Day 7: South Lake Tahoe CA to Bishop CA
Distance: 175 miles plus 35 mile detour
Lodging: The Wayfinder Inn, Bishop CA

In the morning, I took some time to wander around South Lake Tahoe and find somewhere close with public beach access. Unlike Florida, where the actual beachfront is not privately owned, the lake is different and most access to the lake is controlled. I walked down to the Hilton vacation club and walked out on their beach and there’s a little marina there as well. It all just seemed very limited access. But beautiful in the morning.

Trespassing on the lake shore

Dock by the Hilton

The sun peeking through

The original purpose of the trip was to drive down scenic Highway 395 from Lake Tahoe down to where it goes into the Mojave Desert. It proved to be one of the most beautiful drives that I’ve ever taken.

It was closed just south of the California border that week so that they could build an underground wildlife tunnel. The detour was a 60 mile trip into the Nevada desert with a sign remind drivers that there were no facilities on the detour. Although I would not see Topaz Lake It turned out to be a very interesting drive as well.

On the drive down to Bishop I first stopped at Conway Summit for an unforgettable view of the Upper Owen Valley. I stopped at Mono Lake, which I remember from the Clint Eastwood movie The High Plains Drifter. The Mono Lake visitor’s center had a lot of exhibits explaining why the lake was so unique. In talking with one of the staff there it turns out that they were a huge fan of that movie and got really excited that I remembered that it was filmed there. She then discussed where it was filmed and what other movies were filmed there.

I returned to the lake a few days later to roam around the Tufas and learn about its unique ecology.

I then went to Mammoth Lakes to look around and to have lunch. I had originally planned to stay at a property in Mammoth Lakes, but I’m glad I didn’t. The altitude really started to get to me walking around. I get sinus headaches at high altitudes and it was around 8000 feet. It was also chilly

After a great lunch at a Mexican restaurant in Mammoth, I continued on to Bishop arriving in the afternoon. There are not a lot of chain hotels in Bishop. There is a Holiday Inn express and maybe a Comfort Inn property. But they were relatively high rates whereas the Wayfinder Inn was also relatively high rates, but it seemed much nicer.

My room for the next 3 nights had a nice king size bed with two leather arm chairs, and a balcony overlooking a creek that flowed through the property. Breakfast each morning was complementary and usually consisted of eggs and biscuits and a delicious sausage gravy. It was nice to stay in one place for a few nights. I hit a grocery store for food and then chilled out for the evening. The hotel has a bar that looks like a cozy hunting lodge, but it’s only open on weekends.

The lady who worked behind the counter in the early morning reminded me of Stevie the receptionist on Schitt’s Creek, down to the same hair and the flannel shirt. She would always say hi but without ever looking up from the book she was reading. She was very nice though.


The empty road on the detour through Nevada

Mono Lake and 395 from Conway Summit at 8145 feet.

Lee Vining and the backside road to Yosemite via Tioga Pass from Conway Summit

Mono Lake with Tufas

South of Mono Lake headed to Mammoth Lakes. The Sierra looming ahead

The hotel creek looking west.

The hotel creek looking east. It was nice to sit on the balcony at dusk and listen to the creek and watch the sky change colors.