Bouldering in the Buttermilks
The best things to do in Bishop, CA are breakfast at Erick Schat's Bakkery, the alpine lakes of Bishop Creek Canyon, the granite boulders of the Buttermilks, Laws Railroad Museum, and the Owens Valley Paiute-Shoshone Cultural Center. Most of the big outdoor stops sit west of town on Highway 168, so one day comfortably covers Main Street plus one mountain outing.
For a single night focused on Bishop, staying in town keeps you closest to everything. For a longer trip that adds Big Pine Lakes or the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, we recommend Palisades Lodge in Big Pine. It is 15 miles south of Bishop on Highway 395, about a 15- to 20-minute drive.
What Are the Best Things to Do in Bishop, CA?
Start with the kind of day you want, then build around it.
With one day, we would spend the morning on Main Street and the afternoon in either Bishop Creek Canyon or the Buttermilks. Both are about 20 to 30 minutes west of town, and either one fills an afternoon without rushing.
Big Pine Lakes and the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest each deserve a day of their own. That is where a second or third night pays off.
Start With Breakfast on Main Street
Erick Schat's Bakkery is the name everyone knows, famous for its sheepherder bread, sandwiches and pastries. On busy weekends, the line runs out the door, so go early or plan for a wait. Great Basin Bakery, farther south on Main Street, is a local favorite and a great alternative to Schat's, with excellent pastries, bread, and sandwiches. It is also an easy place to pick up lunch to take into the mountains.
For coffee, Black Sheep Coffee Roasters roasts its own beans and runs a coffee bar on North Main Street. Pupfish Café sits inside Spellbinder Books, with parking and the entrance at the back of the building off East Line Street. It is the better pick if you would rather sit with a book than grab a coffee for the road.
For something sweet later in the day, Salt. Sip & Shop is a cute little Airstream café on Main Street at Eastside Guest Shop, serving drinks and homemade ice cream. It keeps daytime hours and is closed Sundays and Mondays.
Downtown is compact enough to park once and walk. Gear shops, galleries, and outfitters line Main Street. For Eastern Sierra gifts to take home, Elevated is a gift shop on Main Street next to Looney Bean coffee. Bishop City Park gives families shade and a playground before the next drive.
Just outside town, Blue Heron Farm is a very peaceful setting with shade, ducks, chickens, gardens, and a farm stand. Its hours vary seasonally, so check before you go.
Which Bishop Creek Canyon Lake Should You Choose?
From Bishop, West Line Street becomes Highway 168 and climbs into Bishop Creek Canyon. In about half an hour, the dry valley floor gives way to aspen, pine, granite peaks, and lakes above 9,000 feet. The main lakes sit on different forks of the road, so choose your lake before you start uphill.
Lake Sabrina
Lake Sabrina is the easiest lake to enjoy without a plan. Park, walk to the dam, and take in a wide sheet of water with the Sierra crest behind it. The boat landing and café run seasonally. Locals pronounce it "suh-BRY-nuh."
South Lake
South Lake is the pick when the high peaks are the main attraction. The road ends at a lake ringed by granite, with the trail toward Bishop Pass starting nearby. A short walk along the shore is plenty for most visitors. A longer backcountry hike deserves a day of its own.
North Lake
North Lake is one of the best fall color spots in the canyon, when the aspens around it turn gold. The access road is narrow, steep and partly unpaved. If that is not the kind of driving you enjoy, Lake Sabrina gives you color with an easier road.
Intake II
Intake II is the gentle option. It has waterside picnic spots and an easy, mostly level walk along the water, which makes it a good fit for young children or anyone adjusting to the altitude. With a kitchen where you are staying, it is easy to pack a lunch and eat it by the water instead of driving back to town.
Good to know: the canyon often runs 15 to 20 degrees cooler than town. The upper roads are seasonal, and parking fills on fall color weekends. Bring a warm layer even on a hot day in Bishop.
See the Buttermilks, Even if You Do Not Climb
The Buttermilks are a field of house-sized granite boulders below Mount Tom, and one of the best-known bouldering areas in the country. Walking among the boulders with the Sierra rising behind them is worth the drive by itself, and late afternoon light is the best time to see them.
From town, take Highway 168 west and turn right onto Buttermilk Road. The road turns to gravel and can be rough or impassable after bad weather, so drive slowly in a passenger car. Use the existing parking areas, stay on established paths, and give climbers room to work.
North of town, the Happy and Sad Boulders in the Volcanic Tablelands offer a very different setting: volcanic rock in narrow, sheltered canyons. They sit lower than the Buttermilks, which makes them a popular choice in the colder months.
Where Can You Learn About Owens Valley History and Culture?
The Owens Valley Paiute-Shoshone Cultural Center at 2300 West Line Street tells the story of the valley through the Nuumu (Paiute) and Newe (Shoshone) peoples whose communities have always been part of it. Operated by the Bishop Paiute Tribe, it has exhibits, a native plant garden, and a shop featuring Native artists. Plan an hour or two.
About 4.5 miles northeast of town, the Laws Railroad Museum and Historical Site preserves the depot of a railroad that reached the Owens Valley in 1883, along with locomotives, rail cars, and a village of historic buildings. It is an easy place to spend a couple of hours with kids, and a good one for anyone interested in how the valley was settled. Train rides run on select dates, so check the schedule if a ride is the main draw.
Where Can You Fish Around Bishop?
Anglers have plenty of options within a short drive. The Owens River winds through the valley below town, Bishop Creek runs down the canyon, and Lake Sabrina, South Lake, and North Lake are all stocked trout water. The traditional Eastern Sierra trout opener falls on the last Saturday in April.
A California fishing license is required for anyone 16 or older, and rules differ by water.
Before you fish, confirm current seasons and limits in California's fishing regulations.
What Is There to Do in Bishop at Night?
Bishop is an early town, and most evenings revolve around dinner on Main Street. Mountain Rambler Brewery is the local favorite for a beer and a meal after a day outside.
The bigger draw comes after dark. The Owens Valley has some of the darkest skies in California, and on a clear, moonless night the Milky Way is easy to see from just outside town. Our Eastern Sierra stargazing guide covers where to go and when.
Stop at Keough's Hot Springs on the Way South
Keough's Hot Springs has been a soaking stop since 1919. It sits about 7 miles south of Bishop on Highway 395, a short drive west of the highway on Keough Hot Springs Road. The large warm swimming pool suits families, and the smaller, hotter soaking pool suits sore legs after a day on the trail.
This is a developed facility with changing rooms and an admission fee, and it keeps daytime hours with one closed day each week. Plan it as an afternoon stop and check the current schedule before you leave Bishop.
Keough's is also roughly halfway between Bishop and Big Pine, which makes it an easy stop on the drive back to Palisades.
Have Another Day? Explore Around Big Pine
Big Pine is 15 miles south of Bishop, and it sits closer to two of the biggest days out in the Eastern Sierra. On a clear day, you can see the Palisade Glacier from town, high on the Sierra crest above Big Pine Creek.
Big Pine Lakes
The Big Pine Lakes trailhead is at the end of Glacier Lodge Road, 10.7 miles from Palisades Lodge, about a 26-minute drive. The road is steep and winding, and the view back across the Owens Valley from the top is one of the best on this side of the Sierra.
The full hike to the turquoise lakes below Temple Crag is about 10 miles round trip to First and Second Lake, with roughly 2,300 feet of climbing to First Lake. It needs an early start and a full day.
You do not have to commit to the whole climb. The first one to two miles of the North Fork trail make a scenic walk along the creek, and the South Fork trail to Brainard Lake is a less demanding alternative. On summer weekends, the trailhead parking lots can fill by 7 a.m.
Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest
East of Big Pine, Highway 168 climbs into the White Mountains to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, home to some of the oldest living trees on earth. At Schulman Grove, near 10,000 feet, the one-mile Discovery Trail is an easy introduction and the 4.5-mile Methuselah Trail goes deeper into the grove.
Allow 45 minutes to an hour each way from Big Pine. Big Pine sits around 4,000 feet, so sleeping there and driving up in the morning is easier on your body than arriving straight from sea level. The road is seasonal and there is no fuel on the mountain. Fill up at Hi-Country Market across the street from Palisades before you go.
Farther South on Highway 395
Big Pine also puts you closer to the southern half of the Owens Valley. The Owens Valley Radio Observatory is a few minutes outside town. Manzanar National Historic Site and the Alabama Hills are an easy day trip south.
Back in town, Copper Top BBQ is Big Pine's best-known stop and draws road trippers from all over the country. Two Brothers Pizza, Rossi's Place and Brewed Awakening cover the rest of the day. Our Big Pine, California travel guide has more on the town.
How to Plan a Day or Weekend Around Bishop
Bishop's attractions spread out in different directions, so group your stops by direction. Bishop Creek Canyon and the Buttermilks are west of town, Laws is northeast, and the White Mountains are a separate trip east of Big Pine.
One Day: Keep Bishop as the Focus
Start with breakfast and a walk on Main Street. Head west for Bishop Creek Canyon or the Buttermilks. Come back for the Cultural Center or a browse through town, then dinner. That is a full day without adding anything farther out.
Two Nights: See Bishop Without Rushing
Check into your apartment in Big Pine, pick up groceries at Hi-Country Market across the street and cook dinner in. Give the next day to Bishop, 15 miles up Highway 395, with one mountain outing and time in town, then stop at Keough's on the way back south. The final morning can start slowly over coffee in your own kitchen before checkout.
Three Nights: Add a High-Country Day
A third night is where the trip opens up. From Palisades, the Big Pine Lakes trailhead is about 26 minutes away and the road to Schulman Grove starts just east of town, so you can be on the trail early and come back without watching the clock. Mountain days go better with a full day around them.
When Is the Best Time to Visit Bishop?
Bishop works year-round, but each season changes what you can reach.
Spring is good for lower-elevation outings while snow lingers higher up. The trout opener arrives in late April, and Bishop Mule Days takes over town in the week leading up to Memorial Day with packing competitions, concerts, and a parade down Main Street. It is Bishop's biggest event, and lodging in town can fill well ahead. Big Pine is a natural alternative 15 miles south, but it is worth booking early there too.
Summer opens the high country, from the upper lakes to Big Pine Lakes and the bristlecones. The valley floor gets very hot, so head uphill during the midday heat and save town for the mornings and evenings.
Fall is the season many visitors wait for. Aspens in Bishop Creek Canyon usually turn from late September into late October, starting high in the canyon and moving downhill. Days are cooler, and the light is excellent.
Winter on the valley floor is mild and quiet, with snow on the peaks and few crowds. The upper canyon roads and the bristlecone road close for the season, but Main Street, the museums, and Keough's stay open, and the Buttermilks are often at their best.
Before any mountain trip, check Caltrans road conditions. The highway can be open while a connecting forest road is still closed.
In Bishop for Work? Things to Do on Your Days Off
Traveling nurses at Northern Inyo Hospital, contract crews, and remote workers often spend weeks or months in the area. Everything on this page fits into a day off, and a longer stay is the best way to see it all without rushing.
Palisades Lodge offers furnished full apartments with kitchens and dedicated workspaces, with weekly and monthly rates for longer stays. Our guide to planning an extended stay near Bishop covers the details, and our extended-stay options page lists what is included.
Things to Do in Bishop: When Big Pine Makes More Sense
There is no single right base for every Bishop trip.
Choose Bishop when your plans center on Main Street, an evening at the brewery, or the shortest drive to the Buttermilks and Bishop Creek Canyon.
Choose Bishop Creek Canyon lodging when waking up beside the lakes is the reason for the trip.
For a one- or two-night visit focused entirely on Bishop, we would stay in Bishop.
But if your trip runs several nights, you want a day at Big Pine Lakes or the Bristlecones, or you are traveling with family or friends who need space to cook and spread out, we recommend Palisades Lodge. You stay in a full apartment with a kitchen rather than a single room; Bishop is about 15 to 20 minutes away, and Big Pine Lakes and the Bristlecones are closer. Our guide to places to stay in Bishop and nearby Big Pine compares the options in more detail.
Palisades Lodge gives you a full apartment, a kitchen, and room to settle in, with Bishop 15 miles up Highway 395.
Explore the available apartments and book direct.
FAQ
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The top things to do in Bishop are breakfast at Erick Schat's Bakkery, the lakes of Bishop Creek Canyon, the granite boulders of the Buttermilks, Laws Railroad Museum, the Owens Valley Paiute-Shoshone Cultural Center and Keough's Hot Springs. Big Pine Lakes and the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest are each a day trip from nearby Big Pine.
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Spend the morning on Main Street, then head west on Highway 168 for either Bishop Creek Canyon or the Buttermilks. Finish with the Cultural Center, a walk through town or dinner on Main Street. Save Big Pine Lakes and the bristlecones for another day.
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Yes. Lake Sabrina and South Lake can both be enjoyed from the road and a short walk along the shore. Intake II has an easy, mostly level walk along the water. The upper roads are seasonal, so check conditions in spring and late fall.
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Laws Railroad Museum, Bishop City Park, Blue Heron Farm, an easy walk at Intake II, the swimming pool at Keough's Hot Springs and a bakery or ice cream stop on Main Street all work well for families. The Owens Valley Paiute-Shoshone Cultural Center is a good indoor option on a hot afternoon.
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Evenings in Bishop center on dinner on Main Street and Mountain Rambler Brewery. On clear, moonless nights, the dark skies of the Owens Valley make stargazing one of the best things to do after sunset.
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Yes. Keough's Hot Springs is about 7 miles south of Bishop off Highway 395, with a large warm swimming pool and a smaller, hotter soaking pool. It has operated since 1919, keeps daytime hours and charges admission.
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Aspens in Bishop Creek Canyon usually change from late September into late October. Color starts high in the canyon, around North Lake and the upper lakes, and moves down the canyon as the season goes on.
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Bishop Mule Days takes place each year in the week leading up to Memorial Day, with packing competitions, concerts and a parade down Main Street. It is the busiest weekend of the year in Bishop, so lodging books up early.
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Big Pine is about 15 miles south of Bishop on Highway 395, usually a 15 to 20 minute drive. Palisades Lodge in Big Pine offers full apartments with kitchens and is closer to Big Pine Lakes and the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest.
