Southern California: Highway 395 Kicks It Into High Gear - The Historic Together With Beautiful Southern Owens Valley



“Either y'all select the H2O to L.A. or y'all select L.A. to the water.” – Noah Cross (John Huston) inwards Chinatown (1974).

It helps to know the importance of Owens Valley when y'all go to it. What was rich farmland inwards the firstly of the 20th century became the primary H2O beginning for the metropolis of Los Angeles a yoke of decades later. The thirsty metropolis to the due south drained much of the H2O that was here, turning much of it into desert. The Owens River ran dry out which turned Owens Lake at the due south halt of the valley into an alkali flat.


Through much litigation in addition to struggle, the metropolis is slowing returning approximately of the H2O precisely it volition never endure the same inwards our lifetime.  Even so, this is 1 of the most ruggedly beautiful in addition to historic areas inwards the state. The geography runs from  the highest betoken inwards the lower 48 to the lowest betoken inwards the entire country.

Coming upwards from the desert below on highway 395, y'all overstep upwards approximately impressive lava formations at the Coso Mountains, on the E side of the highway by Pearsonville on upwards to Little Lake.

There is a beautiful piffling lake at the tiny town of Little Lake, marking your entrance into the southern halt of the valley.  We’ll endure hither for approximately other 140 or in addition to hence miles earlier nosotros larn out via the northern end.

I similar to carve upwards the valley into 2 parts…the southern one-half in addition to the northern half. Today, we’ll tackle the southern end.

The adjacent town of whatsoever size along the highway volition endure Lone Pine.  This pretty piffling town sits betwixt those 2 points of extreme, Mt. Whitney in addition to Death Valley. Just to the westward of town, amidst a collection of spires, sits the summit of Mt. Whitney, the highest betoken inwards the continental U.S.A. at 14,497 feet.


download a map from the Lone Pine Chamber of Commerce to meet where approximately of the to a greater extent than famous motion-picture exhibit locations are.


It’s close 85 miles southwest from the nearly 15,000 human foot peak of Mt. Whitney to the Badwater inwards Death Valley. At 282 feet below body of body of water level, it’s the lowest betoken inwards the United States.  You tin mail away larn dorsum to Owens Lake in addition to accept highway 190 over to this spectacular national common but, for us, that’s a trip for approximately other day.

After a patch of pizza in addition to a sandwich at the Pizza Factory inwards town, it’s dorsum on the road. Just due north of Lone Pine on the E side of the route you’ll meet a minor colina alongside a wooden fence, a monument, in addition to a historical marking (no. 507) sign.

Sixteen bodies lay nether the dirt hither inwards a majority grave, the effect of a massive earthquake inwards 1872. About lxxx structures stood inwards town, to a greater extent than oftentimes than non made of adobe which crumbled readily during the shaking. Only xx structures were left standing in addition to 27 people were left dead. Those that weren’t buried inwards their ain services were interred here.


Seven miles due north of town lies approximately other melancholy site. Manzanar National Historic Site covers the expanse that was the Manzanar Relocation Center. During World War II, 10,000 people of Japanese descent were rounded upwards in addition to position hither for the duration of the war.


Manzanar inwards 1942


The military camp was closed in addition to to a greater extent than oftentimes than non dismantled inwards 1945. For years, it was left lonely out hither inwards the bottom of the valley. We’d halt inwards in addition to produce got the 550 acres to ourselves to explore. In 1985, 40 years after it was unopen down, it was declared a National Historic Site.


Manzanar today


Today, y'all tin mail away however explore the grounds, meet the foundations of the barracks, meet the yoke of remaining structures similar the gymnasium in addition to the guardhouse, in addition to see the accessible interpretive center.


Continuing north, nosotros come upwards into the county topographic point of Inyo County, the town of Independence. Be certain to brand a halt to meet the one-time courthouse inwards the middle of town. It was here, a grouping of vagrants were brought for hearings after beingness arrested inwards a remote expanse of Death Valley. One of them was named Charles Manson, who would eventually endure taken to Los Angeles for the murder lawsuit he is infamous for.

On the motility north, it takes piffling reminding to relish the view. The mount ranges on either side…the steep, abrupt eastern escarpment of the Sierras in addition to the gentler slopes of the White Mountains on the right…both ascent over 14,000 feet. In the wintertime the persuasion doesn’t larn whatsoever better.

Passing out of Independence, nosotros proceed on this classic in addition to legendary highway heading toward the northern one-half of the stark, barren, in addition to exceptionally stunning Owens Valley.

-Darryl
Copyright 2012 – Darryl Musick
All Rights Reserved

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