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Major city · United States

Bishop

Use Bishop as a 1-night base for the Eastern Sierra: sleep here, eat on Main Street, and drive out to the boulders and Laws in the morning.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
May–Jun, Sep–Oct
avoid Jul–Aug (100°F/38°C days), Dec–Feb nights below freezing
Airports
BIH · MMH
Nights
1–2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Bishop is the service town of the Owens Valley, where US 395 meets US 6, with the biggest choice of beds and food between Lone Pine and Mammoth Lakes. Most travellers pass through on a Highway 395 road trip; one night covers the town, and two nights let you add a bouldering session or a day trip north.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Bishop, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$4–7
  • Street or quick mealBakery sandwich or pastry$6–14
  • BeerDraft beer at a brewery$7–9
  • Budget bedHotel room (up to 4), a night, per roomUS$160
  • Mid-range bedMotel double room, a night, per roomUS$150
  • High-end bedMotel double room, a night, per roomUS$240

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$90 · Mid US$160 · High US$280

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Bouldering at the Buttermilks, Happy and Sad BouldersLaws Railroad MuseumBishop Mural Society muralsBishop Mule Days on Memorial Day weekendSchat's Bakery
Airports
BIH Eastern Sierra Regional Airport (About 2 mi (3 km) east of town; one daily flight to Denver and one to San Francisco.) · MMH Mammoth Yosemite Airport (About a 30-minute drive north; Alaska and United serve it.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Bishop: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

13°C

−5°C

4 rd

Feb

15°C

−3°C

4 rd

Mar

19°C

−1°C

3 rd

Apr

23°C

3°C

2 rd

May

28°C

7°C

2 rd

Jun

34°C

11°C

1 rd

Jul

38°C

14°C

1 rd

Aug

37°C

12°C

1 rd

Sep

32°C

8°C

1 rd

Oct

25°C

3°C

2 rd

Nov

18°C

−3°C

2 rd

Dec

13°C

−6°C

4 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

You need a car for the boulders, Laws and the valley; Main Street itself is walkable. ESTA runs local and inter-city buses along US 395 from Lancaster to Reno. Eastside Bike Share has cruiser bikes at two stations in town.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Laws Railroad Museum and Historic Site

go

Door to door: About 15 min each way

Drive US 6 north about 4.5 mi (7 km), then follow the signs

Historic buildings and rail equipment from the Carson and Colorado Railroad; entry by donation, open 10:00–16:00.

Buttermilk Country bouldering

go

Door to door: About 20–30 min each way

Drive west of town on the Buttermilk Road, then walk in

Granite highballs; go early in summer, bring a pad and water.

Happy and Sad Boulders

go

Door to door: About 20 min each way

Drive north on Chalk Bluff Road, then a 5–10 minute hike

Volcanic bouldering in a canyon; the road is rough in places.

Mammoth Lakes and Mono Lake

overnight

Door to door: About 45 min to Mammoth Lakes

Drive north on US 395

Better as the next stop on a 395 trip than a return day.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

North Main Street (US 395 strip)

Most motels and hotels sit along this strip, walkable to Schat's Bakery and several restaurants.

Downtown Main Street

Closer to shops, coffee and the brewery; fewer beds, so book ahead in summer and on Mule Days weekend.

West Line Street

Quieter side of town on the US 6 approach; a short drive from the Main Street strip.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$90–140 excl. bed
Mid
$150–230 excl. bed
High
$250+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Motel double room1 × 1 night × US$150US$150
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$160US$320
Rental car, one day1 × US$85US$85
Fuel, 150 mi (240 km) of US 395 driving1 × US$25US$25
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$61
Trip total≈ US$336 per person per day, bed includedUS$671

2026 estimate in US dollars; sales tax added at checkout. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$4–7
Bakery sandwich or pastry$6–14
Pizza, one large$20–30
Draft beer at a brewery$7–9
Motel room, summer weekendRates spike on Mule Days weekend and summer holidays.$120–220
Gas, per gallon$4.50–6.00

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Bishop is a small, low-crime town; the real risks are heat, altitude and distance. Carry water, fuel up before leaving US 395, and tell someone your route if you head into the boulders alone.
  • Summer afternoons regularly top 100°F (38°C): climb and hike early, carry more water than you think you need.
  • Tioga Pass (CA 120) into Yosemite closes with snow, usually November to May or June: check status before routing through the park.
  • Cell coverage drops fast outside town and in the boulder canyons; download maps before you drive out.
  • Winter nights drop below freezing and black ice forms on US 395: check conditions before dawn drives.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
ESTA bus information
+1 760 872-1901

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

BishopBishop

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • ESTA bus information+1 760 872-1901

Embassy

No consulates in Bishop; nearest are in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Emergency: 911.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • ESTA bus, Bishop to Mammoth Lakes: check current fare and schedule with ESTA
  • Rental car, one day: $55–140 plus fuel
  • Laws Railroad Museum entry: by donation, open 10:00–16:00

Say or show

  • Where is the trailhead? — Where is the trailhead?
  • Is there gas nearby? — Is there gas nearby?
  • How far is it? — How far is it?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • I need water. — I need water.

Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Bishop. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Jun, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (100°F/38°C days), Dec–Feb nights below freezing · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for BIH and MMH: last flight arrivals, taxi and rental fallbacks, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters on Main Street with rescue anchors: bakery, coffee, brewery, pizza.
  3. Place pages with verified hours (Laws Railroad Museum, Wanaaha Casino, Mural Society tour) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Summer heat and winter snow fixtures so the boulder and pass pages can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources