Big Pine, California: An Eastern Sierra Travel Guide
Big Pine sits at 3,989 feet in the Owens Valley, between the Sierra Nevada and the White Mountains, 15 miles south of Bishop on Highway 395. It is the closest town to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, the Big Pine Lakes Trail, the Palisade Glacier, and it’s the best place to fuel up and stock water before the road climbs east toward Death Valley.
Where Is Big Pine, California?
Big Pine is a small town in Inyo County, in California's Eastern Sierra. It sits on Highway 395 about 15 miles south of Bishop and 58 miles south of Mammoth Lakes, with under 2,000 residents.
The town runs along the floor of the Owens Valley with a mountain range on each side. The Sierra Nevada rises to the west, where Big Pine Creek drains into town, and Glacier Lodge Road climbs toward the Palisade Glacier. The White Mountains rise to the east, topped by White Mountain Peak at 14,252 feet, the third-highest summit in California, with Highway 168 climbing into them toward the bristlecones.
That valley-between-two-ranges setting is the reason Big Pine works as a base. You sleep at about 4,000 feet in town and drive up to the high country rested, rather than camping cold at altitude the night before.
What Is Big Pine Known For?
Big Pine is best known as the gateway to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, home to some of the oldest living trees on earth, and as one of the few towns where you can see a glacier from Main Street. The Palisade Glacier, visible from town on a clear day, is the southernmost glacier in the United States and the largest in the Sierra Nevada.
It is also a quiet hub for stargazing. The Owens Valley Radio Observatory, the large white dishes northeast of town, sits under some of the darkest skies in California.
For travelers, the short version is this: Big Pine is small, the people are friendly, the mountain views are genuinely big, and almost everything worth seeing is a short drive from a single intersection on Highway 395.
What Is There to Do in and Around Big Pine?
Most of what brings people to Big Pine is outdoors and within an hour of town. Here is what is close.
Big Pine Lakes Trail. The trailhead is 10.7 miles west of town up Glacier Lodge Road, about 26 minutes. The full route to the glacial lakes is a serious day, but the first mile or two works as an easier scenic stroll, and the South Fork Trail toward Brainard Lake is a less demanding alternative. (See our Big Pine Lakes Trail guide.)
The drive up Glacier Lodge Road. Even without a hike, the road itself is worth the trip. It climbs steep and winding out of town, and the view back across the whole valley from the top is one of the best in the area.
Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. The Schulman Grove is about 23 miles east via Highway 168 and White Mountain Road, roughly an hour of driving with a long climb. Some of these trees are over 4,000 years old. The visitor center runs interpretive talks from mid-June through Labor Day, and the road opens in late spring and closes when snow arrives.
Owens Valley Radio Observatory. Caltech's radio telescope array is only 6 miles northeast of town, about 10 minutes. Self-guided visits get you close to the dishes, and there is a free public tour at 1 p.m. on the first Monday of each month.
Fishing. Big Pine Creek and the Baker Creek pond and creek, right in town, are stocked with rainbow trout, and the creek also holds brown and brook trout. California trout season runs from late April through November 15, with the 2026 opener on April 25. You can buy a license and most of your tackle across the street at Hi-Country Market.
Sunflowers. In early summer, fields of sunflowers appear in the pastures along the valleyfloor. It catches most first-time visitors off guard and is one of the scenes that makes the town feel different from anywhere else on Highway 395.
Where Are the Darkest Skies Near Big Pine?
Big Pine has very little light pollution and a high number of clear nights, which makes the whole valley good for stargazing. On a moonless night, the Milky Way is visible from town, and a short drive gets you somewhere fully dark.
The Owens Valley Radio Observatory is a favorite spot for night-sky photography, with the galactic core rising over the white dishes. The drive east up Highway 168 or south along the valley both pull you away from any town glow.
If you are coming up to hike the high country or see the bristlecones, the dark sky is an easy second reason to stay the night rather than passing through in daylight.
Where Should You Eat in Big Pine?
Big Pine is small, but it eats better than its size suggests. A few places anchor Main Street.
Copper Top BBQis the name most road-trippers know, an open-air, takeout-style barbecue spot that has built a national reputation for its tri-tip and ribs.
Two Brothers Pizza is the go-to for pizza in town.
Brewed Awakeningis the local coffee shop, with fresh baked goods and lunch items, and a good first or last stop on a trail day.
Rossi's Place is a bar and restaurant with hot pizza and an easy, small-town feel.
What Makes Hi-Country Market the One-Stop for Road Trippers?
Hi-Country Market sits directly across the street from Palisades Lodge and does the work of about five businesses. It is the practical center of a Big Pine trip.
Inside, you will find fresh produce, local honey, local bread and coffee, snacks, and a full selection of beer, wine, and liquor. The deli makes sandwiches and burritos.
It also covers the things that are easy to forget until you need them: propane, ice and ice blocks, sporting goods, fishing supplies, and fishing licenses, plus public showers and clean restrooms. There is a gas station on site.
For anyone heading east toward Saline Valley or Death Valley, this is the practical truth worth planning around: it is the best place to top off gas and water before the paved comforts run out.
Is Big Pine a Good Base Camp for the Highway 168 Corridor?
Yes. Highway 168 leaves Big Pine and climbs east into some of the most remote country in California, and the town is the last place to fuel up, eat, and sleep before you go.
From Big Pine you can reach the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, Saline Valley Hot Springs (about 55 miles, mostly unpaved and best with high clearance), and the Eureka Sand Dunes (about 49 miles, part paved and part graded dirt). The paved southern route to Death Valley's Stovepipe Wells runs about 139 miles and takes roughly three hours.
Cell service in and around town can be spotty. Download your maps before you leave Bishop, and treat Hi-Country Market as your last reliable resupply.
When Is the Best Time to Visit Big Pine?
Big Pine is high desert: hot, dry summers, mild winters, and big temperature swings between day and night. The best time to come depends on what you want to do.
Summer, June through September, is warm in town, with highs around 80, and is the window for the high-country lakes, the bristlecones, and the weekly Big Pine Farmers Market, which runs from June through the summer. Afternoons get hot on the valley floor.
Fall, October and into November, brings cooler, quieter days, good fishing through the November 15 close, and the start of the season for road trips east toward Death Valley, which is dangerous to visit in summer heat.
Winter, December through March, is mild and often beautiful in town, with light snow, while the Sierra above fills in for the Mammoth Lakes ski season 58 miles north. This is when Big Pine works well as a calmer, less expensive place to sleep within an easy drive of the slopes.
Spring opens fishing season in late April and starts to thaw the high country, though the upper trails and the bristlecone road stay closed until the snow clears.
How Do You Get to Big Pine?
Big Pine is on Highway 395, the main road through the Eastern Sierra, which makes it an easy drive from several major cities.
From Los Angeles it is about 253 miles, roughly four and a half hours. From Las Vegas it is about 250 miles, closer to five hours. Bakersfield is about 211 miles. Fresno looks close on a map, but the Sierra blocks any direct route, so it is a five-hour-plus drive around the range.
The nearest commercial airport is Eastern Sierra Regional Airport in Bishop, 17 miles north. United operates seasonal flights to and from San Francisco, with additional Denver service in winter, so flying in and renting a car is realistic during the busy seasons.
If you need medical care, Northern Inyo Hospital in Bishop is 15 miles north and open 24 hours.
Where Should You Stay in Big Pine?
Palisades Lodge of Big Pine is on Main Street at 110 N Main St, directly across from Hi-Country Market and within easy reach of everything in this guide.
The lodge consists of fully furnished apartments with kitchens rather than standard hotel-style rooms. There are two-bedroom apartments and studios, with larger options that sleep up to six. Every unit has a full kitchen, a dedicated workspace with wired internet, Wi-Fi, a large TV, heating and air conditioning, a quality mattress, and a large walk-in shower.
That setup suits the way people actually use Big Pine. You can cook with what you carried out of Hi-Country Market, spread out after a long day on the trail, and keep a base for several days while you work through the bristlecones, the lakes, the observatory, and the drive east. Weekly and monthly rates are available for longer stays.
There are also campgrounds along Glacier Lodge Road and Big Pine Creek for those who prefer to camp, and Bishop is 15 miles north with a wider selection of lodging and dining.
Check-in is contactless, starting at 4 p.m., and check-out is 11 a.m. Parking is free, and the property is smoke-free.
When you are ready, book direct for the best rate and to deal with the lodge rather than a third-party site.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Big Pine is known as the gateway to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest and the Big Pine Lakes Trail, for views of the Palisade Glacier from town, and for some of the darkest night skies in California near the Owens Valley Radio Observatory.
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Big Pine sits at 3,989 feet in the Owens Valley, on the floor of the valley between the Sierra Nevada and the White Mountains.
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Big Pine is about 58 miles south of Mammoth Lakes on Highway 395, roughly an hour and five minutes by car.
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The paved route from Big Pine to Stovepipe Wells in Death Valley is about 139 miles, roughly three hours, much of it east on Highway 168 and Highway 190.
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Yes. The observatory offers self-guided visits and a free public tour at 1 p.m. on the first Monday of each month, 6 miles northeast of Big Pine.
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Palisades Lodge of Big Pine offers full apartments with kitchens on Main Street, with two-bedroom and studio options and weekly and monthly rates, directly across from Hi-Country Market.
AT A GLANCE
Location: Highway 395, Inyo County, California
Elevation: 3,989 feet
Population: Under 2,000
Distance to Bishop: 15 miles north
Distance to Mammoth Lakes: 58 miles north (about 1 hour 5 minutes)
Distance to Los Angeles: 253 miles (about 4.5 hours)
Distance to Las Vegas: 250 miles (about 5 hours)
