My wife and I flying to Reno the last week of October and heading south along the Sierra Nevada. I've been down to Lee Vining but never any farther south along the range. What are some "don't miss areas" between Lee Vining and Death Valley. We are hoping to make it to Death Valley for 2 days so what would be the "don't miss areas" in Death Valley.
My wife wants to try panning for gold, so are there any mines open to the public where she can try her luck prospecting? Thanks for all suggestions.
Pat, I say the following in that area are Alabama Hills, The Ancient Bristlecone pine forest elev @10,000 ft., Bodie Ghost Town... Mono Lake and that is my opinion... if you never been to these places that is... Just my 2 cents worth.
Last edited by Ted Stoddard; 22-Sep-2009 at 16:04. Reason: spelling errors
You should get lots of replies as this stretch is every photographers playground. Bodie and Mono Lake are usually considered don't miss. The June lake loop is always spectacular as is Convict lake. I fear you'll be about 3 weeks late for fall aspen color as yesterday the tops of some of the trees were just beginning to get yellow. The Slim Princess at Laws RR Museum just N or Bishop is dis-appointing compared to what it could be, but if you're a rail fan you may need to have a look. I think the Ancient Bristlecone forest E. of Big Pine is HUGE. That's just me. The higher you go the better they get. On your way, stop at Keough's Hot Springs and soak some of the dust off in their 1918 olympic sized pool. It's really gorgeous and the most refreshing stop you could ever make. If you could book one of their restored 1923 cabins for a night you'd never forget it. As to Death Valley, check the average temperatures over several years for the week you're considering. Being a local, I'm dismissive of Death Valley until about January 15th. Remember it's very dry heat and some folks just love it I guess. They're barely open at the end of October. The Sunday Buffet at Furnace Creek Inn should not be missed if it works out at all. After DV leave a couple of hours for a stop at the Amargosa Opera House. There are pictures yet to be mined there. If you wander by way of Tonopah, give a holler. I'll be gearing up for the workshop there the following week. (read cleaning up my messy darkroom and studio)
"Don't miss" areas? Pretty much everything between Lee Vining and Lone Pine; without knowing your interests, there are too many to mention, though I'm sure others will have many specific suggestions. I'd recommend getting a copy of Sue Irwin's California's Eastern Sierra: A Visitor's Guide for an idea of what some of the places look like. You'll probably find there are far more places than you have time for.
If the year is typical, the fall color will be pretty much over for most of the area, but it may just be starting in the town of Bishop.
Galen and Barbara Rowell's Mountain Light Gallery in Bishop is worth a stop if you have the time.
ahhh.... you'll need at least two weeks to see half of the Must See places in Death Valley and its surroundings! I've been there twice and have barely scratched the surface of places to see.
For a "different" view of DV, explore the hills surrounding the Valley. Aquerreberry Point is phenomenal, as are various abandoned gold mines scattered thru the mountains. Lots of abandoned old vehicles (if that's your thing) are scattered far and wide throughout the countryside... especially around the abandoned mines.
The obvious Must See's in DV would be the dunes, the salt flats, Devil's Raceway, and a bit away... Rhyolite ghost town. I'll second Jim's suggestion of Furnace Creek... very good eats! But then again, there's not a lot of other places offering food of any description in that neck of the woods..... (used loosely... woods are not to be found).
If your bride has never been to Mono Lake, take her out to the South Tufa area for sunrise. It's very magical.
As others have said, the autumn color will be pretty much toast by then, but the big cottonwood trees around Bishop should be looking pretty nice and other trees in Owens Valley may look nice, as well.
Two areas that have not been mentioned are McGee Creek and Rock Creek/Little Lakes Valley. They are virtually 'next door' to one another. There is a nice trail going up the McGee canyon that has spectacular views of the mountains. If you go to Rock Creek, head up to Mosquito Flat and hike up into Little Lakes Valley. The trail head is very high, so the hike isn't too difficult. The view of Bear Creek Spire, and Mounts Dade ,Abbott, and Mills is very much worth the effort.
Big Pine Creek and Independence Creeks are also very nice. There are gorgeous views of the north face of Mount Williamson (reputed to be the most massive peak in the range) from the road up Independence Creek to Onion Valley.
The Alabama hills are a 'no-miss' stop. One could literally spend days wandering around there: I have, and I haven't even scratched the surface. The drive up Whitney Portal Road to Whitney Portal is stunning, and there is a nice waterfall 50 feet from the parking area. It's a great place to have lunch and poke around during the heat of the day.
As Jim said, DV will be hot. However, if this trip is your only shot at it, you should seriously consider going there.
I should also mention that Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite is easily reachable from Lee Vining, if Tioga Pass is open. In late October, Tioga is a crap shoot because a storm could close the pass in short order.
Have a great trip!
-Preston
Last edited by Preston; 22-Sep-2009 at 17:20. Reason: typo fixes
Preston-Columbia CA
"If you want nice fresh oats, you have to pay a fair price. If you can be satisfied with oats that have already been through the horse; that comes a little cheaper."
A PS if you do much in the way of off-main-road travelling: Last trip there, on the road (word used loosely) up to Aquerreberry Point, we suffered two punctured tires in two days (4-ply highway tires as supplied on rental SUV's). You really need off-road or at least 8-ply tires for some of the "roads."
At least be sure to check that the spare and jack is in good order... if you get off the main roads there's lots of areas in DV without cell service and lots of off-road areas that won't see a car for days.
AAA has an excellent Death Valley map. A great guide.
Death Valley is a lot bigger than one might think!
I like Zabriskie Point at sunrise. Then up the steep road to Dante's View @ 5475 elev. (great in the morning or sunset.)
Sand Dunes- best at sunrise (before other folks footprints)
The ruins at Rhyolite - great any time or sunset.
We stay at Stovepipe Wells, and/or the Burro Inn in Beatty.(gas etc is cheaper there)
It can be hot in the valley & really cold at the higher elevations.
Bring about twice as much film as expected!
AAA also have an excellent Guide Map for the Eastern Sierra--an absolute must have, even if you're not a member and need to purchase it from the Forest Service in Lee Vining or at one of the stores along U.S. 395.
A few thoughts on sunrise locations along U.S. 395: Mono Lake South Tufa Area, north of Bishop (facing Mt. Tom), Bishop Creek near Aspendell, and the Alabama Hills west of Lone Pine. You'll need to do at least some brief scouting the day before to find the right spot, especially near Aspendell. It is indeed possible to spend many days exploring the Alabama Hills, and it's equally possible to spend endless hours looking for the perfect sunrise spot. No need, especially if you're pressed for time--try the Movie Flat area west of Lone Pine or Tuttle Creek Rd. southwest of Lone Pine. You will of course, need to give it a quick look the day before, but there are many good spots right off the roads.
I completely agree about the heat in DV, so it might be worth including it as a possibility subject to the weather. Sunrise spots that I like are Rhyolite, Zabriskie Point, Badwater, and the Mesquite Dunes (near Stovepipe Wells). For a sunset, try either the Mesquite Dunes (footprints can be a problem, but the only thing that removes them is a good wind or rain, so they may be as good in the evening as in the morning). Another sunset spot is Golden Canyon (just south of Furnace Creek and west of Zabriskie Point)--near the beginning of the trail that heads up to Manly Beacon (and on to Zabriskie Point), you can get some nice light on the Red Cathedral as well as on Manly Beacon.
I find Furnace Creek a bit pricey, and usually stay in Beatty or Stovepipe Wells--the former for Rhyolite and the latter for the dunes. The downside is that both are a bit of a drive from the spots around Furnace Creek.
For some good eats, try the Seasons in Lone Pine; with a chef named Jeff, you know you can't go wrong. Full disclosure: I haven't been there for a couple of years.
I could go on forever, but I'll stop here for now.
Bristlecone Pine Forest is truly unusual, and it makes you stop and think when you realize that you're looking at some of the oldest living things on earth. Good photographs too.
There is a really cool western wear store in Lone Pine.
The motels in Lee Vining are minimal/colorful depending on your point of view.
Cerro Gordo ghost town, while not as picturesque as Bodie, has some grand vistas from the road to/from. You should have a 4wd, the road is steep but not horribly so. The vistas are looking west/south, The last time I was there the smoke obscured almost everything. The road to Cerro Gordo leaves from Keeler.
I'll recommend "California Desert Byways" by Tony Huegel
Great trip.
John
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