A Journey Down Epic Highway 395
While Pacific Coast Highway is California’s most popular road trip to residents and foreigners alike, US Highway 395 might be California’s most underrated road trip. Highway 395 is the lifeline of the Eastern Sierra. From here, you can access three national parks, the highest summit in the contiguous United States, California’s best climbing and skiing, and so much more if you are willing to do a little exploring.
For anyone with a sense of adventure, Highway 395 holds the key to your next road trip.
The Road to the Sierra
Once used by prospectors passing through the area to strike big during California’s Gold Rush, Highway 395 is now used to access the ski resorts, world class climbing, and otherworldly landscapes along the Eastern Sierra Nevada. While 395 spans almost the entire length of eastern California, the heart of it lies between Ridgecrest and Mono Lake. Here, it crosses the Mojave Desert and passes through Owen’s Valley all while giving you breathtaking views of California’s highest peaks. While getting to the heart of 395 involves driving through what seems like a never ending desert, once you catch your first glimpse of the Eastern Sierra, which seems to suddenly soar above you all at once, you remember why you came.
The Alabama Hills
The rounded boulders fields of the Alabama Hills contrast with the sharp ridges and high peaks of the Eastern Sierra. Lying just west of Lone Pine, off Whitney Portal Road, the Alabama Hills are a photographer’s dream. Here you can snap photos on the famous Movie Road or of sport climbers sending the aesthetic Shark’s Fin Arete. The Alabama Hills are often described as the lazy man’s crag because routes can be found just a few feet from your camp. There is a great deal of rock in this area and over 300 routes have been documented. This makes the Alabama Hills an ideal stop for any level of sport climber. Managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Alabama Hills have endless free camping, most of which is under the massive rock formations. Think Joshua Tree but without the national park crowds…or the Joshua Trees. Not to mention the 14,505’ Mt. Whitney towers over you no matter where you are standing.
The Camping
Saying there is a lot camping off Highway 395 is a huge understatement. From Lone Pine to June Mountain, there is literally free camping everywhere in addition to the hundreds of established campgrounds. Most of the free camping is dispersed and can be found off the numerous forrest service roads. We discovered many of our favorite campsites by just driving off the beaten path down. However, be sure pick a previously established camping spot and practice leaving no trace. With more and more climbers and hikers venturing to the Eastern Sierra, we all must do our part to preserve this beautiful land we get to play on.
Bishop
Bishop is hands down the best town on the East Side. With the slogan “small town with a big backyard,” Bishop is an outdoor enthusiast’s Disneyland. There is something here for everyone. It is truly the gateway to the Eastern Sierra. While there is plenty of free camping, hiking, fishing, and backcountry skiing, this is where the best and the bulk of the rock climbing can be found along 395. From the Buttermilks to the Tablelands to Owen’s River Gorge to Pine Creek, Bishop is home to every single style of climbing. More on that in a minute.
Besides the access to endless outdoor activities, Bishop is also a super cool little town. A lot of people think Bishop is just a place get cheap gas on their way to Mammoth Mountain. But Bishop is so much more than that. It is a gem of a town hiding in plain sight. So if you are just passing through or staying for a few days (check out The Eastside Guesthouse and Bivy), be sure to grab a beer at Mountain Rambler Brewery, get some work done at the Bishop CoWork, try the sourdough bread at Great Basin Bakery, grab a burger at Bishop Burger Barn, and bring home some super small batch artisan spirits from Owens Valley Distilling Company.
The Climbing
The amount of climbing you can access off Highway 395 is immense. There is world class climbing from Ridgecrest to Lake Tahoe. While the Alabama Hills were already mentioned for sport climbing, the best bouldering is found around Bishop. The quantity and quality of boulder problems here is insane. The Buttermilks, which are located just west of Bishop, are home to some of the tallest, boldest, proudest, and most aesthetic lines in the world. People come from all over to test their skills here. They style of climbing in the Buttermilks is technical and hard. One the other hand, the Happy Boulders, lying just east of Bishop, are like an outdoor climbing gym. The style of climbing here is very dynamic and gymnastic. Your muscles will definitely give out before your skin does. This area was appropriately named because its hard to have a bad day climbing here.
While theres a lot more bouldering to be found around Bishop, theres also some world class sport and trad climbing. Owens River Gorge and Pine Creek Canyon are both within a 15 minute drive from Bishop. Heading north, there is more roped climbing and bouldering around Mammoth and June Lake. These are great areas to check out when the weather starts to get too warm to climb in Owen’s Valley. Even further north, Lake Tahoe is home to some amazing trad climbing and bouldering. While there is enough climbing off 395 to keep one occupied for life, when Tioga Pass is open (early summer-late fall), Tuolumne and Yosemite Valley become accessible.
The Adventure
Highway 395 is all about finding your adventure. Whether you are a climber, hiker, photographer, overlander, skier, snowboarder, car camper, hot spring lover, or just wanna see some of the best mountain skylines in America, Highway 395 should be on your list. Get lost in the backcountry. Follow an unmapped road. Camp under the stars. Soak in a natural hot spring. Climb til your fingers fall off. Most of all have fun and happy adventuring.
