Inyo National Forest >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Visitor Guide 2011-2012 >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> $1.00 Suggested Donation FRED RICHTER Inspiring Destinations © Inyo National Forest Facts xtending 165 miles along the White Mountain and Owens River Mam moth Mountain Ski California/Nevada border Headwaters wildernesses. Devils Area becomes a sum mer “Inyo” is a Paiute Ebetween Los Angeles and Postpile Na tion al Mon u ment, mecca for mountain bike Reno, the Inyo National Forest, ad min is tered by the National Park en thu si asts as they ride Indian word meaning established May 25, 1907, in cludes Ser vice, is also located within the the chal leng ing Ka mi ka ze 1,900,543 acres of pris tine lakes, Inyo Na tion al For est in the Reds Trail from the top of the “Dwelling Place of fragile mead ows, wind ing streams, Mead ow area west of Mam moth 11,053­foot high rugged Sierra Ne va da peaks and Lakes. In addition, the Inyo is home Mam moth Moun tain or the Great Spirit.” arid Great Basin moun tains. El e va­ to the tallest peak in the low er 48 one of the many other trails tions range from 3,900 to 14,497 states, Mt. Whitney (14,497 feet) that transect the front feet, pro vid ing diverse habitats and is adjacent to the lowest point coun try of the forest. that sup port vegetation patterns in North America at Badwater in Thirty­six trailheads provideJ ranging from semiarid deserts to Death Val ley Na tion al Park (282 ac cess to over 1,200 miles of trail high al pine fell­fields. feet below sea level). in the 1.2 million acres of wil der­ Contents There are many specially­ Summer ness backcountry for hikers seeking Wildlife 2 to escape into prim i tive and pris tine classified areas within the Inyo The Inyo National Forest provides a Wildflowers 3 National Forest, including the variety of year around recreational ar eas. There are 32 in ter pre tive Wilderness 4-5 Mono Basin National Forest Scenic opportunities for more than four sites of his tor i cal or nat u ral history Area, seven Natural Research Areas, million visitors each year. Camping interest. One hun dred and seven Regional Map - North 6 three wild and scenic rivers and the and fishing at tract thousands of camp grounds and picnic areas Mono Lake 7 Ancient Bris tle cone PineForest. visitors during the summer months. pro vide more than 2,200 fam i ly Lee Vining and Tioga Pass 8 There are nine congressionally­ Be gin ner to expert anglers can try camp sites, 78 group camp sites des ig nat ed wil derness areas: the their luck fishing at more than 400 and 30 picnic sites. Many resort June Lake Loop 9 Hoover, Ansel Adams, John Muir, lakes and 1,100 miles of streams fa cil i ties and pack sta tions operate Mammoth Lakes 10-11 under special use per mits from Gold en Trout, Inyo Moun tains, that provide habitat for golden, Devils Postpile 12-13 Bound ary Peak, South Si er ra, brook, brown and rainbow trout. the Forest to serve additional Eastern Sierra Geology 14-15 vis i tor needs. Off­highway con­ noisseurs can enjoy over 2,200 Mammoth Lakes Map 16-17 miles of motorized routes. Rock Creek 18 Winter Bishop Area 19 The fun doesn’t stop when win ter Big Pine Creek 20 arrives. Mam moth Moun tain and June Moun tain ski areas provide a White Mountains, 21 to tal of 34 lifts, two aeri al gon do las Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest and many miles of groomed trails Independence 22 for be gin ner to ex pert skiers and Lone Pine / Mt. Whitney 23-24 snowboarders. Cross country ski areas of fer Fishing / Pack Trips 25 over 40 ki lo me ters of groomed ski Campgrounds 26-29 trails and skat ing tracks. Try the High-Altitude Tips 29 ungroomed blue diamond trails Showers for Campers 30 to re al ly get away from it all. For snowmobilers, the Forest RV Dump Stations 30 Ser vice main tains 100 miles of Mountain Biking and 31 groomed trails leading to thou­ OHV / Tread Lightly sands of acres of un­groomed Mammoth Lakes Basin Visitor Centers 32 © LAURA PATTERSON snow mo bile play areas. 1 >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Wildlife >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> camp ers can be cit ed if they fail to store their food properly. It may ne of the exciting things take a long time, but the goal is to about visiting your “teach” bears that humans are not Na tion al Forests is O an op por tu ni ty for a free and easy the op por tu ni ty to view wildlife lunch, and that they should stick on a different and some times with the natural forage of ber ries, personal lev el. These animals are roots and plants. not in the zoo behind bars, so there are a few simple things that Coyotes you need to remember to keep Coyotes are often seen roaming the yourself, your property and the streets and parking lots in the an i mals safe while you enjoy Eastern Sierra – mostly at night. watching these critters in their Don’t let “Fluffy” or “Spot” take a nat u ral hab i tat. The key thing walk alone – always keep pets on to remember is that all animals a leash. These evening prowlers Black bear in the wild are just that – WILD. © iSTOCK won’t usually bother you if you Though some animals may appear don’t bother them. friendly and tame, all wildlife can ing your food properly. If you are Feeding bears, while po ten tial ly be un pre dict able and even the more than an arm’s length away hazardous to people, is also det­ cutest little squirrel can bite you. from your food, store it in bear ri men tal to bears. Our food may Some animals may car ry disease proof canisters. (See list on page 5.) not provide them with enough of such as the plague, rabies, or lyme Bear proof food lockers in camp­ the right nutrients to sustain them disease. NEV ER feed an i mals! It’s grounds are normally 48 inches through win ter. In their search for not good for them and can put you wide, 29 inches deep and 38 inches food, bears can become ag gres sive in harm’s way. high (24 cubic feet) – large enough to wards people. Even tu al ly, the to store coolers. “prob lem” bear may have to be Mountain lion Black Bears In many areas, storing food in de stroyed. © iSTOCK Of all the forest animals you are cars is illegal, and this method Keeping wildlife wild. likely to see while camping, the should only be used as a last resort Is it the bear that’s the prob lem or Mountain Lions black bear is prob a bly the most in areas that it is allowed. The the people that have been feeding Mountain lions, or cougars, roam exciting. Black bears can be brown, preferred method of storing food it? For tu nate ly, there are solutions. throughout the Sierra Nevada blonde, cin na mon or black. Bears is to use the food lockers provided The Inyo Na tion al Forest has retro­ moun tain range. They are a shy are om ni vores (they eat every­ in campgrounds and at trailheads, fitted trash dumpsters to make and secretive animal and your thing), but their diet is 80 to 90 or to plan so that no food is left in them bear­re sis tant, and all camp­ chances of en coun ter ing a moun­ per cent vegetation. Bears consider your car. grounds now have bear­resistant tain lion are small. It is wise to be odorous products to be food (like Bears won’t usually bother you dumpsters. Bear proof food stor age prepared – in Cal i for nia there have tooth paste and sunscreen), and while you are eating or cook ing, lock ers have been in stalled in most been instances of cougars at tack­ they can rec og nize food and food but always clean up your camp camp grounds. Where lockers are ing humans. Hu mans can be either con tain ers by sight and smell. of food and trash prompt ly after not available, proper food stor age the predator or the prey of cougars. Bears will usually visit the trash meals. Tents are not smell­proof or by campers is critical. The Inyo Keep these tips in mind: dumpsters to forage for food, but bear­proof, there fore you shouldn’t Na tion al For est has adopt ed reg­ DON’T RUN! they will visit your campsite if you store food or anything with a u la tions sim i lar to the Na tion al These animals tend to chase don’t take the pre cau tion of stor­ fragrance in side them. Park Ser vice’s reg u la tions, and things that run be cause they associate running with prey. WILDLIFE VIEWING TIPS Don’t crouch down. Try to appear as large as Not all wildlife in the forest is as thrilling to see as bears, cougars and coyotes. There are lots of deer, squir rels possible. Act ag gres sive, wave and birds to watch and en joy. The following tips will help you get to know na ture from a new per spec tive: your hands, shout, and throw Bring along binoculars and cameras with zoom lenses so you can get close to wildlife without sticks or stones at it.