Recent snow and rain have caused many trails to be temporarily closed. Please check with the local agencies for the most up-to-date information.

Silver Canyon Road

5/5 (7 reviews)
Bishop, California (Inyo County)
Last Updated: 05/18/2018

Trail Information

Highlights

Just to the East of Bishop, CA in the Inyo National Forest lie the White Mountains and Silver Canyon Road will take you right to their heart. These mountains, which extend north into Nevada, are the home of desert bighorn sheep, pronghorn antelope, mule deer and some of the oldest trees on the face of the earth. The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest is home to living trees exceeding 4000 years old in two separate groves, the Schulman Grove which has a visitors center open during the summer, and the Patriarch Grove which is home to the world's largest bristlecone pine tree. Both of these groves are easily accessible during the summer from the top of the White Mountains.

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Trail Navigation

Trail Reviews

5/5 (7 reviews)
1300
Open
Visited: 06/14/2021

Well maintained trail with amazing views. Great way to escape the heat in Bishop. At the top/end of this route, there is signage to guide you to several bristlecone pine groves.
300
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 06/09/2021

Beautiful loose rocky trail with lots of awesome high desert mountain scenery. The drive down thru White Mountain road is very scenic as well. As a newbie, I would rate this as borderline easy.
1400
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 05/15/2021

Trail was in good shape and well marked. Very pleasant and easy ride back in the canyon and then you start climbing up the switchbacks. You don’t stop climbing until you reach the top where you can stop and take in the views. Went on to the Patriot grove where it started hailing on us. We took White Mtn road back down.
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 10/26/2019

Me and my wife took this trail. She is not a fan of off roading but this one just might have brought her one step closer. The water crossings were not large but they are still pretty. And the views on the climb up were amazing. I am not sure that 4 low was necessary but it was nice to have. Easily done in our stock wrangler
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 07/17/2019

We took the trail from White Mountain Road to Bishop, the top part is fairly steep with a number of switchbacks, great views and not very difficult if done in low range. The 6 or so water crossing are fairly shallow, even withe snow melt of the moment the largest being the last one. Fun trail for the changes in plants and geology

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