Bishop Things to Do

Bishop is the self-described Mule Capital of the World (there appear to be many).

Mule Days, which includes the country's largest non-motorized parade, is held every Memorial Day Weekend.

Actually, Mule Days was started by the local packers who wanted to drum up more business with the vacationers from "down south" (LA) and the Bay Area.

Mules are lovely creatures AND smarter than horses.

A little over 6 miles from the Lake Sabrina trailhead, lies Hungry Packer Lake. The trail ends here beside this glorious alpine lake, mounatins surrounding. A crosscountry route does go on but the pass crossing is difficult and most will be happy to absorb the scenery from the lake here, 11100 feet high.

The trailheads for both North and South Lakes -on appropriately, the North and South Forks of Bishop Creek - are trailheads for major Sierran trails which go serve for going over the Sierran crest. Each of those trails sport several very pretty lakes. But for the best lakes in the area, go to the trailhead which begins at the end of CA 168 at Lake Sabrina. This trail goes up the watershed of the Middle Fork and unlike the other two trails, it deadends on the eastern side of the Sierran crest. From the roadend, 9080 feet, you come to the first lake after about 3 miles, Blue Lake, 10420 feet. The Thompson Ridge raise high on the SE edge of the lake. It has wonderful campsites and a sidetrail will take you to Donkey and Baboon Lakes, but the main trail goes right and in a couple more miles it reaches the heart of the lake basin - Dingleberry, Midnight, Topsy Turvy, Moonlight Lakes. Mt Darwin, Mt Haeckel and their fellows rise high above. Just ahead lies the lake with the great moniker of Drunken Sailor Lake - see the picture from the Bishop introduction.

This basin lies to the north of Piute Pass. It is above timberline and is a morass of rock with a mulitude of small little canyons in which to either lose yourself or get lost. Mt Humphreys towers on the eastern edge. Several lakes and tarns can be found throughout the basin with the largest being Desolation Lake.

Just before the end of CA route 168 out of Bishop, you will see a sign for North Lake. There is a campground at the end of the road and a trailhead. This trail heads over Piute Pass in about 5 miles going from 9369 feet to over 11400 feet. There are several lakes in the upper reaches of the canyon for fishermen. Backcountry enthusiasts will find Piute Pass to be a doorway to wide-open barren landscapes of Desolation Basin and the adventurous off-trail route looping back to the roadend via the Keyhole (or Alpine Col) - Darwin Canyon and the Lamarck Col.