Highway 395 Road Trip – The Epic Summer Adventure You Need!
Taking a road trip through US 395 provides you with ample opportunities for an epic summer adventure! The towering High Sierras is among one of the most scenic places to visit in California which can be accessed along this Highway.
We love embarking on road trips whenever an opportunity presents and driving through Highway US 395 was one of our summer highlights last year! Along this route, there are some great national monuments, lakes, and natural areas that one can enjoy.
We would like to share with y’all our favorite places to visit on US 395 during our last year’s summer road trip.
Our Top Picks
Onion Valley Campground
Last year we camped at Onion Valley Campground in Independence, CA off of US 395. And by far, hands down this is the best campground that we have ever camped at.
Though the campground is semi-developed (no showers and only pit toilets) the scenery around the campground is remarkable, marvelous, unprecedented, and terrific.
Location:
The onion valley campground is located ~15 miles west of Independence, CA. From the US 395 in the town of Independence, CA get onto Onion Valley Road.
Waterfall, rugged mountain peaks and serene alpine views from Onion Valley Campground
Campground Details:
The road leading to the campground is scenic in itself. The campground is located at 9600 feet elevation and it is only open during May-November. This campground serves as the Refill Station for a lot of PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) & JMT (John Muir Trail) hikers.
This campground has no first-come-first-served campsites. Online Reservations ONLY.
Before you reach the campground, there is a hikers only parking lot, continue driving further (~ 500 feet) and enter through the one-way road towards your campsite.
The campground is just drop-dead gorgeous, with waterfalls, forests, and views of awesome mountain vistas all around. The campground is part of the John Muir Wilderness Area, adjacent to a creek with amazing scenery all around. The night sky from the campground is also spectacular.
Our Site Details:
We reserved campsite #27 and it was a perfect and cozy campsite.
Things To Do
Hiking:
The campground has access to a number of trails in the John Muir Wilderness Area, but one of the most popular hikes is Kearsarge Pass Trail. The trail ~9.3 miles out & back from the campground with an elevation gain of ~3000 feet! The trail is heavily trafficked especially with the PCT & JMT hikers. And the best part of the trail is you get a chance to see seven Lakes!
The trail is definitely more strenuous as there is a continuous incline till you reach the summit – Kearsarge Pass at ~11812 feet. Our recommendation would be to stop at the lakes on your way back towards the campground. Once you reach the summit and cross it you enter the Kings Canyon National Park.
The initial ~2.5 miles of the trail is well shaded and you pass by lakes Little Pothole Lake, Gilbert Lake, Flower Lake. All these lakes are accessible and they are very just fantastic.
After Flower Lake, the trail opens up a bit and you might feel the heat, so if you start your hike early, it would be ideal!
The switchbacks are more brutal as you come closer to the next lake – Heart lake. As the name suggests, the lake’s shape resembles a Heart and with the mountains in the backdrop, it would be difficult for you to take your eyes off.
After a few more switchbacks, you see the next Lake – Big Pothole Lake and finally, you reach the Kearsarge Pass Summit. Once you are here, take your time and just absorb the natural scenery that is mind-blowing. You will come across a signboard that welcomes you to the Kings Canyon National park area. You can also see the Kearsarge Lakes and BullFrog Lakes from this spot.
Nature's beauty at its best - Heart Lake, Eastern Sierra's - Kearsarge Pass
The panoramic views from this spot are unbeatable. After spending some 30 minutes, we started our way back to the campground, but this time stopping at the lakes and enjoying the cool and refreshing waters.
Views of Kearsarge Lakes and Bullfrog lake from Kearsarge Pass - Kings Canyon National Park
The first accessible lake we stopped at was Flower Lake. There are some campsites around the lake, we found a great spot nestled among trees with great views of the Lake. We enjoyed our lunch here and then headed to the big and beautiful lake – Gilbert Lake.
Gilbert Lake is huge and has some nice nooks for you to sit down and enjoy it. We almost spent ~40 minutes just soaking the sun near the lake and relaxing our feet in the cold waters. The next quick stop was Little Pothole Lake. From here you can see a great waterfall in the background of the Lake.
View of the Big Pot Hole Lake from Kearsarge Pass
Finally, as we started descending there were some light showers and dark clouds were building behind us in the Summit Area. So our recommendation would be to start the hike early as later in the day, clouds tend to build up in the Kearsarge Pass Summit Area.
The trail was exhilarating and the 2-night stay in the onion valley campground was probably some of the best nights we have spent in a campground ever! The entire scenery around us felt magical and just brought us much closer to nature!
Mammoth Lake Area
View of Twin lake falls at Mammoth Lakes
If you have grown up and lived in California, Mammoth Lake Areas is famous for some great skiing once winter hits. But Mammoth Lakes Area is equally beautiful and quite packed during Summers.
The Scenic Drive in the Mammoth Lakes Area is one of the best things to do on your summer trip on US 395 to Eastern Sierras as most of the roads are open.
From US 395 North, as you pass the Mammoth Yosemite Regional Airport keep an eye for Mammoth Scenic Loop Road. Get onto Mammoth Scenic Loop Road and just enjoy the amazing views of the Inyo Forest Areas with a mountain backdrop all along.
You will pass through small off dirt roads on both sides that lead you through the forest areas. The first stop is the Inyo Crater area. The trail to view this magnificent crater is only 1/4th mile, but the dirt road Dry Creek Sour Road that leads you is narrow and would require a high clearance vehicle.
From there just continue onto Mammoth scenic road until you get to US 203 highway. Now if you go to US 203 W towards Devils Postpile National Monument there are two spots that you should check out.
The first is the Earthquake Fault. There is a small parking area and a ¼th mile loop trail gives you glimpses of the Earthquake Fault that runs through this area. There is a small picnic area here.
Lake Mary at Mammoth Lake
Continue towards the next stop Minaret Vista which is near the Minaret Ranger Station (entrance to Devils Postpile National Monument). Here you will see some impressive views of the Ritter Range and the Inyo White Range.
The other visit-worthy sites in the Mammoth Lakes Area are all the lakes that are accessible via Lake Mary Road through the historic Mammoth City. First, stop at Twin Lakes Vista. Great spot to capture the scenic backdrop of the lakes surrounded by towering peaks.
Continuing on Lake Mary Road, you will come across a junction to get onto the Around Lake Mary Road. Do this scenic loop of Lake Mary and whenever you get a chance park the vehicle and feel the cool waters of this peaceful and tranquil lake.
Once you complete the loop around Lake Mary, you get back onto Lake Mary Road towards the popular Horseshoe Lake. Before getting to Horseshoe Lake, stop by the Twin Falls Overlook where you can see a 300’ waterfall over a shelf of volcanic rock. Across from this stop is another stunning and dazzling lake – Lake Mamie.
Horseshoe Lake - with dramatic alpine scenery
The last stop of the scenic drive would be the magnificent and striking Horseshoe Lake. There is a big parking lot at the end of the road and the Lake has quite a big beach area for you to enjoy the waters. Horseshoe Lake is picture-perfect with exquisite mountains surrounding it in the backdrop.
If you are spending more than a day in Mammoth areas, then we recommend renting mountain bikes from nearby rental areas and exploring the area with them. There are some great bike trails in this area and will give you a chance to explore the area more up close!
June Lake Scenic Loop
As you drive US 395 N from Mammoth Lakes, CA approx 15 miles, make a turn on CA-158 W (also known as June Lake Junction) towards June Lake, CA area. This Scenic Loop Drive around June Lake is definitely a great summertime activity one should experience.
The Scenic Loop Drive of June Lake takes you through four beautiful and refreshing Lakes that one can enjoy!
The first Lake in the Scenic Loop is June Lake. This is the only lake in this area that allows swimming. There are multiple pull-out points for you to enjoy the Lake views. If you want to enjoy the waters of the Lake, you can access them by following the directions to the June Lake Campground.
The Lake is huge and you can easily spend a couple of hours at the beach or the charming eatery spots in the town.
Carson peak reflecting in calm waters of Silver Lake
From there continue on CA-158 W towards Gull Lake Campground Area. There is a small parking area for the day-use area of the Lake. The Fisherman’s Trail takes you to small access and picnic area near Gull Lake.
Gull Lake is not as big as June Lake, but nevertheless, it is as soothing and calming that one can ask for!
From there, we headed to one of our favorite lakes in the Area – Silver Lake. Silver Lake is beautiful and so eye-pleasing that we bet you would fall in love with the area at once. Right across the Silver Lake is the Silver Lake Resort. This is a famous resort in this area and they also provide boat/kayak rentals.
We got ourselves a reservation for 2-hour kayaking in Silver Lake and it was worth the time! The amazing Sierra Peaks surround the Silver Lake and as you kayak, you are drawn to them with each paddle push. We hopped onto a small island at one end of the lake from our kayaks and then just lazed around soaking in the sun and breeze all at once.
Grant Lake - largest lake in the June Lake Loop
After our awesome kayaking session at Silver Lake, we headed to our last Lake in the scenic Loop – Grant Lake. This lake is also huge and spectacular in every sense. As you drive, you will see a couple of pullovers, from where you can enjoy the lake views.
You will come across a parking area with access to the Lake and a small beach. We parked our vehicle and then spent some time soaking it all in and capturing the beauty through our lenses.
From there you get back on Highway US 395 where you can stop to have a look at the Obsidian Dome. You can also take a steep trail off US 395 by taking the Glass Flow Road thereby ending the scenic and stunning June Lake Loop Drive. Other nearby attractions on US 395 near the loop include Obsidian Dome.
Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve
Mono Lake is ~ 2miles north of Lee Vining, CA off of US 395 N. The visitor center for Mono Lake is situated before the South Tufas Area. GPS coordinates can be found here.
The access to Mono Lake is just a few feet from the Visitor Center. This majestic water body became the “National Forest Scenic Area” because, unlike other lakes, the water here is 2.5 times saltier than seawater!
es, you heard right, water saltier than seawater. And due to this, it has created these marvelous and enchanting Tufas that stand tall in and around the Lake. A big disclaimer, as a lot of flies, like to call this area their home!
As there are flies in this area, this naturally attracts quite a few migratory birds. Who would have thought that such an inhospitable environment attracts so much of life!
There is a small mono lake trail that takes you through the delicate and towering tufas. The trail is definitely short but packed with some jaw-dropping scenery.
Osprey nesting site located on offshore tufa towers - Mono Lake
Tips & Resources:
Please respect the surroundings and don’t try to climb on the tufas as they are very delicate and fragile.
If you are boating/kayaking in the lake, maintain at least 200 yards from birds and their nests.
Camping is allowed only in designated areas.
Mono lake is definitely worth a stop when you are in this area due to its unique and quite extraordinary landscape.
Devils Postpile National Monument
Rock formations seen in Devils Postpile National Monument are unlike anything that you would see in the nearby areas. These symmetrical, vertical, hexagonal columns are just marvelous in every sense that one can think of!
Devils Postpile is a little off of US 395 but a great day excursion if you are in this region. We visited recently and due to COVID-19 shuttle services are no longer running. So the Park is allowing people to visit in their own vehicles even for day use.
Stop at the Minaret Vista Station and grab map’s Park that lists the 10 stops that the shuttle usually stops.
We drove directly to stop number 6 – Ranger Station from where you can see and capture these magnificent rock formations. From here you can also hike the Rainbow Falls.
The Parking area is very limited and also it gets crowded as the day progresses, so we recommend you to go early.
Devils Postpile trail is only 0.4 miles from here, with a short but steep ~0.4-mile hike to the top of the Postpile. Once you reach the Devils Postpile area, take some time to view these unbelievable and fascinating polished columns. These beauties from Fire and Ice are incredible and stunning.
The hike to Rainbow Falls from the Ranger station is 5 miles round trip from the Ranger Station. After viewing the Devils Postpile continue further on the same trail towards Rainbow Falls. The trail is heavily trafficked but fun all the way. The trail is shady in the beginning before it begins to be more open. There are quite a few sections on the trail, where you can hear the gushing San Joaquin River flowing on the side.
Around ~1.2 miles you will come across a junction for the famous PCT & John Muir Trail and then you leave the NPS Service Area and head into the US Forest Service Area – Ansel Adams Wilderness. Once you are closer to the viewing area for Rainbow Falls, you will be amazed at the gushing waterfall. No doubt, it is the highest waterfall in the eastern sierras. At a specific time of the day, you get to see the rainbow at the base of the Falls.
From the viewing area, we recommend hiking down to the base of the falls by roughly ~100 stairs. If you can, going to the base of the falls is highly recommended as experiencing the Falls up close adds another dimension to the experience.
On our way back we stopped at the bridge that connects Rainbow Falls Trail with John Muir Trail back to Yosemite
Note – Rainbow Falls Trail can also be accessed from the Rainbow Falls Trailhead which is Stop # 9 of the Shuttle. The trail from here is 2.6 miles round trip.
Check out our entire trail route recording in All Trails we took for the Devils Postpile and Rainbow Falls here
Once back at the Trailhead, we wanted to Stop at Sotcher Lake before heading out of the Park. Sotcher Lake is Stop # 7 of the Shuttle. Sotcher Lake was beautiful, calm, and serene. After the hustle and bustle at the Devils Postpile area, this area provided the much-needed secluded feeling in the Park.
We spent some time sitting at the lake, having our lunch, and then headed back towards the Park entrance. A mention needs to be made of another beautiful lake in this area – Starkweather Lake. This is Stop # 2 of the Shuttle and we stopped here as we were heading out. Some groups were inflating their kayaks and getting ready to spend their afternoon at this pleasant lake.
The main attraction of the Devils Postpile National Monument is definitely the unique and exquisite columnar rock formations. But the waterfalls, lakes, and the Inyo National Forest add their charm to the landscape.
We had an amazing time and were simply awestruck at the vertical hexagonal formations-postpile that this place made to our Top things to do in the Eastern Sierras in 4 days.
Bonus – Convict Lake is another gem of a place to visit when you are in the Eastern Sierras on US 395. A very popular fishing and camping spot. The lake is just gorgeous with the dramatic views of Mt Morrison in the backdrop.
Also while you pass through the town of Bishop on US 395, we highly recommend stopping at the well-known – Erick Schat’s Bakery.
