Inyo National Forest Visitor Guide $1.00 Suggested Donation Joel Sladky © Inspiring Destinations Mt. Whitney. Welcome to the Inyo National Forest The Inyo National Forest is a Golden Trout, Inyo Mountains, and fishing attract thousands of Contents land of superlatives: the oldest Boundary Peak, South Sierra, visitors during the summer months. trees, the tallest mountains in White Mountain, and Owens River Beginner to expert anglers can try Wildlife 2 California, among the oldest Headwaters wildernesses. their luck fishing at more than 400 inland lake (Mono Lake), desert, lakes and 1,100 miles of streams Wilderness 3 glaciers, and the dramatic Eastern Devils Postpile National that provide habitat for golden, Sierra escarpment. Get ready for a Monument, administered by the brook, brown and rainbow trout. Regional Map - North 4 memorable visit. National Park Service, is located Mono Lake, June Lake 5 within the Inyo National Forest Mountain bike enthusiasts can ride Extending 165 miles along in the Reds Meadow area west the challenging Kamikaze Trail the California/Nevada border Mammoth Lakes, of Mammoth Lakes. In addition, from the top Mammoth Mountain between Los Angeles and the Inyo shares the tallest peak in Rock Creek 6 or one of many other trails that Reno, the Inyo National Forest, the lower 48 states, Mt. Whitney transect the front country of the Mammoth Lakes Map 7 established May 25, 1907, includes (14,494 feet) with Sequoia National over two million acres of pristine forest. Sixty-five trailheads provide Park. Reds Meadow/ lakes, winding streams, rugged access to over 1,200 miles of trail in Devils Postpile 8 Sierra Nevada peaks and arid the 1.2 million acres of wilderness Spring/Summer Great Basin mountains. for hikers seeking to escape into The wildflowers start to bloom Bishop, Big Pine Creek 9 pristine areas. in the desert and continue El e va tions range from 3,900 to throughout the summer months, 14,494 feet, providing diverse Many resort facilities and pack White Mountains, slowly marching up the Sierra habitats that support vegetation stations operate under special Ancient Bristlecone Nevada slopes. Pine Forest 10 patterns ranging from semiarid use permits from the forest to deserts to high alpine meadows. serve additional visitor needs. The Inyo National Forest provides Independence 11 Off-highway connoisseurs There are nine congressionally a variety of year-round recreational can enjoy over 2,200 miles of Lone Pine / Mt. Whitney 12 designated wilderness areas: the opportunities for more than four motorized routes. Hoover, Ansel Adams, John Muir, million visitors each year. Camping Recreation 13 Fall Camping 14 The Eastern Sierra is aglow with golden aspen in the fall Mountain Biking and OHV / and many people seek out their Tread Lightly 15 favorite drainage for leaf peeping. Climbing and bouldering in the Visitor Centers 16 Buttermilks picks up as the cooler temperatures return. Winter The fun continues as the temperature drops and the snow falls, when you can explore the Inyo on snowshoes, skis, snowboards, and snowmobiles. This includes two ski areas, 25 miles of groomed Nordic ski trails, and 100 miles of groomed snowmobile trails. White Mountain, the third tallest mountain in California at 14, 246 ft. 1 Wildlife One of the exciting things about Black Bears visiting your national forests is the Of all the animals you are likely opportunity to see wildlife. These to see while camping, the black animals are wild, so there are a bear is probably the most exciting. few simple things that you need to Black bears can be brown, blonde, remember to keep yourself, your cinnamon or black. Bears are property, and the animals safe omnivores (they eat everything), while you enjoy watching these but their diet is 80 to 90 percent critters in their natural habitat. vegetation. Bears consider odorous products to be food (like toothpaste Though some animals may appear and sunscreen), and they can friendly and tame, wildlife are recognize food and food containers unpredictable and even the cutest by sight and smell. Bears will visit little squirrel can bite you. Some your campsite if you don’t take the animals may carry disease such as precaution of storing your food properly. If you are more than an the plague, rabies, or Lyme disease. arm’s length away from your food, NEVER feed animals! It’s not good American black bear store it in bear-resistant canisters. for them and can put you in harm’s way. WILDLIFE VIEWING TIPS Bear and animal resistant food In addition to bears, mountain lions and coyotes, there are lots of lockers in campgrounds are deer, squirrels and birds to watch and enjoy. The following tips will normally 48 inches wide, 29 help you get to know na ture from a new perspec tive: inches deep and 38 inches high (24 cubic feet) – large enough to Bring along binoculars and cameras with zoom lenses so you can store coolers. get a close look at wildlife without disturbing them. Take along a good field guide so you can identify any The preferred method of storing food is to use the food lockers unfamiliar wildlife. provided in campgrounds and at At sunrise and sunset check the edges of habitats for the best trailheads, or to plan so that no Mountain lion views of wildlife. food is left in your car. Mountain Lions Avoid disturbing nests and wildlife with their young to encourage Bears won’t usually bother you Mountain lions, or cougars, roam their return in the future. while you are eating or cooking, but always clean up your camp of food throughout the Sierra Nevada Enjoy the quiet. Tread softly to avoid scaring off wildlife. Observe mountain range. They are a shy and and trash promptly after meals. wildlife behaving naturally. Tents are not smell-proof or bear- secretive animal and your chances proof, there fore you shouldn’t store of encountering a mountain lion Try a new perspective – bring a magnifying glass for a macro-view food or anything with a fragrance are small. It is wise to be prepared of micro-insects. inside them. – in California there have been Try your hand at tracking or look for other signs of wildlife – like instances of mountain lions fur rubbed against a tree trunk, scat, or where beavers have When backpacking, food storage attacking humans. been busy. containers such as canisters are the Humans can be either the predator best method to protect your food or the prey of cougars. Keep these and the bears. tips in mind: DO NOT FEED BEARS OR ANY WILDLIFE! Do not Run! Mountain lions associate running with prey. PROPER WILDERNESS FOOD STORAGE • The use of bear-resistant food containers is mandatory in Do not crouch down. most Sierra Nevada wilderness areas. Try to appear as large as possible. Act aggressive, wave your hands, • You can be cited for improperly stored food. shout, and throw sticks or stones at it. • The counterbalance method of food storage is not recommended; it is only a delay tactic. Bear-resistant Hold your ground – containers are the best method available for protection of or move away slowly while facing the lion. food and wildlife. If attacked – fight back! Protect children. • Bear-resistant containers care available to rent at the If small children (or pets) are with you, pick them up. visitor centers (except the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest Visitor Center) or for purchase or rental from various Report sightings. businesses throughout the Eastern Sierra. Report any moun tain lion sightings or encounters in detail to a ranger station or visitor center as soon as possible. 2 Wilderness “Wilderness is not only a Reservations condition of nature, but a state of mind & mood & Wilderness permits can be reserved heart.” – Ansel Adams up to six months in advance at: www.Recreation.gov. To have the reserved permit issued, visitors must Wilderness is a place where “... request the permit by email ( SM.FS. in contrast with those areas where [email protected]) or phone man and his works dominate at visitor centers or the Wilderness the landscape, an area where the Permit Office (760-873-2483). Their earth and its community of life are permit will be issued by email. untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not Be sure to review permit and remain.” (1964 Wilderness Act). reservation guidelines carefully. Permit must be printed, signed, and in the group leader’s possession Thousand Island Lake and Banner Peak Wilderness Permits during the trip and must be backpacking multiple nights on Mt. have some options. Wilderness Permits are utilized to presented to rangers upon request. Whitney Trail or to begin trips on minimize the impacts to an area When the group leader signs the John Muir Trail. The advantages of the online and maximize the experience of the permit, they are accepting Trips to Mt. Whitney have a specific system are many. It provides those visiting. They are required responsibility to ensure everyone in quota and lottery application equal access for everyone in real year-round for all overnight trips their group will follow the rules and process. Applications to the Mt. time. You don’t have to plan and day hiking and will enter the regulations on the permit. Whitney lottery are accepted from extra travel and time to get a Mount Whitney. February 1 to March 15. Results are permit at a visitor center, you Mt. Whitney Reservations announced the last week of March. can go straight to the trailhead. Quotas Starting on April 1, reservations You can plan your hike and trip The two most popular permits open for the remainder of the logistics (meeting with other The Ansel Adams and John Muir for Mt.