The Ultimate Eastern Sierra California Road Trip on Highway 395: DEath valley to yosemite
Death Valley to Yosemite, with Mountain Towns and Memorable Stays
Desert landscapes, Hollywood history, ancient trees, creekside cabins, and mountain lakes make a Highway 395 road trip one of California’s most varied journeys.
Start in Death Valley, explore the country around Lone Pine, and spend a night at the Winnedumah Hotel in Independence. Continue through Big Pine to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, then slow down with a stay in Bishop Creek Canyon. Give the kids a day of mountain fun in Mammoth, drive the June Lake Loop, and settle into Lee Vining.
From there, explore Mono Lake, visit Bodie and Bridgeport, and finish with a drive through Tioga Pass into Yosemite.
Allow 10 to 12 days to enjoy these stops without rushing. This is a trip built around where you stay as much as what you see.
Your Death Valley to Yosemite Route
Follow Highway 190 west out of Death Valley and connect with Highway 136 toward Lone Pine. Highway 395 then carries you north through the Eastern Sierra. Death Valley driving directions
The main route is:
Death Valley → Lone Pine → Independence → Big Pine → Bishop → Mammoth Lakes → June Lake → Lee Vining → Bodie → Bridgeport → Lee Vining → Yosemite
Cerro Gordo and the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest are separate side trips. Build time for each rather than treating them as quick highway stops.
Tioga Road must be open to complete the direct crossing into Yosemite. Check the National Park Service’s Tioga Road updates before booking around this route.
Death Valley: Begin with the Desert
Give Death Valley a full sightseeing day before heading toward the mountains.
Choose a few main stops, such as Zabriskie Point, Badwater Basin, and Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. Let the weather and current access determine how much time you spend outside. The park’s sightseeing guide describes access at popular destinations.
Summer heat demands a different approach from a cool-season visit. The National Park Service advises against low-elevation hiking in summer and recommends staying on paved roads near your vehicle. Death Valley summer guidance
Spend the night in the Death Valley area, then begin the westward drive with water, fuel, and downloaded directions.
Lone Pine: Film History, Alabama Hills, and Whitney Portal
Lone Pine deserves more than a lunch stop. Plan time for its film history and the landscapes rising west of town.
Visit the Museum of Western Film History
Begin at the Museum of Western Film History, where exhibits introduce the movies and locations associated with Lone Pine and the Alabama Hills.
Visiting the museum before heading outdoors gives the scenery another dimension. Ask about location information so you can recognize some of the landscapes featured on screen.
Explore the Alabama Hills
Continue into the Alabama Hills for rounded rock formations, mountain backdrops, and the scenery along Movie Road.
Choose designated routes and allow time to walk where access permits. The Bureau of Land Management’s visitor guide provides information about the area and current camping requirements.
Photographers may want to return in different light. Families can keep the outing simple, choosing a short walk and a few scenic stops.
Drive to Whitney Portal
When the road is open, continue up Whitney Portal Road into the mountains. Whitney Portal lies about 13 miles west of Lone Pine, at an elevation of roughly 8,374 feet. Visit California’s Lone Pine guide
Make the drive and mountain setting the focus of this stop. A Mount Whitney summit hike requires its own preparation and permit planning.
Suggested stay: Spend a night in Lone Pine so the museum, Alabama Hills, and Whitney Portal have room in your schedule.
Cerro Gordo: Add a Ghost Town Excursion
Set aside a separate outing for Cerro Gordo, the historic mining town in the Inyo Mountains.
Its remote setting is part of the experience, and the approach needs advance planning. The operator describes an eight-mile dirt access road and recommends a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Review the official Cerro Gordo visiting instructions and confirm conditions before setting out.
Check visiting arrangements directly and allow enough daylight for the return drive. If your vehicle or the conditions are unsuitable, adjust this portion of the itinerary.
Continue to Independence afterward for the next overnight stop.
Independence: A Night at the Winnedumah
Make Independence an overnight destination with a stay at the Winnedumah Hotel.
Booking a night here gives this part of the Owens Valley time of its own. Settle in, take a walk through town, and leave room for the area’s historical sites. Confirm room availability and check-in details directly with the hotel.
Visit Manzanar
Manzanar National Historic Site lies south of Independence, so visit on your way into town or the following morning.
The site preserves the experiences of Japanese Americans incarcerated here by the United States government during World War II. Allow time for the exhibits and personal stories, checking visitor hours and facilities before arriving.
Explore the Eastern California Museum
In Independence, the Eastern California Museum offers further context about the Owens Valley and Eastern Sierra’s natural and cultural history.
Suggested stay: One night at the Winnedumah, with time for Manzanar and the museum around your arrival and departure.
Big Pine: Visit the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest
Continue north to Big Pine, then devote a substantial part of the day to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest.
This White Mountains excursion introduces some of the world’s oldest living trees. Take your time among the weathered trunks and high-elevation landscape, choosing a walk that matches your group’s energy and the conditions.
The Inyo National Forest visitor guide provides background on the forest. Confirm current road and visitor-center access before leaving Big Pine.
Bring food, water, and layers, and allow for a slower mountain drive. After returning to the valley, continue toward Bishop and your canyon accommodation.
Bishop: Head into Bishop Creek Canyon
Spend some time in Bishop for a meal and supplies, then turn your attention to Bishop Creek Canyon.
South Lake, Lake Sabrina, and North Lake occupy different branches of the canyon, offering several choices for scenic drives and outdoor time. Bishop Creek Canyon visitor guide
Choose one area for the day rather than trying to visit every lake. A lakeside walk, picnic, or planned fishing outing can fill an afternoon.
Stay at Cardinal Village or Parchers Resort
Make the canyon part of your overnight experience:
- Cardinal Village Resort: Rustic cabins in a mountain setting, suited to travelers who want to settle into the canyon.
- Parchers Resort: Housekeeping cabins in Bishop Creek Canyon, offered during its summer and fall operating season.
A traditional mountain-resort stay gives you time to enjoy the surroundings before and after the busiest part of the day. Check each property’s seasonal schedule, meal options, and room arrangements before booking.
Suggested stay: Two nights in Bishop Creek Canyon, leaving a full day for exploring between travel days.
Mammoth Lakes: A Comfortable Stay and Mountain Fun for the Kids
Continue north to Mammoth Lakes and shift the pace toward family activities.
For accommodation, consider Limelight Mammoth or Outbound Mammoth. Compare room layouts, location, and the amenities that matter to your group.
Plan a Day at the Mountain
Look at the seasonal activities at Woolly’s Adventure Summit, including the Mountain Coaster. Check operating dates and age, height, and participation requirements before buying tickets.
Mammoth Mountain’s family summer activity guide offers more ideas for building a day around your children’s interests.
Choose a few activities and leave room for breaks. This is a good place in the road trip to give the kids time to play without another long drive afterward.
Add a Lakes Basin Outing
If your schedule allows, visit Twin Lakes or Lake Mary when access is open. The Mammoth Lakes Basin guide can help you select a stop.
Suggested stay: Two nights at Limelight or Outbound, giving you a full Mammoth day.
June Lake: Drive the Loop, Then Stay in Lee Vining
Leave Mammoth and continue north to the southern entrance of Highway 158.
Drive the June Lake Loop, allowing time for June Lake, Gull Lake, Silver Lake, and Grant Lake. Stop in the village for a meal and choose a lakeside place to stretch your legs. Mono County highlights the route in its scenic drive guide.
Confirm the full loop is open before setting out. If you visit in autumn, consult our Lee Vining fall colors guide for nearby seasonal ideas.
After the loop, continue to Lee Vining and check in for several nights.
Lee Vining: Your Base for Mono Lake and the Northern Loop
Give Lee Vining a full day before continuing to Bodie and Bridgeport.
Explore South Tufa, learn about Mono Lake, and leave time for a meal in town. Our complete visitor’s guide to Mono Lake covers shoreline stops, activities, and access considerations.
Add context with the history of Lee Vining and our introduction to the Kootzaduka’a and their connection to the Mono Basin.
Suggested stay: Three nights, covering your arrival from June Lake, a Mono Lake day, and a Bodie-to-Bridgeport outing.
Bodie to Bridgeport, Then Back to Lee Vining
Start this day early enough to enjoy both stops without rushing.
Morning: Explore Bodie Ghost Town
From Lee Vining, take Highway 395 north to Highway 270 and follow the standard approach to Bodie State Historic Park. The final three miles are unpaved, so allow extra driving time. California State Parks directions
Spend the morning exploring the surviving townsite. Our complete Bodie ghost town guide will help you plan.
Afternoon: Continue to Bridgeport
Return along Highway 270 to Highway 395, then continue north to Bridgeport.
Take a walk through town, see the historic courthouse, and stop for a meal. If timing allows, check the Mono County Museum’s hours or add a reservoir viewpoint. Bridgeport visitor guide
Return south to Lee Vining for the night. Keeping your accommodation here means you can leave for Yosemite the next morning without moving your luggage during the northern outing.
Finish with Yosemite via Tioga Pass
When Tioga Road is open, drive west from Lee Vining into Yosemite.
Build the day around Tuolumne Meadows, Tenaya Lake, and Olmsted Point. These stops give you a satisfying high-country finale after the deserts, towns, and lakes along Highway 395.
Our guide to Lee Vining as Yosemite’s eastern gateway covers the drive and practical planning details.
Continue to your next reserved accommodation or return to Lee Vining. Add another day if you also want substantial time in Yosemite Valley.
A Suggested 12-Day Itinerary
| Day | Main plan | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Explore Death Valley | Death Valley area |
| 2 | Drive to Lone Pine and visit the film museum | Lone Pine |
| 3 | Alabama Hills and Whitney Portal | Lone Pine |
| 4 | Cerro Gordo excursion, then Independence | Winnedumah Hotel |
| 5 | Manzanar and Independence; continue through Big Pine | Big Pine or Bishop |
| 6 | Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, then Bishop Creek Canyon | Cardinal Village or Parchers |
| 7 | Explore Bishop Creek Canyon | Same canyon resort |
| 8 | Drive to Mammoth and settle in | Limelight or Outbound |
| 9 | Family activities at Mammoth Mountain | Same Mammoth hotel |
| 10 | June Lake Loop and arrival in Lee Vining | Lee Vining |
| 11 | Bodie, Bridgeport, and return | Lee Vining |
| 12 | Yosemite via Tioga Pass | Based on your onward route |
Add a third Lee Vining night for a full Mono Lake day before Yosemite. That makes this a relaxed 13-day version with time for every major outing.
Plan Around the Season
This route works best when its mountain roads, resorts, and activities are operating. Confirm Whitney Portal access, Cerro Gordo visiting conditions, bristlecone forest access, and Tioga Road before finalizing your dates.
Reserve the distinctive stays first, then build the daily drives around them. Leave enough space for a museum that holds your attention, a quiet afternoon by a creek, or one more ride with the kids.
Those moments are what turn a Highway 395 road trip into a vacation you’ll remember.
