On day two of our Eastern Sierra vacation we were in Bishop and this time on the agenda was North Lake, a locale that I had always crossed off the trip list in years past because the descriptions of the road conditions and drive up that I had read in travel guides and online had always sounded harrowing (e.g., from California's Eastern Sierra: A Visitor's Guide: "North Lake is located 1 mile before Lake Sabrina. Steep, narrow, and partially paved, the 2-mile road to North Lake is not recommended for RV's or trailers." But a couple months ago I watched a YouTube video of someone driving up North lake Road and it actually looked quite navigable and even fun https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=082ndwVobs4 .
North Lake is not crowded like Sabrina and South Lake always are in the summer, with the only caveat being that you must bring bug repellant because the skeeters, aka mosquitoes, were out in force (late spring-early summer are their prime seasons). Mosquitoes would prove to be the bain of our trip every place that we traveled to in the Eastern Sierras that was near water. But as long as you slather on the deet, you'll be protected from the skeeter onslaught and be able to enjoy the awesome scenery and fresh air without undue distraction. After spending most of the morning at North Lake, we next headed up Hwy. 168 to Lake Sabrina but it was packed to the gills - no parking whatsoever at the roadend or roadside. We attempted South Lake next, but had the same road jam issue. WTF? Eastern Sierras used to be that hidden gem that few have discovered, but not so much anymore. Moral of the story from our trip this time was: paved roads = tons of people while dirt/offroad tracks = a lot less people and more R&R.
Alpine Pussytoes (Antennaria media), meadow restoration area off South Lake Road
Sierra Linanthus (Leptosiphon pachyphyllus), meadow restoration area off South Lake Road
Wandering Daisy (Symphotrichium ascendants), meadow restoration area off South Lake Road
View from meadow restoration area, South Lake Road
Meadow restoration area, South Lake Road
Apricot Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua), South Lake Road,
south of Bishop Creek Lodge
Apricot Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua) and Western Aster (Symphyotrichium ascendens)
South Lake Road, south of Bishop Creek Lodge
Apricot Mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua) and Western Aster (Symphyotrichium ascendens)
South Lake Road, south of Bishop Creek Lodge
Sulfur Buckwheat (Eriogonum umbellatum)
South Lake Road, south of Bishop Creek Lodge
Antelope Bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata)
South Lake Road, south of Bishop Creek Lodge
Bruneau Mariposa Lily (Calochortus bruneaunis)
East side of South Lake Road, just south of Bishop Creek Lodge
East side of South Lake Road, just south of Bishop Creek Lodge
Sierra Angelica/Soda Straw (Angelica lineariloba), South of Bishop Creek Lodge
Take-out dinner of tri-tip, mac & cheese and cole slaw from Holy Smoke Texas-Style BBQ in Bishop, which we
(including the fur babies) enjoyed in our room at the pet-friendly Comfort Inn.
North Lake is not crowded like Sabrina and South Lake always are in the summer, with the only caveat being that you must bring bug repellant because the skeeters, aka mosquitoes, were out in force (late spring-early summer are their prime seasons). Mosquitoes would prove to be the bain of our trip every place that we traveled to in the Eastern Sierras that was near water. But as long as you slather on the deet, you'll be protected from the skeeter onslaught and be able to enjoy the awesome scenery and fresh air without undue distraction. After spending most of the morning at North Lake, we next headed up Hwy. 168 to Lake Sabrina but it was packed to the gills - no parking whatsoever at the roadend or roadside. We attempted South Lake next, but had the same road jam issue. WTF? Eastern Sierras used to be that hidden gem that few have discovered, but not so much anymore. Moral of the story from our trip this time was: paved roads = tons of people while dirt/offroad tracks = a lot less people and more R&R.
Hwy. 168W from Bishop en route to North Lake
Hwy. 168W
Turnoff from Hwy. 168W to North Lake Road
North Lake Road
Ascending North Lake Road
North Lake Road
North Lake Road
North Lake Road
Sierra Linanthus (Leptosiphon pachyphyllus), North Lake Road
North Lake Road
Mountain Snowberry (Symphoricarpos rotundifolius), North Lake Road
Um, where are we? Mom...dad...anyone?
North Lake Road
North Lake Road
North Lake Road
Piute/Lamarck Trailhead, North Lake Road
Giant Red Paintbrush (Castilleja miniata), near North Lake Campground
False Solomon's Seal (Maianthemum stellatum, formerly Smilacina stellata),
meadow off North Fork of Bishop Creek
North Fork of Bishop Creek off North Lake Rd.
Ranger's Buttons (Sphenosciadium capitellatum), North Fork of Bishop Creek
Squaw Currant/Wax Currant (Ribes cereum), off North Fork of Bishop Creek
Meadow off North Fork of Bishop Creek
Meadow Penstemon, Giant Red Paintbrush, and Slender Cinquefoil,
Meadow off North Fork of Bishop Creek
Sierra Penstemon (Penstemon heterodoxys), North Lake Road
Meadow off North Fork of Bishop Creek
Owlsclaws (Hymenoxys hoopesii), North Lake Road
Rosy Pussytoes (Antennaria rosea), North Lake Road
North Fork of Bishop Creek
Mountain Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana), off North Fork of Bishop Creek
Addy swimming!!! North Fork of Bishop Creek
Our beaver-bear boy!!!
Meadow Chickweed (Stellaria longipes), meadow off North Fork of Bishop Creek
Coulter's Daisy (Erigeron coulteri), meadow off North Fork of Bishop Creek
Après creek dipping, meadow off North Fork of Bishop Creek
Western Blue Flag (Iris missouriensis), North Lake Road
Mule Ears (Wyethia mollis), North Lake Road
Western Columbine (Aquilegia formosa), North Lake Road
North Lake Road, lined with Aspens
Sierra Shooting Star (Primula jeffreyi), off North Fork of Bishop Creek
Primrose Monkeyflower (Mimulus primuloides), North Lake
Slender Cinquefoil (Potentilla gracilis), North Lake Road
Western Monkshood (Aconitum columbianum), North Fork Bishop Creek
Field of Western Blue Flags (Iris missouriensis), North Lake Road
Kelley's / Sierra Lily (Lilium kelleyanum), North Fork of Bishop Creek
View from North Lake Day Use Area
North Fork of Bishop Creek
North Lake
North Lake
North Lake is at an elevation of 9,200 ft. and is relatively shallow
compared to Lake Sabrina and South Lake.
It has good fishing now but is slowly in the process of becoming a meadow
compared to Lake Sabrina and South Lake.
It has good fishing now but is slowly in the process of becoming a meadow
North Lake
North Lake
North Lake
Sierra Linanthus (Leptosiphon pachyphyllus), North Lake Day Use Area
North Lake Day Use Area
Mountain Pride/Newberry's Penstemon (Penstemon newberryi), North Lake Road
Mountain Monardella/Pennyroyal (Monardella odoratissima),
North Lake Road
Sierra Angelica (Angelica lineariloba), North Lake Road
Antelope Bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata), North Lake Road
Heavenly Blue/Giant Woolley Star (Eriastrum densifolium)
Hwy. 168 at 6,500' 5 miles east of South Lake Road
Bridge's Penstemon (Penstemon rostriflorus)
La Hup Picnic Area, South Lake Road
Newberry's/Mountain Pride Penstemon (Penstemon newberryi)
La Hup Picnic Area, South Lake Road
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Tyee Lakes trailhead, South Lake Road
Mountain Snowberry (Symphoricarpos rotundifolius)
Tyee Lakes trailhead, South Lake Road
Giant Red Paintbrush (Castilleja miniata)
Tyee Lakes trailhead, South Lake Road
Hwy. 168 at 6,500' 5 miles east of South Lake Road
La Hup Picnic Area, South Lake Road
La Hup Picnic Area, South Lake Road
Tyee Lakes trailhead, South Lake Road
Tyee Lakes trailhead, South Lake Road
Tyee Lakes trailhead, South Lake Road
South Fork of Bishop Creek, meadow restoration area off of South Lake Road
South Fork Bishop Creek, meadow restoration area
South Fork Bishop Creek, meadow restoration area
Meadow restoration area off South Lake Road
Meadow restoration area off South Lake Road
(of course, this was outside of the restricted no trampling area)
Owlsclaws (Hymenoxis hoopesii), meadow restoration area off South Lake Road
Antelope Bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata), meadow restoration area off South Lake Road
Slender Cinquefoil (Potentilla gracilis), meadow restoration area off South Lake Road
south of Bishop Creek Lodge
South Lake Road, south of Bishop Creek Lodge
South Lake Road, south of Bishop Creek Lodge
South Lake Road, south of Bishop Creek Lodge
South Lake Road, south of Bishop Creek Lodge
East side of South Lake Road, just south of Bishop Creek Lodge
Sierra Angelica/Soda Straw (Angelica lineariloba), South of Bishop Creek Lodge
(including the fur babies) enjoyed in our room at the pet-friendly Comfort Inn.
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