About the Area
Inyo National Forest extends 165 miles near the California and Nevada border between Los Angeles and Reno, covering almost 2 million acres, mostly on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada. This forest is a land of superlatives: the oldest trees, the tallest mountains in California, among the oldest inland lake (Mono Lake), desert, glaciers, and the dramatic Eastern Sierra escarpment.
Although the Inyo National Forest was established May 25, 1907 by President Theodore Roosevelt, the lands within the forest were known only to the Indian tribes who lived here thousands of years before. There are over a dozen tribes present on the Inyo, including principally Paiute, Shoshone and Mono peoples.
Approximately one million acres lie within nine Congressionally-designated Wilderness Areas. Elevations range from 4,000’ in the Owens Valley to 14,494’ at Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous United States. Like all national forests, the Inyo is managed for ecosystem health and multiple uses, as directed by Congress. Although most visitors think of the forest for its recreation, the Inyo National Forest is also used for range, timber, minerals, watershed, and habitat for fish and wildlife.
Recreational opportunities include camping, picnicking, hiking, fishing, equestrian use, and off-highway vehicle use. Ski resorts offer alpine skiing and snowboarding; over 100 miles of trails groomed for multiple purpose winter use (snowmobile, ski, and snowshoe), and approximately 45 miles of trails groomed for cross-country skiing.
Over a century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt established the Inyo National Forest. This land, where the desert meets the mountains, was first reserved for its timber, water and forage. Thanks to decades of public management, the lands of the Inyo National Forest continue to supply clean water to over 3.8 million people, renewable forests, homes for wildlife from Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep to the Golden Trout, and the peace of the out of doors for nearly four million people annually.
- Established by proclamation on May 25, 1907 by President Teddy Roosevelt
- 221,324 acres designated Inyo National Forest in 1907
- 2.1 million acres of Inyo National Forest in 2007
- Over 10,500 feet of elevation difference, from 3,900 feet near Owens Lake to 14,494 on the peak of Mt. Whitney, highest peak in the continental United States
- Over 10,000 years of human history.
- Over 4,800 years - Age of Methuselah, a bristlecone pine growing in the Inyo National Forest’s Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest atop the White Mountains. This is considered the oldest tree on the planet. Researchers may have since discovered an older tree, more than 5,000 years old, nearby. However, this needs to be verified. The Rocky Mountain Tree Ring Research Old List explains age dating in trees very well (RMTRR OLDLIST). Almost certainly, there are older bristlecone pines that haven't been studied.
- Nearly 4 million - number of visitors to the Inyo National Forest annually.
- 9 Wilderness Areas
- 7 Research Natural Areas
- 2 Wild & Scenic Rivers
- Over 5,200 recorded heritage resource sites
- Over 3,600 miles of motorized routes
- Over 1,200 miles of trail
- 70 Campgrounds
- 5 Visitor Centers
- 3 Scenic Byways
- 2 Alpine Ski Areas
- 1 Nordic Ski Center
The Inyo National Forest Is Home To:
- The highest peak in the continental US - Mt. Whitney at 14,494 feet
- The largest and highest desert mountain range in North America - the White Mountains
- Boundary Peak - the highest peak in the State of Nevada at 13,140 feet
- The world's largest Jeffrey Pine Forest is located east of Mammoth Lakes and south of Mono Lake
- The Nation's first designated National Forest Scenic Area - the Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area designated in 1984
- Mono Lake is the second oldest lake in North America
- The worlds oldest tree - an unnamed bristlecone pine growing in the White Mountains in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest at more than 5,000 years old.
- One of the Nation’s first designated Research Natural Areas - The Harvey Monroe Hall RNA just east of Yosemite National Park north of Tioga Pass, first established in 1933 to ensure the future of pristine ecosystems for scientific research.
- California's state fish - the California Golden Trout
- With nearly 4 million visits per year, the Inyo National Forest is the most visited national forest in California, America's most populous state.
- The Inyo's first Ranger Station was located at Well's Meadow, on the northwestern end of today's Round Valley.
- First established to secure the water interests of the City of Los Angeles, the Inyo National Forest has been expanded and contracted at least four times since its creation. Most of the original lands designated as the Inyo National Forest - bottomlands along the Upper Owens River from Mono Lake to north of Crowley Lake - are no longer part of the Forest.
- Tallest, Deepest, Oldest - Home to the highest peak in the continental US, 14,494 ft. Mt. Whitney; the walls of the world's deepest valley, over 10,000 feet deep Owens Valley; the world's oldest living tree, the over 4,700 year old Bristlecone Pine, Methuselah; and the second oldest lake in North America - Mono Lake.
- Unique Wildlife - The Inyo National Forest is home to some of the world's rarest wildlife. Known as endemic species, critters such as the Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep grace no other granite ridges in the world but those of the Sierra Nevada. Deep Springs Valley and the Southern White Mountains are the only places to hear the piping of the unique black toad. Golden trout, California's state fish, ply no other waters than those of the Inyo National Forest' Golden Trout Wilderness.
- Tale of Two Salamanders - Living within a hundred miles of one another but worlds apart, the Inyo National Forest's stunning natural diversity is best told by two unique salamanders found no where else. The Inyo Mountains slender salamander lives in only 15 isolated desert springs tucked into the desert Inyo Mountains, while the Lyell salamander is found haunting the talus fields of the Sierra's high alpine peaks.
Origin of the name Inyo:
From R.W. Ayres, 1940
The origin and meaning of "Inyo" is believed to be Paiute for "the dwelling place of a great spirit" The Inyo National Forest was named for Inyo County in which the greater part of the forest is located.
Original proclamation:
The original Inyo National Forest was a small area on the floor of the Ownes Valley, created by President Teddy Roosevelt on May 25, 1907. He later combined it with over a million acres of the Sierra National Forest on July 1, 1908. This part of the Sierra Forest, owing to its isolation from the rest of the forest, was administered by a head ranger from 1904 to 1908, and was known as the Sierra East.
First Ranger Stations:
1903 instructions to Ranger Bigelow who was in charge of the Sierra East forest, from his boss Charles Shinn - "I cannot say where you should have your headquarters permanently located. I believe that the ranger force should fence in eight or ten meadows within the Reserve, and put some kind of shanty on each one, which can be used as needed."
The ranger stations that were constructed were approximately one day's ride by horseback apart. From north to south ranger stations were established at Little Antelope, Mammoth, Wells Meadow, Bishop, Longley Meadow, Big Pine, McMurray Meadow, Oak Creek, Mount Whitney, Tunnel, Live Oak, Casa Vieja, and in the White Mountains at Crooked Creek. (Lee Vining and Gull Lake were built as part of the Mono National Forest.)
First Forest Supervisor:
- H. Hogue
Examination to fill vacancies in the Ranger Force in California - 1909:
"Only those men who are at least 21 years of age, not more than 40, of good character, temperament, and in good physical condition, are eligible to take this examination. The salary paid to beginners is $900.00 a year."
Early day challenges: As reported in 1917 by Ranger Lou Barrett:
Poor pay. An undermanned organization. No tools. Conflicting orders. No training. No communication system. Overhead from political appointees who in many instances knew nothing about forests, grazing problems, or mountaineering in general.
Typical work week for Ranger Lawson Brainerd - early 1920's:
Brainerd reported that they usually worked 10 or 12 hours a day working on trails or grazing or special uses or boundary surveys or animal census or law enforcement or fire prevention or public relations. They traveled all the time, but they almost always stayed in on place on Sundays. That was the day they wrote up notes, washed clothes, cared for the horses hooves and shoes, and cooked a couple of day's food.
Employee housing shortage in Bishop - Conscientious Objectors help out - WWII:
Range Management specialist Del Fausett remembered that during World War II "we were just destitute for housing in Bishop for people who worked on the forest in those days." They moved parts of barracks to Bishop and built residences out of them. The labor for moving the buildings was provided by a crew of twenty men from the Conscientious Objector Camp Antelope in Coleville.
Forest Budget:
Forest payroll for July 1908 - $599.49
1928 budget for road maintenance - $4,000; trail maintenance - $1,900; construction of road from Lake Mary to Horseshoe Lake - $500; construction of Onion Valley road - $7,000; and construction of Mt. Whitney Trail - $1,000.
Forest payroll for July 1965 - $86, 153
Total forest budget in 1965 - $1,100,000
Visitor use:
The earliest recorded figures on recreation use on the Inyo were those of 1939 when 156,821 visits were recorded.
Earlier speculation placed 1919 at around 40,000-45,000 recreation visits and 1923 recreation visits were reported at 75,000.
1924 figures reported by the Inyo Register include 77,798 visitors to the Mono National Forest and 67,425 to Inyo National Forest. The Inyo National Forest at that time had 410 special use permittees, 6,710 hotel and resort guests, 55,505 campers, 800 picnickers, and 4000 transient motorists. "The part played by automobiles in increasing such travel is shown by the fact that 88 percent of those visiting the forests traveled in private cars. This class in the Inyo Forest numbered 61,525; those by railway or stage were 575; hikers, 1,760; all others, wagon, horseback, etc. 3,565."
By 1965 recreation visits were reported as 3,200,000.
Tourism - why people visit the Inyo:
A 1937 poll of 512 people taken by Forest Supervisor Roy Booth showed that 75 percent said fishing was the attraction; scenery came next, and rest and relaxation was third. Campground improvements most appreciated were tables first, then stoves. Some would like to have showers put in. It is believed that dusty roads in Mammoth had a part in reducing the number of people going there.
Organizational Overview
The Inyo National Forest Supervisor's Office is in Bishop, CA. In this office there are many specialists that cover the whole Forest rather than only one District. Specialists include biologists, soil scientists, hydrologists, engineers and more. Together the Ranger Districts and the Supervisor's Office oversee the entire Inyo National Forest.
The Inyo National Forest is divided into four Ranger Districts: Mono Lake, Mammoth, White Mountain and Mt. Whitney. Each district has a Ranger Station and/or Visitor Center to meet our visitors' needs.
