Exploring the Eastern Sierra: California & Nevada

The unparalleled scenery of the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Range offers countless inviting landscapes. From the 14,000-foot peaks of the Sierra Crest, sublime Death Valley National Park, trails that lead to gemlike mountain lakes, Yosemite National Park’s flower-carpeted Tuolumne Meadows, Mono Lake’s eerie tufa towers, and the high-desert ghost town of Bodie to Lake Tahoe’s turquoise waters and Nevada’s rich historic silver country, the Eastern Sierra beckons to all who love the outdoors. Exploring the Eastern Sierra begins with a geologic and geographic overview of the Sierra, then follows a south-to-north itinerary along Highway 395, passing 14,494-foot Mt. Whitney and the steep escarpment of the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada (“The Snowy Range”) through historic Independence, scenic Bishop, and the resort destinations of Mammoth Lakes and June Lake. The journey continues north to the living inland sea of Mono Lake, across the Bridgeport Valley, over high mountain passes, and around Lake Tahoe. West of Tahoe, Nevada offers the peace of Pyramid Lake and the charms of historical mining boomtown Virginia City. Side trips east to Death Valley and west to Yosemite are included, as well as insights into the work of regional writers John Muir, Mary Austin, and mountaineer Norman Clyde.