Driving CA 395
 

People occasionally ask what there is to see on their trip on CA 395. Today's Los Angeles Times has a handy article all about it.

http://beta.latimes.com/travel/la-tr...t=oft02a-24la1

395 between Bishop and Reno is really scenic, our favorite part of the drive to LA.

Why stop at Mammoth? There's Mono Lake, Bodie Historic State Park, Bridgeport and Grover Hot Springs State Park farther north.

The article should have mentioned the June Lake Loop off 395 just a few miles north of Mammoth and given a bit more attention to Rock Creek Road. Entering the Loop from the south, the first views of June Lake and the surrounding mountains look a bit Swiss. We hadn't been to Rock Creek Lake for several years but visited a couple of weeks ago. The aspens were just beginning to turn in both areas. Beautiful.

The attractions mentioned in the article are all places we like to frequent as we drive 395 every year to our family reunion. My sentimental favorite is the Mt. Whitney Fish Hatchery which I have visited since I was a little kid.

"Why stop at Mammoth?"

It's only a few miles off 395 and offers lots of lodging and dining options as well as a large supermarket if you're staying in a condo or cabin. Take the gondola to the top of the ski mountain for terrific 360 degree views toward Yosemite Valley, the Minarets, Owens Valley and, after a short walk, Reds Lake. There are hiking trails from both the top and bottom of the mountain along ridges, through meadows and forests. So many options.

I was not arguing against Mammoth Lake, just that it was the end of the line.

Maybe because most Angelenos who drive up 395 are going to Mammoth?

Bingo. The first three sentences of the article:

"We've all probably done it. We load up the car and head north for Mammoth Lakes as quickly as possible. I've finally learned that the 300-plus-miles drive mostly on U.S. Highway 395 can be as enjoyable, informative and enlightening as the time spent in that great mountain community."

The Alabama Hills where lots of cowboy shows were filmed are a fun stop. An educational stop is Manzanar.