STEPH JUDGEMENT: A natural wonder worth visiting…read more In all the years I've driven up and down the 395 on the way to and from Mammoth I never made that turn at Big Pine to visit this ancient wonder, as it's not just a short detour. This last time the hubby and I went to Mammoth, though, i was determined to visit this place, so we drove out the 25 miles to the visitor center (closed), gaining quite a bit of altitude along the way. The said altitude prevented us from doing the fairly easy hikes near the visitor center, as we hadn't been up this way in a while and weren't feeling acclimated enough. We got to take in plenty of fantastic scenery, though, at various lookout points and especially on the drive out to Patriarch Grove, where we got to see the environment change drastically from scrubby green hills to desolate sandy soil with the signature gnarly bristle cone pine trees. It was worth the bumpy unpaved road and finding out that the last mile was snowed out. Would definitely love to come back and do those hikes!

The drive to get here from downtown Bishop was an hour! It was looping around the mountains and we…read morehad to drive slowly at the curves. The views were so gorgeous that we did make a few stops. We parked in front of the Visitor Center and went on the Discovery Trail. It took us an hour to complete. We started on the right side of the loop, and I was just gasping for air. We saw the beautiful Bristlecone trees on the trail. As we continued on to the left side of the loop, we had to walk on the big red rocks. That part was not enjoyable at all as we had to be careful not to trip. However, the views were so wonderful. It's a clear trail, so there is no getting lost.

Activity Type: Hiking Nearby City: Mammoth Lakes…read moreLength: 13 total miles Elevation Gain: 1,700 feet Trail Type: Out-and-back Skill Level: An overall elevation gain of about 1,700 feet makes this a challenging hike. Duration: 7 to 8 hours, though 2 days is preferable. Season: Late June through mid-October. Trailhead Elevation: 8,300 feet Top Elevation: 9,300 feet Other Uses: Equestrians and leashed dogs are welcome. Bikes are not allowed in the Ansel Adams Wilderness. In a region of exceptionally stunning lakes, Shadow and Ediza are two of the loveliest. Both harbor views of the Ritter Range that are among the finest mountain landscapes in the Sierra Nevada. Rolling through green meadows, conifer forests, and rocky outcrops, the trail rises by gradual degrees up the valley of Shadow Creek in view of Volcanic Ridge, to the left (south). Some stretches have been finessed through rocky benches by the vigorous application of picks, shovels, and maybe a surgical stick or two of dynamite. The best of company, frolicsome Shadow Creek entertains us with music and assorted pretty little tricks, including a very clever cascade around an island of polished granite

Ah-May-Zing! I…read moreheard about Lake Ediza last year while on my way to Garnet via Shadow Creek. Fortunately I had a chance to trek up to Ediza this year. I was told that between the split off from the JMT to go towards Garnet and Lake Ediza there was a piece of Heaven on Earth. Truly the scenery was enlightening. Shadow creek was booming (even in this drought). Like all the high elevation lakes it's quite a trek to get there but the payoff is well worth the pain. When we arrived there wasn't too many good camping spots. We had to go around the lake towards the southwest section and camped a little off the trail. If we had just gone a bit further crossing a small creek to the "island" we would have found an even better spot by the beach area under the cover of some trees. My advice: Get there early and grab a good spot. As beautiful as Lake Ediza is it can get busy. Not Thousand Island Lakes busy, but busy nonetheless.

Great place to visit for all family! We discovered this place by chance, but we fell in love with…read morethe natural beauty--clear water, drinkable air, and a pure, peaceful atmosphere!

Everywhere online says that this trail is a 6 miler, but it is most definitely 7 to get Blue Lake…read more Just keep that in mind when you don't reach the lake at 3 miles. Also keep in mind that this is a backpacking trail where you can continue beyond Blue Lake and reach numerous other lakes such as Dingleberry Lake, Hungry Packer Lake, Moonlight Lake, etc. However, my group of friends opted for a day hike since we aren't experienced backpackers. Soon after beginning the hike you get to Sabrina Lake which is neat in and of itself, but was not our final destination. If you wanted it to be, it could, as there are plenty of people enjoying the basin on their boats. Fun fact, Sabrina is pronounced SUH-BRAH-EE-NUH, not SUH-BREE-NUH, as one local informed us haha. Anyway, this hike was unlike any other I've been on due to the terrain. I've never been to the Sierras and it's so cool that it's like a dessert, alpine hybrid. There are beautiful alpine flowers (pink, purple, and orange) along the entire hike, two mini falls/streams that you have to cross, and plenty of rocky switchbacks. I would not call this a very intense hike as there aren't any portions that involve climbing or jumping. The only challenge I can imagine is if you didn't bring snacks/lunch to enjoy once you reach the beautiful Lake Blue. Lake Blue is crisp looking and crisp FEELING. You will definitely get hypothermia if you stay in for longer than a couple minutes. My feet were almost instantly numb, and my two friends that dared to (quickly) dunk their bodies in were extremely thankful for the hot noon sun that warmed and dried them fairly quickly. Make sure to bring bug spray because in the areas where you cross streams, there are HUGE SWARMS OF MOSQUITOS. Also there are bears and long-horned goats apparently, so be prepared in all situations. Happy hiking!

Voilà, home to the famous Mt Whitney! + Also, lots other…read morecools hikes and sceneries in the area. Oh, so blessed to be living in CA. - Downside is it's prob far away from your home, so prep for a +5hr car trip~ - Desert-y terrain. Almost nothing out there. Everything so far apart. . Stock up well on snacks, drinks, supplies before you head out.

Located in California's beautiful Eastern Sierra, the Inyo National Forest offers clean air,…read morecrystal blue skies, mountain lakes and streams, challenging trails, high mountain peaks, and beautiful views. With over two million acres, the Inyo National Forest is home to many natural wonders, including Mt. Whitney, Mono Lake, Mammoth Lakes Basin, and the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, as well as seven Congressionally-designated Wildernesses, comprising over 650,000 acres of land. This is a 3 nights 4days backpacking trip totaling 22.5 miles in the Ansel Adams WIlderness and the setting is amazing. We started at Agnews Meadow to John Muir Trail looping back thru Pacific Crest Trail. John Muir Trail Section: The John Muir Wilderness is massive in length - over 100 miles at its longest point. It covers the central/south portion of the Sierra Nevada range, on both the west and east side. The west side offers access from California's Central Valley and has many small towns and camper facilities. The east side is steep, very steep, and is accessible from the Owens Valley. Named after the father of environmentalism and champion of the national park system, this Wilderness has everything the Sierra Nevada has to offer -- lakes, meadows, streams, mountain peaks, forests and more. The John Muir Trail travels about 53 miles in the John Muir Wilderness. In terms of the John Muir Trail, this Wilderness essentially covers the area between National Parks/Monuments. The mid-point for the Trail lies here. Typically, it is at (or near) Edison or Florence Lakes that the through hiker will take a brief break and re-supply. The John Muir Wilderness also affords the hiker spots to soak their feet in hot springs, grab a warm meal, and "traverse" from "easy" east side access points to west side access points for the trail. As the trail begins a long set of switchbacks, one of the most panoramic views along the entire John Muir Trail is gained. Between the trees one can see the Minarets, Mt. Ritter and Banner Peak. Summer is an excellent time to see wildflowers along the trail. At higher elevations, even in late Summer the wildflowers are blooming due to the late snow melt. The order of the Lakes as we hiked in is as follows: Shadow Lake, Clarice Lake, Garnett Lake, Ruby Lake, Emerald Lake, Badger Lake and Thousand Islands. I can not choose which lake to mention as my favorite. They're all breathtaking. But Garnett Lake and Thousand Island stays in my mind the most. Ruby Lake is mysterious looking and Shadow Lake is rewarding in a sense since this is the first lake you will see after the final push in a difficult steep switchback leading to it. Mosquitoes are abundant during summer here that makes it not my favorite :( but it is beautiful nevertheless. As you ascend to over 9500 feet mosquitoes get lesser and you're back in a cooler condition. There are definitely snow on the trail and in some areas more than others as we started on the JMT above 9600 feet. One section between Ruby Lake and Garnett Lake the whole1000 feet of trail was covered in snow. I would recommend a trekking pole and crampons for faster crossing. You could definitely do it without but the snow will slow you down. Some areas are as deep as 5 feet of soft snow. Clarice Lake at 9600 was about 80% frozen. We took a break here and listened to the frogs complain :) The trail from Clarice Lake to Garnett Lake was covered with snow. I decided to throw my pack down and follow it by sliding down the hill on my behind. It was fun! The majestic beauty of both the Minarets, Banner Peak(12,936 ft) and Mt Ritter (13,143 ft) is the backdrop on most of my pictures of Shadow Lake. Awesome! Lots of wild flowers on the way down thru the PCT. Had a semi encounter with a bear on the trail. We heard him but never got to see him from about 20 feet from us. Hope this review will somehow encourage Yelpers to explore Ansel Adams Wilderness! Enjoy my pictures. I walked uphill to 10,1000 feet and and a total of 22.5 miles to snap them :)!

Learning and the hands-On was well choreographed. Have taken many of these classes over the years…read morethis was by far the best strongly recommend to family friends and your organization.

Activity Type: Hiking Nearby City: June Lake…read moreLength: 20 total miles Elevation Gain: 3,580 feet Trail Type: Loop Skill Level: Difficult Duration: 3-4 days Season: Mid-July through September Trailhead Elevation: 8,200 feet Top Elevation: 10,300 feet Local Contacts: Ansel Adams Wilderness; Mammoth Lakes Visitor Center Let your own abilities determine which of these two hikes you will take into the spectacular country around the base of Mount Ritter and the Minarets. The Ediza Lake hike follows excellent trails to a beautiful destination. The traverse hike--which continues from Ediza Lake on a steep and sketchy route to Iceberg, Cecile, and Minaret Lakes--requires route finding skills, a bit of easy scrambling, and, for much of the summer, an ice ax for crossing the icy slopes around Iceberg Lake. At Minaret Lake, the traverse route rejoins well-maintained trails for the descent to Devils Postpile National Monument.

Talk to Eric the owner and make a deal. Eric is cool and the amount of gear in the store is…read morestaggering. I restrained myself and got a pair of keanes and a gently used Osprey backpack. I was tempted to spend more money. There was so much stuff. Definitely stopped in as you're passing through the 395

Highly recommended. The owner, Eric, is a stand up guy. Gave us the honest low down of all his used…read moregear and prices were extremely fair. We came in, bought a bunch of stuff for 3 people, and had a great experience. Eric is also a super interesting guy, UCLA bachelor's and Stanford Math PhD. Looking forward to visiting the shop again. Eric if you're reading this, this is the group where the girl in the group put on the ski helmet backwards!

Amazing experience! Great ride options for all. Beautiful, healthy, and strong stock. Friendly and…read moreinformative team. We booked a day in the Sierra and it did not disappoint. Gaby was our guide and she was amazing. We rode Percy and Howdy. Forever memories!

From the first inquiry to the end of our trip, these folks were high quality. They provided a…read moredunnage drop into the Golden Trout Wilderness, allowed us to dry camp near the stables, allowed us to park near the stables, and were very helpful in making sure we made it to our destination into the Cottonwood Lakes corridor. J.P. and Chris, our wrangler, were absolutely outstanding with their customer service and performance.

Loved the Bishop City Park with a stream running through it and plenty or walkways for exercise and…read moreyour pets. Large baseball field, soccer fields, playgrounds. a dedicated dog park community pool, tennis courts, pond where you can see fish, ducks and various birds, and lots of picnic tables. Worth a visit for rest and relaxation or to listen to Bishop stream and small waterfall by the bridge. When driving through Bishop in the future, this is the spot to take your pets for a nice walk and stretch before getting back on the road!

This is a really cute park in the heart of Bishop. You can tell that the planning was intentional…read moreand very thoughtful. Although this area as a whole has plenty to do (in the mountains), the little towns are quite barren for any activity. While walking our pup here, we saw the pond with so many birds, a skatepark, an outdoor pool, tennis court, a baseball field, and more! There were a few sketchy people hanging around, but we were safe and they didn't bother us. For the most part, the people there were playing or just enjoying the grounds. Plenty of parking, and pretty well maintained. We were pleasantly surprised at how large of an area it covered, and our pup enjoyed her walk here.

I just returned from a weekend of fly-fishing lessons with David and I cannot say enough good…read morethings about him and the overall experience that we had. Fly-fishing was something I'd been wanting to do for decades and our weekend of lessons/guiding by David resulted in an amazing positive experience for us. David's passion for fly fishing and for the elements that compose the environment where we fished were greatly appreciated. David is not only extremely knowledgeable on all aspects of fly-fishing, but when he learned we have an appreciation of the local environment there too, he gladly shared lots of his knowledge with us. This included the environment and life cycle of the various species of trout where we fished and their food source, trout fishing up in the high country, the many various types of birds and other wildlife in the environment, some ranching history, etc. His local knowledge of where to fish in the Bishop area was on point. Both days we were at nearby locations that were easy to get to and extremely scenic, but with virtually no other fishermen or other people around. David's enthusiasm for fly-fishing was evident from the beginning. We got us geared up and on the water quickly, and his teaching was mostly hands-on with just a few minutes of coaching before we got our lines in the water, then further coaching from there as we progressed. Before long we were catching beautiful and healthy trout. When we'd hook up David was right there to guide us on how to keep the fish on and safely land and release it. As our skills and comfort on the water increased David would introduce new techniques to us and guide us to other close-by spots to wade into and fish. We caught numerous trout of various species both days. He provided all the fishing-related gear to us and everything worked flawlessly. We had minimal snags and lost flies, and when we did he was on it quickly to get us back fishing. His stoke for fly-fishing and the Sierra is contagious and I plan on getting out there again with him. I highly recommend Sierra Trout Magnet!

Another great trout fishing experience in Lower Owens with Dave! He knows all the right spots and…read moreprovides expert guidance throughout the trip. Highly recommended for beginners, a refresher, and advanced anglers alike, #GOAT! Thank you, Dave!

Raptor walk trail along the south side of the King's River is amazing! You'll see egrets, herons,…read moreducks, turkeys and many more. Nice benches to sit on and relax at the riverside.