Summer | Bishop Visitor Information Center

Paiute Shoshone Cultural Center

The Paiute Shoshone Cultural Center is both a museum and cultural center that serves the community and safeguards its history. It is a place to preserve and tell the story of the old ways and a place for the community to come together to learn, teach and continue the traditional ways. The exhibits in the museum are beautifully illustrated snapshots of the lives…

Owens Valley Radio Observatory

2018 marks 60 years of observation at the Owens Valley Radio Observatory.
This is a truly awesome facility to visit for aspiring and current scientists, astronomers, and anyone who has a keen interest in learning about our world – especially our extra-terrestrial world.

A Guide to Cardinal Mine in Bishop Creek Canyon

The history of mining in California is long and legendary. The Cardinal Mine, located on the North Fork of Bishop Creek just above the settlement of Aspendell, is a fascinating relic of gold mining in the Eastern Sierra. This is the perfect place for families, anglers, and nature lovers to explore.

Matching the Hatch

I got into the fly-fishing industry as a fly tier. I’ve gotten good at tying exact imitations of other fly fishers fly patterns and imitating the insects found in the waters of the Eastern Sierra. I’ve also fished the major hatches in the Sierra with reliable success. Read more…

Notes on Home: A Villain in a Hero

On Main Street in Bishop, California, listen to the clatter of two lanes of traffic busy with horse trailers, RVs, biker gangs, and highway patrol racing after sports cars from the city. A clutch of teenagers saunters, Wrangler-ed and Stetson-ed, in town for the rodeo...

Laws Railroad Museum and Historic Site – Quick Guide

A visit to the Laws Railroad Museum and Historic Site is a trip back in time to experience the daily life of the early settlers of the Owens Valley. Close to 50 authentic structures on eleven acres are filled with artifacts and original objects. Take a train ride on the old Death Valley car. Enjoy colorful, period-themed events and have a happy holiday with carol singing, storytelling and a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. Open daily – except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

Bishop Twin Movie Theater – Then and Now

Intro Now The historic Bishop Twin Movie Theater, as it stands today, has been an entertainment venue for Bishop and Eastern Sierra audiences for almost 100 years. On the outside it appears to be little changed from its beginnings in 1925, but the two theaters have...

Bishop, California: A Sancturary for birds, butterflies and bees!

Eastern Sierra Land Trust Certifies 100th Pollinator Garden Bringing Nature To Your Doorstep Eastern Sierra Land Trust (ESLT) will certify its 100th pollinator garden on August 30th to address water conservation, the importance of native plants and the rapid...

Bishop by the Water

Photo: @lanedumm on Instagram “If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water,” — Loren Eiseley. Payahǖǖnadǖ. “Place of flowing water.” (Numic) The place of flowing water is the Owens Valley, as it is now more commonly known. It was once a wet, flood...

Inside on the Eastside: Top Ten Things to Do When You Can’t Be Outside

With well over 300 sunny days a year, you won’t get too many chances to pull out this list, but when you need it you need it! An inside day in Bishop need not mean a day stuck in your hotel room desperately looking for something to watch on the telly –...

How (and What) to Pack in your Daypack for an eastern Sierra hike

It’s hiking season in the eastern Sierra and there’s nothing better than getting out on our local trails. Hundreds of miles of adventure await, with something for everyone. Whether you are looking to log in some workout miles or take a leisurely stroll to...

Papoose Flat Quick Guide

Photo: Evan Thomas @exploreabitmore Intro Papoose Flat is known for its unique landscape of randomly isolated granite spires that dot the flat, and for the marvelous views of the Sierra Nevada crest and Owens Valley below. It is situated almost directly above Tinemaha...

Bishop by Land

Photo: @hatchetthejeep It may seem obvious to drive, run, walk, hike or ride in the Eastern Sierra. But do you know how much land there is to cover and how many ways there are to do it? Here’s an overview of the region to give you a sense of how much adventure awaits...

California’s Bristlecone Pines, The Oldest Living Things on Earth

By Lee Foster What are the oldest living things on earth? The current consensus is that they are trees, the bristlecone pines, which grow in the White Mountains of California, east from Bishop. You can easily make their acquaintance and wander amidst a group of them....

Bishop by Air

“The desire to fly is an idea handed down to us by our ancestors who… looked enviously on the birds soaring freely through space… on the infinite highway of the air.” ~ Wilbur Wright US Highway 395 is the route that most visitors drive to reach Bishop, but...

Las Vegas Review-Journal’s Thoughts on Bishop

Bishop, California, is nearby relief from hot temperatures By Deborah Wall / Special to View in the Las Vegas Review-Journal June 4, 2018 – 10:54 am Updated June 5, 2018 – 1:58 pm The granite formation of the Buttermilks near Bishop, California, are a...

Live Like A Local. In Bishop.

“You’re so lucky to live in Bishop.” This is a phrase I hear quite often from folks who know this beautiful little town, but don’t live here …. yet! “Yes,” I agree, “I am.” The town has charm and grace, the community is hospitable and friendly, and the landscape is …...

8 Great Family Adventures in the Eastern Sierra

Photo: @autumnpaizley “I scream. You scream. We all scream for ice cream.” ~ Song Lyrics, 1927, by Howard Johnson, Billy Moll, and Robert King. When I was a child I was highly amused by this saying. I would run around saying it loudly – especially in the hopes that I...

Wildflowers of the Eastern Sierra

Photo: @okayserasera Intro Of the many magical experiences in the Eastern Sierra, the wildflower bloom is especially lovely and fascinating. Wildflower blooms are subject to many factors and blossoming occurs at different places and different times. Water and...

31 Wonderful Travel Tips for First-Timers to Bishop

Photo: @kschipke You never forget your first time. Your first time in Bishop, California. Perhaps you were here as a child and have fleeting, but sweet memories of fishing with a parent. Now you’re all grown up you should come back to relive some of that sweetness and...

Inside Bishop Mule Days: Viewed as a Volunteer

To a Bishop Mule Days volunteer, Mule Days never really ends. Oh sure, everyone packs up and goes home, the fairgrounds hosts other events, and the seasons change, but Mule Days is always right around the corner. If you are like me, you have a pre-packed bin of Mule...

Get Yourself and Your Kids Ready for Fishing

There are many places to fish in the Owens Valley all year long, but what so many anglers look forward to every year is the California general trout season. Opening day of fishing season, the last Saturday in April, is anticipated as eagerly as Christmas is by adults...

The Druid Stones Trail Guide

Intro Getting to the Druid Stones is definitely an uplifting experience. The hike climbs about 1,700 feet in a little under 2 miles and delivers a bird’s eye view of Bishop and the Owens Valley below. The hike follows a fairly obvious trail from the base of the Coyote...

Taking Care of Business in Bishop

Even on vacation you may have a few things to take care of, and even in a small town it can take a while to find the services you need. We’ve put together a handy list of businesses and services you may be looking for in Bishop, and how to get to them. Visitors...

Bishop Visitor's Center