California's Highway 395: 10 JAW-DROPPING Places in the Eastern Sierra
If you are looking for the best things to do along California's Highway 395, you've come to the right place!
The Eastern Sierra is the remote east side of California's Sierra Nevada, which includes Mono and Inyo Counties. The rugged and impressive region is home to crystal-clear alpine lakes, granite peaks, hot springs, waterfalls, and more!
Highway 395 is the road that parallels the Eastern Sierra and provides access to some of the best hiking trails, turquoise lakes, and off-the-beaten-path experiences in California. Here are 10 jaw-dropping places to explore in California's Eastern Sierra.
P.S. When exploring the outdoors, please do your part to keep it beautiful by Leaving No Trace.
For more on what to do in Lake Tahoe, check out my Lake Tahoe playlist!:
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00:00 Introduction
00:58 Location 1
01:40 Location 2
02:11 Location 3
03:02 Location 4
04:03 Location 5
04:28 Location 6
05:01 Location 7
05:43 Location 8
06:12 Location 9
07:04 Location 10
07:32 Outro
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I think you missed some of the majestic places on 395. I would definitely include mono lake and stone columns.
How is the road from Highway 120 to Saddleback Lake, the trailhead to Conness Lakes?
Geeze--haven't watched yet but born and raised mid way of that stretch (Bishop) and never got too far away for long. :D
It's pronounced Nevada . Not Nevoda. The "a is pronounced same way as in Nebraska or Alabama or California.
Tioga is not Tee-oga pass its Tie-oga pass
Born in 1960. Grew up in LA. Every summer we went to the Eastern Sierra by way of HWY 395. It will always be my favorite drive in the USA.
Its such an easy place to fall in love with!! I lived in LA for six years before moving up here.,.love both places!
I was born in 1960 and lived in the SF bay area and couldn't agree with you more...395 is magical!
I was born in 1960. It’s my favorite too.
Being I was from the SF Bay Area, my parents grounds where the western Sierras such as Pinecrest/Hwy 108 and the North Fork Stanislaus/Bear Valley/Hwy 4 and, of course, Tahoe and it wasn't until my teens that an older friend got his own vehicle that I was able to make it to the eastern Sierras/395 and in the 4 decades ever since I crawled ALL over and gone up and down 395. Too many to list but some include Topaz Lake, Walker River, Bridgeport, Bodie(of course), Virginia Lakes, Lee Vining and the Whoa Nellie Deli and the drive up 120 to Tioga Pass, June Lake, Convict Lake, Rock Creek, Bishop/Lake Sabrina, Big Pine/Bristlecone Pines, Lone Pine/Whitney Portal/Alabama Hills. By far my favorites are June Lake and Convict Lake and the Bristlecone Pines. I've left out Mammoth cause Mammoth is too "resortee" though I like to visit the various lakes in Mammoth. Of course, being in the SF Bay Area, the eastern Sierras/395 become not easily accessible as all the passes south of Hwy 88 close about after October......
Born in 1963. Spent summers there with my grandparents who lived there💞💞
I live in Bishop Ca. It’s a wonderful privilege to live in the eastern Sierra there is so much amazing scenery to take in. From the stark desert of Death Valley to the amazing majestic granite peaks of mount Whitney to Yosemite. I never tire of so much amazing diverse beauty
Exactly, btw I would love to live in Bishop for a bit, there are so many amazing hikes around there!
I live in Bishop too! I love it here.
Shout out to Bishop ha. We used to stay at the Cardinal Lodges miners cabins. Need to go back again now 40 years later.
Born and raised there and never got TOO far away for very long. 🙂
I like holy smoke’s restaurant there:)
You could spend many days on hwy 395 in the eastern sierras. The eastern sierra museum is pretty cool. Fossil falls. The train museum was way better than I expected. Mono lake is a sight. Late fall break the snow is a great time to enter yosemite through the east side. Bodie ghost town is really interesting too. The ancient bristlecone pine forest. See, one could spend days.
Agreed there is so much to see in eastern sierras! Cant wait to explore new spots this summer!
Accessing The Eastern Sierra on Highway 108 from Sonora Pass is a beautiful drive.
have seen most of those places but now i am83 and semi invilid so memories are all i have now
U.S.395 in CA= Mother Nature'e Greatest Hits.
I did a lot of climbing and hiking in the eastern Sierra Nevada mountains. Funny how a lot of people outside of California don’t even know about the mountains. I climbed Mount Whitney , it’s the tallest mountain in the lower 48 states but it’s not really known to people. When I travel in the Midwest or the east coast I get ask if I surf. I do but I tell them I ski more and they literally ask, where do you ski in California? Lol.
haha so true! my friend is trying to get me to climb Mt whitney...but it sounds intimidating for sure!
Mt. Whitney "Not really known"???? It is so terribly crowded! Avoid Whitney and climb other mountains in sthe Eastern Sierra for a much better experience!
I love California.
Yes indeed, the Sierra Nevada is magnificent on the ground ... and from the air too. Back in 2010, a group of us flew our gliders out of Bishop Airport. The lift in that area is powerful, and it often reaches higher than 18,000 feet, well above the highest peaks. It's fabulous to fly over terrain like the John Muir Wilderness, the White Mountains, Yosemite, King's Canyon Mammoth Lakes and the like. There's a special feeling you get when you can see all of it without an engine, using thermal lift to climb thousands of feet and cover hundreds of miles ... all in a single afternoon. Thanks so much for this really nice vid!
stay safe
wow..... that sounds amazing
From LA I have flown into Mammoth Airport in a small plane several X. The winds that u enjoyed so much struck terror in my heart. We even turned around and flew back to LA once. It blows like a mofo going into Mammoth.
I've been going here for years and can say that there are absolutely endless places to go and things to do.
US395 used to go all the way to LA, but now it stops near a little desert town called Hesperia. The other way, US395 goes all the way to Canada. Its a great road trip. !
oh wow I didn't know it goes all the way to Canada! How amazing
The Outpost Cafe at the start of 395 in Hesperia was always our starting point
I know it goes right through canyon city Oregon, close by to where I lived for a while..♥️🙏👉🇺🇸
US 395 needs to be upgraded to Interstate 9, from Interstate 15 to the Canadian Border. CA 99 can be upgraded to Interstate 7, from Interstate 5 to Interstate 82 in Yakima.
The Alabama Hills just outside of Bishop is a very famous film location. 150 movies have been shot there. The foothills adjacent to Mt Whitney off of 395
Thank you for sharing this video, one word "Beautiful"....
My son's and I have packed every mountain range West of the Mississippi River. We lived in Carson City, Nevada for eleven years. HWY 395 is the most wonderful access to the Sierra's ever. We have been exploring the Rocky mountains since 2017 but I love hiking the Pacific Crest Trail from the Eastern side.
I worked in Susanville one summer. Phenominal scenery and very very few crowds and tourists. Wonderful!
so much beautiful scenery around there!!
Few tourists is the best part
@@jwfinley7808 Thanks exactly why I drive back from Seattle along this route.....few to zero cars and tourists during the summer and Spring/Fall. It's great up until Fall sets in and then heavy snow makes it more difficult there.
Virginia Lakes, Travertine Hot Springs, Green Creek, Dog Town, Bodie, Aurora... adventures along the 395 are endless. Keep up the beautiful videos!
don't forget the town of Bodie, a historic "ghost town" run by the officious officals of CA, not all but some (:>).
Independence
I took a road trip on HWY 50 to HWY 89 then connect to HWY 395, it was gorgeous.
395 Hwy is one of my favorite rides on my cycle- LA to Reno and beyond. I can't hike anymore so I just enjoy the views and cool small towns.
Bishop,CA 3 18 80 😢
Reno Nevada, the biggest little city 😮
Finally 💚 395 is one of the most beautiful drives.. I'm familiar with the area but you're hitting some places I don't know of thank you
me too some of these spots were new to me this year...like little lakes valley and big pine, such beautiful hikes!
I love 395. I've driven its length several times. It's really special! This is a really nice video. Beautiful videography and excellent narration & info! I wish I could give more "likes"!
Thank you so much!!! 💙💙
This is a spectacular drive. A little daunting doing it alone . I drove from the Bay Area to Bishop to go camping with my family years ago.
Beautiful lakes and stunning Sierra scenery. Thanks for creating this video! Just when you think you’ve seen most of the natural beauty of California, you stumble into this wonderful video and realize there’s even more!
Thank you so much I am so glad you enjoyed the video!
Well said
Thank you for showing us some of the most beautiful landscape in the world! I don't do as much hiking as I used to, but very much enjoyed my 1st visit to Mammoth Lakes just this August 2023. I drove over the mountains from Fresno County in my convertible, taking in the breathtaking views & vistas! Descended on June Lake but only hiked from my parking spot to June Lake Brewing for food truck & refreshment. 😛 Then drove to Mammoth Lakes, where I checked into a comfy hotel. I'm too old to sleep on the ground anymore, and the only hiking I did was around town. I took a different route on my return, electing to drive the 395 so I could see the back side of the Sierras. Beautiful vistas, even if is a lower, dryer climate. Thank you for showing me what I missed!
thank you so much and I am glad you enjoyed the video!
Bishop , CA good old days 😂
I'm thinking about going to Mammoth Lake, lodge is at 7900K. Did you have any altitude sickness problems in the area ?
@@wbl5649 I had none! But it is different for everyone.
Yes love the wind storms that almost tip your vehicle over where you can't see anything and are lucky to stay on the road. ...
Grew up in Bridgeport. Lived there 20 years until recently for work. I'd choose no other place to call home. I go back to Bridgeport whenever I get the chance to visit family.
So much natural beauty surrounding you in Bridgeport and the nearby areas!
Lake Sabrina up in Bishop Canyon, Crown Lake up above Twin Lakes, Convict Lake, and on and on. Been to at least 38 of our 50 states and Alberta & B.C., the Eastern Sierra rivals them all!
Some of these hikes and places are on my list of fun things to do in CA. Thank you.
Thank you for this great video. You did a good job. When at Rainbow Falls, be sure to do the short trek to Devil’s Postpile. It is a remarkable geologic treasure.
So gorgeous. Thank you!!
Outstanding overview of the Eastern Sierras. I’ve been to many of these locations and your descriptions are spot-on!
Beautiful photography. You really captured the nature rugged beauty of the eastern Sierras. Did many a backpacking trips into these areas.
I love living here! 🤓🤩🥳🥰😍😇
Thank you for sharing! They are indeed precious gems in CA.
Beautiful, thanks for sharing.
you are so welcome!
Thank you for posting this awesome trip
You are so welcome 💙💙
Awesome thanks. Spent 9 years out there but mostly tahoe to yosemite. Great to see these!
Grew up going to Twin Lakes as a kid. Very fond memories.
Very nice video and nice narrative. Have driven 395 in every season, every time if day, all weather imaginable and it never fails to surprise withe its beauty. Have been to these places. They no doubt will now be more crowded.
Very nice presentation! Thank you for sharing.
thank you so much! 💙
very nice.. we loved this areas.. lived in California all my life.. and now finding the Eastern Sierra many attractions. Convict Lake was very nice for us!
Very nicely done... You make the viewer want to go to all of these spots.
Thank you so much!
Beautiful area. Thanks.
Thanks. Been exploring eastern sierras for 15 yes, and now Learned a few new hike spots and especially the hot springs! Good video work and edits… ❤ Sierra nature !
Love this! How beautiful
thank you so much!
You truly put together the treasures of the Eastern Sierra. Good Job.
Thank you so much 🙏
Awesome video. Thank you! I’m going to do them all.
Thank you so much glad it was helpful!
Those were some seriously beautiful spots. You captured their beauty so well. Great vid.
thank you so much 😊
MSG to all criticizing "why we put up with tortuous political landscape", it's the NATURAL landscape, and or climate. We pay that tax knowingly. Alone (with your small party only) in giant redwoods is a spiritual experience to dwarf even a spectacular old Euro monastery.
Hermos lugares espero visitar pronto todos estos lugares
Thanks for a useful video. I will add 395 to m bucket list.
Spent a lot of time in the Bridgeport area...we have since moved to Washington state...we so miss the Eastern Sierras!
Very nice presentation. This is probably My most favorite area of California to adventure in. Ten spots, I am sure that you know that you could easily showcase 100 places. 👍😁
thank you so much!!! haha oh i know im sure ill be making a few more videos, so many spots I didn't cover..I usually only have a few days at a time 😎😊
I really enjoyed the guide on the 395 HWY. Thank You for this excellent short tour for the rest of us to experience it too. ❤
You are so welcome! glad it was helpful!
Thanks for a beautiful video of scenery I've never seen before. It's a 10 all the way😊
you are so welcome!!! so much beautiful scenery in this are
Wow !!! Thanks for this very informative video guide. Just got a CamperVan RV and we are seriously considering our first trip in this area around Mammoth Lake from our home in SanDiego. Thanks again Gabriela ! 🙏
Incredible video on Eastern Sierra, I was @ Bishop in 2017 to explore & fell in love with it. Thanks for sharing your lists of gorgeous places to explore in Sierra Nevada, I will add them to my Bucket Lists. I love & enjoyed your video, keep up your good work.🙏🏽👍🏽💗
Gorgeous video! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you!
Wonderful video! Thanks for sharing it.
Glad you enjoyed it!
love these videos
Thank you very much
Nice compilation. The eastern part of the high Sierra between Bridgeport and Lone Pine is the most scenic, both because of its lakes, as well as their sharp contrast against the granite peaks. There are several worthy areas when traveling a bit further than the destinations mentioned here. -) Branching off at the third of the 7 Big Pine lakes is the Palisade Glacier and a cirque consisting of multiple 14,000 foot peaks. The base of the glacier is around 12,300'. Unfortunately, the glacier is quickly shrinking. -) Past twin lakes are Peeler lake and Crown lake. These are beautiful lakes at ~10,000 feet. Past Peeler, the trail continues to Buckeye pass. -) The June lake loop there's a trail to Thousand Island lakes. Ir's an easy trail, but is often packed with people. However, it offers a great view of Banner Peak and Mt. Ritter. nearby is a lake that's also named 'Gem Lake'. Garnet lake and Ruby lake are nearby. A few miles past Thousand Island lakes is Lake Ediza, which John Muir considered to be the most beautiful. For camping trips, a loop can be made heading up from Ediza to Iceberg lake. It's an aggressive climb up rock scree. But from there, the loop entails a much easier descent to Cecile lake, on a defined trail. -) Relative to Bishop, one area not mentioned can be found by heading up road 168-E. The road splits 3 ways to north lake, lake Sabrina, and south lake. Each of these lakes has trailheads leading to many lakes. North lake does not look like much, so its primary value is the trailhead to terrain and lakes past it. Lake Sabrina is the most beautiful of the three and has a little hamlet of a town called Aspendale nearby. There are LOTS of lakes on trails leading out from Sabrina. South lake is sometimes busier. But it too is beautiful and has trails leading to LOTS of lakes. An arduous loop starts from South Lake, goes over Bishop pass, entails a bit of rock climbing to access the cirque of the Palisade glacier, and from there connects to the Big Pine lakes. Collectively, there are over 100 lakes accessible from the trailheads at the ends of road 168.
Thank you so much for the wealth of information you provided. I will include some of them on my next trip.🙏🏽👍🏽
@@chriskozak4966 You're welcome. If you go up 168, first check your brakes and radiator. There's over a mile elevation gain between Bishop and South lake, and it's almost a mile gain between Bishop and lake Sabrina. It is a steady, steep grade.
thank you for all those suggestions!
I just went on a trip last week to the Eastern Sierras to the Bishop / Mammoth Lakes area. It was amazing! I did the hike to Ediza and Iceberg Lakes - both were surrounded by mountain peaks full of snow and Iceberg lake was still full of icebergs. I also hiked Little Lakes Valley, Conness / 20 Lakes Basin, and Big Pines Lakes. I also spent a few days in Yosemite. I've been all over the country to many different National Parks and National Forests, and this has been my favorite area to hike in by far. I also wanted to hike Rainbow Falls, Lake Sabrina, and Thousand Islands lake, but just didn't have enough time. Too many good hiking trails! I will definitely be back again!
@@nateg0155 You're covering some impressive ground! Assuming you approached from Mammoth, you were within 3 miles of Thousand Island lakes. Had you arranged to have a car at the June lake trailhead, you would have hiked past Thousand Island lakes on the way out, and the hike would be shorter than hiking back to Mammoth. Iceberg lake is aptly named due to the adjacent mountain blocking so much sunlight. I needed crampons on Iceberg's shoulder to pass from Cecile to Ediza lake. (P.S. I'm pretty sure there is more than one group of lakes named 'Thousand Island lakes, so I could be confused about which you're referencing)
Your best video yet! Great information!
I agree
Glad it was helpful to you 😊
Thank you! Never knew about any of this. Day trips for us!
you are so welcome!
Very well done, been to most of the places you mentioned. Gotta hit Buckeye now... Thanks for a great trip down memory lane.
I know there are so many places I didn't mention ...I would love to spend a few years living right in the eastern sierra around mammoth and bishop 💙💙💙
One of my favorite places on the planet!
mine too! 💙💙
Very nice video, thanks!
I'm new to your channel...all incredible beautiful places in this video. It will be my tour guide next time I'm up that way. Thank you.
We’ve hiked all these hikes and also another time we took a canoe up there to hit all the lakes. We also used to go skiing a snowboarding up there as well. We missed buckeye hot springs.
As a Boy Scout back 50 years ago ,, I experienced summiting Mt. Whitney twice,,, a fantastic View,,,
my friend is trying to get me to do mt. Whitney but it certainly seems like an intense hike
both times I went Up Mt Whitney started in Onion Valley ,,, and Long Meadow and Summited from Guitar Lake and ended at Whitney Portal,,, they were both 7 day walks@@GabriellaViola
Thank you!
Just a beautiful drive. I've done it solo with only rest stops, absolutely beautiful in the fall.
hoping to be back in a couple weeks for fall...any spots you recommend?
Nothing specific. It's been quite a while. Enjoy.@@GabriellaViola
Thanks for creating this video!
Glad it was helpful!
Very nice video. Before the I-15 was paved we used to ride north from San Diego on 395. I never knew about these places, but was recently curious about the east side of the Sierras. Thank you for sharung.
so glad the video was helpful! 💙
Excellent video, and thanks for sharing. I’ve saved it to my favorites. I have some travel destinations in mind. ❤
so glad the video was helpful to you!
Great video!!
thank you so much!
Great informative video. We’ve explored the 395 the last few years but are looking to check out even more places. This video is perfect for that. Well done and thank you!
so glad it was helpful!!!
I love 395 . Best ride or drive around.
so much beauty along this road!
Thank you for this!
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for this, I will be traveling there at Thanksgiving time. So much beauty🤨
don't go then the high country is frozen over then
I remember climbing the Sun Ribbon Arete on Temple Craig years ago and its those lake that i think about more than the climb sometimes :)
Good presentation.
Thank you so much!
OMG! LOTSA LAKES!!!
Driven on it. Easily one of the most beautiful drives in the US. I had no idea, you come across these little bucolic towns hidden in the middle of it all. It'd be a place any person would love to live, it's that nice.
Great vid, wife, and I will visit.
Excellent Video! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
thank you so much! 😊
Just came from the area truly an awesome place. I was at Lake Lundy and Convict
I am heading to Convict today, planning on checking out Lundy in October for the fall colors!
I love your vids and hope to some day hit some of these. I've been to Rainbow Falls, June Lake and hot springs on the river.
thank you so much! Definitely check out little lakes valley it was one of my favorites on the list!
Great video! I've driven up and down 395 throughout the years, skiing in Mammoth and exploring Mono Lake, but after seeing this video I need to go on some of theses hikes.
There are so many beautiful ones in the eastern sierra!!!
did you have any altitude sickness problems ? I'm considering going to Mammoth but have never been at that altitude and read there can be issues..what was your experience?
@@wbl5649 Mammoth is amazing, it's worth the visit. I do not have problems with altitude sickness.
My wife and I are going up the 395 to Tahoe 1st week of October, 23. Last trip was in 16. Stayed at place across from Willow Springs 5 miles south of Bridgeport. Toured Bodie and met with friends who had come cross-country from Elko NV. Then we went a few miles south to the summit on 395 and turned off there to go up to Virginia Lakes and Trumbull Lake. Fished and hiked around a little. Left on Monday which was Columbus day. Then that Wednesday Bridgeport got 6" of snow. Back in 83 we camped at Mammoth Lakes, Labor Day weekend people were skiing, I think the only year that happened, 7:56 then visited Rainbow Falls and Devil's Postpile before heading north to Tioga Pass and down into Yosemite. Of course I skied and snowboarded for since the mid 1970s which meant many visits to Mammoth.
wow that sounds like an epic itinerary!
any altitude sickness problems?
Lived in Mammoth Lakes for 9 years, I miss the eastern high sierra.
its an easy area to miss 💙💙
Why if u don’t mind ? I would be somewhat depressed.
Thank you for this very informative video Gabriela. I’ll be traveling to Mammoth Lake in 1 week so I’ll be sure to check out these spots. Can’t wait to soak it all in 😊
you are so welcome! enjoy your trip!!!!
When I was in the Military during the 80’s, whilst stationed @ George AFB in Victorville,Ca, I hated living in the barracks,so I rented a nice double wide trailer in Phelan, off of 395, never went further North past Palmdale, now, I wish I would have gone further North,but I didn’t think my used car would make it ,so I didn’t, dammit, did visit my friend still in the military out there and visited Death Valley, in July, whew man, wrong time to go there, 126 degrees that day. Happy Trails, thanks for the video,majestic views! Subbed.
I Subscribed and this is my.1st comment. Excellent vid. Thank you for providing this. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting some of these and look forward visiting them again and completing the rest on the list.
Thank you so much for subscribing, so glad the video was helpful!!!!!
All-time of those look like safety trips now you just have to get through LA and San Francisco and Sacramento to start your journey. Safe travels everyone.
Farther North is just as Beautiful!
Magnificent
thank you so much!
Enjoyed your video. New subscriber.
happy to have you here!
Very cool! Make it 11 with Tioga Lake - it's awesome, too.
I might add to that, to include Mono Lake at Lee Vining.
Nice video, gives me some ideas for future hikes!
So glad the video was helpful!
Thanks for leaving my favorite spot off your list , HA HA !