BISHOP, CALIFORNIA

Bishop, CA: Enjoy the Big Backyard

Where stars shine not street lamps. Home to world-class fishing and bouldering.

Bishop’s setting is an irresistible draw to outdoor enthusiasts, artists and businesses alike.  The town is world famous for its scenery, hiking, fishing, climbing, hunting, bakeries and for its mules. Bishop and its surrounding area is the primary commercial and population hub for Inyo County and west central Nevada.

The Bishop Mule Days Celebration is a six-day event taking place Tuesday through Sunday the week before Memorial Day on the Tri-County Fairgrounds in Bishop, California. The 14-show event showcases mules in English, Dressage, Driving, Reining and Youth competitions, with the top competitors vying for World Championships in all disciplines.  The championships, comedy classes, packing contests and world class specialty acts all take center stage in multiple arenas Friday through Sunday. The world-famous Mule Days Parade on Saturday, is one of the largest non-motorized parades in the nation.

Bishop also offers an abundance of outdoor recreation and cultural activities.  Highway 168 travels deep into the Sierra Nevada Mountains, providing access to scores of campgrounds and trailheads.  North Lake, South Lake and Sabrina Lake are all easily accessed from Bishop Creek Canyon, as are miles of some of the finest trout fishing streams in California.

A multitude of additional recreational areas are found in the Bishop area.  Pine Creek, Rock Creek, the Owens River Gorge, Fish Slough and Pleasant Valley Reservoir are all less than 30 minutes from downtown Bishop.

Rock climbing has become another very popular form of outdoor recreation in the Bishop area.  The “Buttermilks,” about 10 miles west of Bishop, offers excellent bouldering opportunities for everyone from beginners to climbers with the highest of skills.

The Paiute-Shoshone Cultural Center on West Line St reflects the history and culture of the Nuumu (Paiute) and Newe (Shoshone) people. The Cultural Center showcases the art and life way of these indigenous people, who have lived in the Eastern Sierra for thousands of years. Visitors to the Cultural Center will also enjoy cultural displays, collections of Native American artifacts, historical archives and media.

About five miles northeast of Bishop is Laws Railroad Museum. Located on the site of the former Laws Railroad station and rail yard, the land, 1883 depot, locomotive and rail cars, and other buildings were donated to Inyo County and the City of Bishop by the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1960.  The museum is operated by the Bishop Museum and Historical Society. The Laws Museum also houses an extensive collection of natural, civic, literary and ecclesiastical artifacts and history of the Owens Valley.

You’ll find no shortages of services in the town of Bishop.  With several hundred motel rooms, more than 30 restaurants and nearly 50 stores, you can rest assured that whatever your need, you’ll be able to find it in Bishop.