Inyo County

Looking down on the Alabama Hills and Owens Valley from Whitney Portal, Inyo County
Looking down on the Alabama Hills and Owens Valley from Whitney Portal, Inyo County

Inyo County 4×4 trails offer access to the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada mountain range and southeast of Yosemite National Park in eastern-central part of the U.S. state of California. Inyo County includes the Owens River Valley; it is flanked to the west by the Sierra Mountains, and to the east by the White Mountains and the Inyo Mountains.

Mount Whitney Fish Hatchery
Mount Whitney Fish Hatchery

Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the Continental United States, is on Inyo County’s western border (with Tulare County). The Badwater Basin, in Death Valley National Park, the lowest place in North America, is in eastern Inyo County. The two points are not visible from each other, but both can be observed from the Panamint Range on the west side of Death Valley, above the Panamint Valley.

Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California
Alabama Hills, Lone Pine, California

There are opportunities to travel into the high country of the Sierra Nevada Mountain range. When in the Sierra Nevada be sure to pack for and use proper bear storage.

Inyon County has its share of history. Manzanar Relocation Camp recounts a darker chapter of American history.

Inyo County Trail Map

Inyo County 4×4 Trails

Looking down on the Alabama Hills and Owens Valley from Whitney Portal

Alabama Hills

Located near Lone Pine, CA the Alabama Hills are an awesome spot to visit and explore in Inyo County.  Large boulder formations erupt from the…
Cerro Gordo overlooking the then full Owens Lake.

Cerro Gordo California – Inyo County Ghost Town

Located in the Inyo Mountains on the eastern side of Owens Valley, Cerro Gordo California is a currently a ghost town after almost 100 years…
Crowells Mill under construction in Chloride City, CA about 1915

Chloride City California – Inyo County Ghost Town

Chloride City California is located within Death Valley National Park and Inyo County, California. The town arose out of silver discoveries in nearby Chloride Cliff…
Barker Ranch - The building complex was heavily vegetated with trees, with a sparsely planted understory. Note the Manson bus in the left hand side of the image. View northwest, 1969 (DEVA collection). - NPS

Goler Wash and Mengel Pass

Goler Wash and Mengel Pass over a route into Butte Valley from Panamint Valley. Although not technically in Death Valley, this trail is consider part…
The Told Spanish Trail BLM Sign

Old Spanish Trail

The Old Spanish Trail was a historic trade route that linked Santa Fe, New Mexico to Los Angeles, California. The trail was established in the…
Skidoo, CA 1907

Skidoo California – Inyo County Ghost Town

Skidoo California was famous in the first decade of the 20th century when gold had been found in Inyo County and the town established in…

White Mountain Road

Locathed in Inyo County, the White Mountain Road is a high altitude road that travels north from Highway 168 out of Big Pine and into…

Inyo County Ghost Towns

Ballarat, California - Marriedtofilm at English Wikipedia - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by Malafaya using CommonsHelper.

Ballarat California – Inyo County Ghost Town

Ballarat, California Located in Inyo County, Ballarat California is a ghost town which supposedly has a few residents living their dream within the town. Ballarat…
Cerro Gordo overlooking the then full Owens Lake.

Cerro Gordo California – Inyo County Ghost Town

Located in the Inyo Mountains on the eastern side of Owens Valley, Cerro Gordo California is a currently a ghost town after almost 100 years…
Crowells Mill under construction in Chloride City, CA about 1915

Chloride City California – Inyo County Ghost Town

Chloride City California is located within Death Valley National Park and Inyo County, California. The town arose out of silver discoveries in nearby Chloride Cliff…

Darwin California – Inyo County Ghost Town

Darwin is a unincorporated community, gold mining town and ghost town located in Inyo County, California about 22 miles from Keeler. The town was named…
Greenwater Mining District, CA 1906

Greenwater California – Inyo County Ghost Town

In 1904, a copper strike near Greenwater Spring and ensuing rush to profit caused the formation of Greenwater in Inyo County, California. Originally known by…
Cashier Mill ruin and Pete Aguereberry, 1916. From Dane Coolidge Collection,

Harrisburg California – Inyo County Ghost Town

Harrisburg California is a ghost town is located at 4987 feet above sea level in Inyo County and currently part of Death Valley National Park.…
Leadfield Sign, Death Valley, California

Leadfield California – A Death Valley Ghost Town

Leadfield California is a ghost town located in Inyo County and Death Valley National Park and found on the Titus Canyon Trail. The town boom…
Panamint City Stamp Mill

Panamint City California – Inyo County Ghost Town

Panamint City California - 1875 Panamint City California is a ghost town and silver mine site located in Inyo County. The town site was built…
Photograph of the "Baby Gauge" (aka "Baby Gage") mine train at the mining camp of Ryan, Death Valley, ca.1900-1950. A car with one headlight can be seen at center on tracks pulling a platform with four benches upon it. Someone can be seen driving the car, while four men and women sit on the benches. A small wooden shack with a portion of the roof missing can be seen behind the platform, while a ladder, wooden planks, and more tracks are visible at left. A valley and mountains can be seen in the background. - “University of Southern California. Libraries” and “California Historical Society” as the source. Digitally reproduced by the USC Digital Library.

Ryan California

Ryan, California, is a small unincorporated community located in the southeastern region of San Bernardino County, California. The town is located in the Greenwater Range…
Skidoo, CA 1907

Skidoo California – Inyo County Ghost Town

Skidoo California was famous in the first decade of the 20th century when gold had been found in Inyo County and the town established in…

Inyo County Points of Interest

Looking down on the Alabama Hills and Owens Valley from Whitney Portal

Alabama Hills

Located near Lone Pine, CA the Alabama Hills are an awesome spot to visit and explore in Inyo County.  Large boulder formations erupt from the…
Artist's Palette, Death Valley National Park - Photo by James L Rathbun

Artist Drive

Artist Drive is perhaps one of the most popular and scenic drives through a colorful palette of geology, located in Death Valley National Park, California.…
Badwater Basin located at 282 feet below sea level in Death Valley National Park. - Photo by James L Rathbun

Badwater Basin

Located at 282 feet below sea level, Badwater Basin is a popular stop for sightseers visiting Death Valley National Park, California. The site is located…
Ballarat, California - Marriedtofilm at English Wikipedia - Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by Malafaya using CommonsHelper.

Ballarat California – Inyo County Ghost Town

Ballarat, California Located in Inyo County, Ballarat California is a ghost town which supposedly has a few residents living their dream within the town. Ballarat…
Cerro Gordo overlooking the then full Owens Lake.

Cerro Gordo California – Inyo County Ghost Town

Located in the Inyo Mountains on the eastern side of Owens Valley, Cerro Gordo California is a currently a ghost town after almost 100 years…
Crowells Mill under construction in Chloride City, CA about 1915

Chloride City California – Inyo County Ghost Town

Chloride City California is located within Death Valley National Park and Inyo County, California. The town arose out of silver discoveries in nearby Chloride Cliff…

Darwin California – Inyo County Ghost Town

Darwin is a unincorporated community, gold mining town and ghost town located in Inyo County, California about 22 miles from Keeler. The town was named…
A completely flattened structure at Goldbelt Springs, Death Valley, California - Photo by James L Rathbun

Goldbelt Springs

A discovery by the famous prospector "Shorty Harris", led to the founding on the Goldbelt Springs mining district off Hunter Mountain Road in Death Valley…
Greenwater Mining District, CA 1906

Greenwater California – Inyo County Ghost Town

In 1904, a copper strike near Greenwater Spring and ensuing rush to profit caused the formation of Greenwater in Inyo County, California. Originally known by…
Cashier Mill ruin and Pete Aguereberry, 1916. From Dane Coolidge Collection,

Harrisburg California – Inyo County Ghost Town

Harrisburg California is a ghost town is located at 4987 feet above sea level in Inyo County and currently part of Death Valley National Park.…
Leadfield Sign, Death Valley, California

Leadfield California – A Death Valley Ghost Town

Leadfield California is a ghost town located in Inyo County and Death Valley National Park and found on the Titus Canyon Trail. The town boom…

Manzanar

Manzanar Enterance and sign. IMAGE: ANSEL ADAMS/LIBRARY OF CONGRESS Shortly after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941, President Roosevelt ordered the forced…
Mount Whitney Fish Hatchery

Mount Whitney Fish Hatchery

Mount Whitney Fish Hatchery Located just outside of Independence, Inyo County, California the Mount Whitney Fish Hatchery has played an important role in the preservation…
U2's Joshua Tree - 2016

One Tree Hill, A trip to the U2 Joshua Tree

A trip to the U2 Joshua Tree brought back a life time of memories. There was never a point in time that I was not…
Panamint City Stamp Mill

Panamint City California – Inyo County Ghost Town

Panamint City California - 1875 Panamint City California is a ghost town and silver mine site located in Inyo County. The town site was built…
Photograph of the "Baby Gauge" (aka "Baby Gage") mine train at the mining camp of Ryan, Death Valley, ca.1900-1950. A car with one headlight can be seen at center on tracks pulling a platform with four benches upon it. Someone can be seen driving the car, while four men and women sit on the benches. A small wooden shack with a portion of the roof missing can be seen behind the platform, while a ladder, wooden planks, and more tracks are visible at left. A valley and mountains can be seen in the background. - “University of Southern California. Libraries” and “California Historical Society” as the source. Digitally reproduced by the USC Digital Library.

Ryan California

Ryan, California, is a small unincorporated community located in the southeastern region of San Bernardino County, California. The town is located in the Greenwater Range…
Scotty's Castle located in Grapevine Canyon in Death Valley.

Scottys Castle – The Death Valley Ranch

Scottys Castle located in Grapevine Canyon in Death Valley. Named after Walter Scott AKA "Death Valley Scotty", Scottys Castle or the Death Valley Ranch is…
Skidoo, CA 1907

Skidoo California – Inyo County Ghost Town

Skidoo California was famous in the first decade of the 20th century when gold had been found in Inyo County and the town established in…
Old Tecopa house at smelter on Willow Creek, Amargosa Valley. Dr. Noble, Mrs. Noble. Inyo County, CA. 1922 - Photo from Herbert E. Gregory Book 8: 1915 - 1924.

Tecopa Inyo County

Tecopa is a small town located in the southeastern part of California, United States and its named for Chief Tecopa. The town is situated in…
The Arargosa Opera House is located in Death Valley Junction, California.

The Amargosa Opera House

Recently, on a whim, my wife and I loaded up the jeep and opt to just explore the desert West of our home town of…

White Mountain Road

Locathed in Inyo County, the White Mountain Road is a high altitude road that travels north from Highway 168 out of Big Pine and into…
Zabriskie Point bathed in warm afternoon light in Death Valley National Park - Photo by James L Rathbun

Zabriskie Point

Zabriskie Point is perhaps one of the best known and popular overlooks in the entire Death Valley National Park, California. The landmark is named for…

Inyo County Wild Flowers

Photographed in the White Moundtains, Phlox diffusa is a small white flowering plant which prefers alpine and sub-alpine environments.

Spreading Phlox ( Phlox diffusa )

Spreading Phlox ( Phlox diffusa ) is a perennial shrub with small needle like leaves.  This is a small white flowering plant prefers alpine, sub-alpine…

Inyo Campgrounds

Looking down on the Alabama Hills and Owens Valley from Whitney Portal

Alabama Hills

Located near Lone Pine, CA the Alabama Hills are an awesome spot to visit and explore in Inyo County.  Large boulder formations erupt from the…
Death Valley National Park

Eureka Dunes Dry Camp

Eureka Dunes Campground is near a small localize sand dunes formation with Death Valley National Monument. Eureka Dunes Dry Camp is located next to the…
Homestake, Death Valley

Homestake Dry Camp

Homestake Dry Camp - A primative campsite at Racetrack Valley The Homestake Dry camp is a primitive campground located in Racetrack valley inside Death Valley…

Lone Pine Campground

Lone Pine Campground is a wonderful campground in the eastern foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range in Inyo County, California. The campground is located…
Death Valley National Park

Mahogany Flat Campground

Mahogany Flat Campground lies at 8,200 feet in the Panamint Mountain Range in Death Valley National Parl. The campground provides access to hiking and backpacking,…

Mesquite Springs Campground

Mesquite Springs Campground located near Scotty's Castle in Death Valley Mesquite Springs is a campground in Death Valley National Park, Located just a few short…
Sand dunes near Stovepipe Wells in Death Valley National Park

Stovepipe Wells

Stovepipe Wells Campgound is located in Stovepipe wells just off the 190 highway in Death Valley National Park. Located about 25 miles away from Furnace…
Sunset Campground located in Furnace Creek, Death Valley National Park. Photo by Heather Rathbun

Sunset Campground

Sunset Campground is another large, flat parking lot campground primary for RV camping located near Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park, California. The Campground…
Death Valley National Park

Texas Springs Campground

Texas Springs Campground is another large campground, primarilyy for RV and trailer camping within Death Valley National Park. The campground a mile of the Furnace…
Death Valley National Park

Thorndike Campground

Thorndike campground is located at 7,400 feet in the Panamint Mountains in Death Valley National Park. The campground is accessible to high clearance vehicles only…

Tuttle Creek Campground

Tuttle Creek Campground is a small campground located on the eastern Sierras near Lone Pine, in Inyo County, California. The campground is located just below…
Mt Whitney looms large over the High Sierra, outside of Lone Pine, California - Photo by James L Rathbun

Whitney Portal Campground

Whitney Portal Campground is the campground in the foothills of the High Sierra, and serves as the gateway for many hikers up Mount Whitney in…
Death Valley National Park

Wildrose Campground

Wildrose Campground is located at 4100 feet above sea level in the Paramint Mountains within Death Valley National Park. This semi-primative campground is located off…

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