Bishop - Inyo National Forest

This National Forest, extending along the U.S. 395 and U.S. 6 as far as Nevada, covers an area of 1,900,000 acres/763,000 hectares, and is divided into several wilderness regions, John Muir, Golden Trout, Anselm Adams and Hoover. Within the whole area there are hundreds of lakes and rivers, as well as Mount Whitney (14,500ft/4,418m), the highest mountain in the United States apart from Alaska. Moreover, it is only some 75mi/120km as the crow flies from the lowest point, Badwater in Death Valley, which lies 280ft/86m below sea level. The Palisade Glacier on the border of Inyo National Forest and Kings Canyon National Park is the most southerly glacier in the United States. Walks

For all walks in the forest region during the period from June 1st to September you must obtain permits, either in Lone Pine (tel. (760-876-6200), Mammoth Lakes (tel. (619) 934-2505), Bishop (tel. (619) 873-4207) or in Lee Vining (tel. (619) 647-6525).

The National Forest is barred to visitors during the remaining months of the year. There is a visitors' center for Inyo National Forest to be found south of Lone Pine, at the junction of the U.S. 395 and CA 136 roads. Open: daily in summer 8 a.m. - 6 p.m., and during the rest of the year Mon.- Thur. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.; tel. (619) 876-4252.