Press releases

The State of the Inyo, current as of 6/15/17

Mono Lake Ranger District

Roads open: Monitor Pass (Hwy 89), Sonora Pass (Hwy 108), Bodie (Hwy 270), Lundy Canyon, Panum Crater, Hwy 120 E (Benton), June Lake Loop (Hwy 158), Parker Lake Rd.

Inyo National Forest

Inyo National Forest

Roads closed: Tioga Pass (Hwy 120 W) at the winter gate closure, Saddlebag Lake Rd.

Campgrounds open: Lundy Canyon (county), Lower Lee Vining, Big Bend, Aerie Crag, Gull Lake, June Lake, Oh Ridge, Reversed Creek, Silver Lake, Glass Creek, Moraine, Big Springs.

Campgrounds closed: Aspen Grove, Sawmill Walk-in, Saddlebag Lake, Saddlebag Trailhead Group Camp, Tioga Lake, Upper and Lower Deadman, Obsidian Flat Group, Ellery Lake, Hartley Springs, Junction.

The Mono Basin Visitor Center is open seven days a week, 8:00 am -5:00 pm.

Mammoth Ranger District

Roads open: Convict Lake, Hot Creek Hatchery, Inyo Craters (under snow), Laurel Canyon (snow level 8,500 ft.), Mammoth Creek, Mammoth Scenic Loop.

Roads closed: Lakes Basin, Old Mammoth Rd. to Lakes Basin, Reds Meadow Valley Road.

Campgrounds open: Crowley Lake (BLM), Convict Lake, Mammoth Mtn. RV Park (private, year round), New Shady Rest, Old Shady Rest, Sherwin Creek, Brown’s Owens River (private).

Campgrounds closed: Agnew Meadows, Agnew Meadows Group, Agnew Meadows Horse Campground, Coldwater (6/29), Devils Postpile (NPS), Lake George (6/29), Lake Mary (6/29), Minaret Falls, Pine City (6/29), Pine Glen Family/Group(6/29), Pumice Flat, Pumice Flat Group, Reds Meadow, Twin Lakes (est. 6/22), Upper Soda Springs.

The Mammoth Welcome Center is open 8:00 am to 5:00 pm daily.

Devils Postpile Ranger Station is closed. No estimated opening date.

White Mountain Ranger District

CARMA restoration area closure has moved. The main entrance gate on road 8S40 (east gate) to the restoration site will remained gated and locked.  The western entrance of 8S40 is now open, allowing access to the roads 8S40B and 35E306.  At road 35E306, road 8S40 is now gated and closed to motorized vehicle travel.  The public is asked to respect the restoration efforts being made and not travel with motorized vehicles beyond the closed gates or park off of established roadways where vegetative seeding has occurred.

Roads open:  McGee Creek Rd., Rock Creek Rd. to USFS gate, Buttermilk Rd. (storm damage), Hwy 168 to Lake Sabrina, South Lake Rd., North Lake Rd., Big Pine Canyon (Glacier Lodge) Rd., White Mt. Rd to six miles past the visitor center, Silver Canyon Rd. (except difficult conditions), Wyman Canyon Rd. (condition of road unknown, expect difficult conditions).

Roads closed: Rock Creek Rd. (after USFS gate), White Mt. Rd. six miles past the visitor center (snow).

Campgrounds open: McGee Creek, Iris Meadow, Big Meadow, East Fork,  Pine Grove, Tuff, French Camp, Aspen Group Camp, Bitterbrush, Bishop Park, Bishop Park Group, Big Trees, Forks, Four Jeffrey,  Intake 2, Mountain Glen, Table Mountain Group, Sabrina, Willow, Sage Flat, Upper Sage Flat, Palisade Glacier Group Camp,  Grandview (no water, no trash service, firewood is limited), Cedar Flat Group Camp, Horton Creek (BLM), Goodale (BLM), Pleasant Valley Pit (BLM),  Pleasant Valley (County).

Campground closed: Holiday, Mosquito Flat Backpacker, Rock Creek Lake, North Lake, Clyde Glacier Group Camp, Big Pine Creek.

The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest Visitor Center is open, seven days a week, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm.

The White Mountain Ranger Station Visitor Center is open seven days a week, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm.

Mt Whitney Ranger District:

Roads open: Foothill Rd., Division Creek Rd., Haiwee Canyon Rd., Mazourka Canyon Rd., Movie Rd., Sage Flat Rd., Onion Valley Rd., Whitney Portal Rd, Horseshoe Meadow Rd.

Campgrounds open: Boulder Creek RV Resort, Diaz Lake (County), Upper and Lower Grays Meadow, Lone Pine Campground, Independence Creek (County), Kennedy Meadows, Portagee Joe (County), Tuttle Creek (BLM) Whitney Portal, Whitney Portal Trailhead, Cottonwood Lakes/ Pass Trailhead, Horseshoe Meadow Equestrian.

Campground closed: Onion Valley.

The Eastern Sierra Visitor Center in Lone Pine is open daily from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

SEASONAL PASS OPENING STATUS

Bishop – The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) District 9 continues to work on clearing snow, removing rocks, and repairing its eight highways with seasonal closures. As work progresses, pedestrians, bicyclists, skiers, etc. are advised to stay out of these areas. Safety is our number one priority, for the public as well as Caltrans’ workers.

This is the District 9 Seasonal Pass Status as of Thursday, June 15, 2017:

State Route 120 West – Tioga Pass (from the Junction of US 395 to the Yosemite
National Park Gate)

Caltrans crews have cleared snow on State Route 120 west to the top of Tioga Pass at
the eastern entrance gate of Yosemite National Park. The previously reported
extensive damage to the guardrail has now been repaired. Work continues with
removing snow from the sides of the road and shoulders, as well as road repair and
rock removal. There is no estimated date for reopening at this time.

State Route 203 – From the Mammoth Mountain Parking Lot to Minaret Vista
Caltrans crews began clearing snow on State Route 203 from the Mammoth Mountain
Ski Area parking lot to Minaret Vista on June 13, 2017. The snowpack is estimated to
be between 8 to 15 feet. There is no estimated date for reopening the highway at this
time.

State Route 108 – Sonora Pass – Opened June 13, 2017
State Route 270 – Bodie Road – Opened May 15, 2017
State Route 89 – Monitor Pass – Opened May 8, 2017
State Route 168 West – Bishop Creek – Opened April 24, 2017
State Route 120 East – Mono Mills – Opened April 14, 2017
State Route 158 – June Lake Loop – Opened April 14, 2017

All information is subject to change due to weather conditions.

BORON ROADSIDE SAFETY REST AREAS ARE SCHEDULED TO REOPEN

Kern County – The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) would like to inform the traveling public that the Boron Roadside Safety Rest Areas (east and west bound) are scheduled to open to the public today, June 16, 2017.

The rest areas have been closed since the beginning of March due to failure of both the east and west bound sewage lift stations.

Due to the increased usage of the rest areas, Caltrans initiated a project to improve and
upgrade the waste system infrastructure to better serve the traveling public. The materials and electronics used in the upgrade of the system are state of the art and of the highest quality.

The upgrade was designed to provide a system capable of heavy use for decades to come. A Director’s Order was initiated to complete this work quickly for the safety of the traveling public.

The Boron Roadside Safety Rest Areas are located on both the east and west bound lanes of State Route 58, approximately 10 miles east of Mojave, CA.
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For the latest in highway information please visit Caltrans Quickmap site at
http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/ or call our Road Condition Hotline at 1-800-427-ROAD (7623).

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