an indoor swimming pool and Jacuzzi. www.mammothrv.com
— Boulder Creek RV Resort in Lone Pine: as an overnight stop or base camp for trips into the Alabama Hills and Whitney Portal, the starting point for the Mount Whitney Trail. The park offers RV and tent sites as well as park model, loft and bunk cabins. www.bouldercreekrvresort.com
Camp-California.com and ReserveAmerica.com are excellent resources for campgrounds along Highway 395.