Big Pine: Highway 395, Alpine Lakes and Ancient Forests
Accommodation in Big Pine
Big Pine lies on Highway 395 between Bishop and Independence. The town offers access to alpine lakes and ancient forests; the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest is east of Big Pine in the White Mountains. Nearby destinations offer different ways to explore the area: hiking, a scenic mountain drive, or a virtual look inside a research facility.
Ancient Forests and Hiking
The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest is home to bristlecone pines that have survived for thousands of years in one of California’s harshest mountain environments. The focus here is on ancient trees and rugged mountain landscapes. The Methuselah Trail offers another way to experience nature on foot: hike among ancient trees and look out over the Owens Valley and the Eastern Sierra. This view connects two landscapes with a specific hike.
Mountain Road and Canyon
A scenic mountain road leads from the Owens Valley to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, the Schulman Grove Visitor Center, and several hiking trails. This makes it possible to distinguish the drive to the visitor center and the trails there from a hike such as the Methuselah Trail. Road conditions can vary seasonally; check them before you drive.
Nearby, the Big Pine Creek Campground is located in Big Pine Canyon at an elevation of 7,700 feet. Jeffrey pines, sagebrush, aspens, and cottonwoods grow there. To reach it from Highway 395, turn west onto Crocker Street in Big Pine, then drive 10 miles along Big Pine Canyon Road to the end of the road. The canyon setting and the vegetation described here give this area a different landscape character from the forest in the White Mountains.
The Owens Valley Radio Observatory
The Owens Valley Radio Observatory is 6 miles from Big Pine. Its only public access road is via Highway 168, which begins at the north end of Big Pine. The observatory is a private research facility owned and operated by the California Institute of Technology. It should therefore not be considered an ordinary publicly accessible attraction. You can explore it virtually through a narrated video or 360-degree panoramic photographs. These formats offer a distinct way to learn about the subject, independent of a trip to the observatory.
Planning Your Trip to Big Pine
For planning, it helps to keep the different locations in mind: the campground is nearby, the observatory is 6 miles from Big Pine, and the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest is east of town in the White Mountains.
Discover more destinations: Death Valley Junction, Tecopa, Kearsarge, Independence, Death Valley, Bishop, Stovepipe Wells, Lone Pine.
For the broader travel overview: Inyo.
