History of June Lake Loop

Authored by: Sue on Monday, April 05 2010 @ 05:41 PM PDT
After taking a drive one day from the Santa Clarita area, we've decided to take some vacation time in the June Lake area. We've never camped up there before, so we need advise. Probably around the 2nd week in May. We're coming in a 38 ft RV, towing my Honda. I think we want to bring bikes too. But where I'm concerned is picking the right camping grounds with such a big RV. We like room for our slideouts, and maybe a some nice scenery. If anyone has any advise, we'd appreciate.
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I don't know if there's any new campgrounds in the region, likely the same ones that have been there for years. I never camped in June Lake, but lived there in the late 1970s and half of the 1980s.

Back then, you had in the Loop the campground at the northeast corner of June Lake; a campground at Gull Lake; a campground at Silver Lake; one along Rush Creek between Silver and Grant Lake and one at Grant Lake.

I think the one at Grant Lake was privately owned and operated, but my memory short currently (it's hard to believe it's been nearly 25 years ago I left there). The others are typical Forest Service operated. I don't know if they've been modified to accept such a large motorhome, but likely some have. Back when I lived there, such a large motorhome was almost unheard of; those that large were generally modified school busses. The majority of the campers used tent trailers, small van based motorhomes and the Class A styles weren't that big.

I don't know of the impact of the north drive above June Lake has had on the campground on the northeast corner of the lake. That road was constructed after I left the region, an alternate to CA158 during winter as the road was and still is notorious for avalanches.

A check with the Inyo National Forest office in Lee Vining or Bishop will net you truthful answers to your query, the INF has a website also which will likely give you the answers you need and likely contact info. I don't have the web address, but you should easily find it via Google.

I like the June Lake camp ground. There's a general store, access to the swimming beach, shore access to great fishing, and a world class view. Why not contact them, and see if there's room for your RV that week.

I lived in June Lake from spring of 1979 to the summer of 1985. I worked for Mono County and took care of the community center and Gull Lake Park.

During those years, many of June Lake's very long term residents still lived there, most likely they're deceased by now as some were in their 70s and 80s back then. People like Betty Bean, Maria "Ria" Combes, Walter and Gracie Lantz (creator of Woody Woodpecker) and Jo Veenker. Many of these people have lived full time or part time in June Lake since the 1930s. Other early residents stayed in the region, such as former mayor of Bishop Jane Fisher, who I had a working relationship when she was editor of the now defunct THE ALBUM magazine (published by the former Chalfant Press, who published the regions newspapers), I was a regular contributor. Jane lived in Bishop until about a decade ago and moved to Colorado and I have no idea of her current status. As a historical researcher and published author, I also conducted and had recorded tapes of James Franklin, who at the time (early 1990s) was approaching 100 years old. He worked for the city of Los Angeles and lived both in June Lake and West Portal during tunnel construction under the Mono Craters during the 1930s and early 1940s. I donated the tapes to the historical society in Lee Vining about a dozen years ago. I also rubbed elbows with Wes Johnson, who was a Fish & Game warden; Tad Roberts, who was the fire chief and CalTrans worker and others. We all spent our coffee breaks sitting on that wooden bench at Schat's Bakkery, run by Jeff and Patty Nimeshein(?), the building it was in is shown clearly in your webcam; the center of the three little cabins across the street from the post office.

Back in those years, there was an annual show by the June Lake Artists and Craftsmen Co-Op held at the community center. I still have over my desk a photo that I took of the Sierra Wave over Mono Lake that won second place and I have the ribbon affixed to the frame, signed by Walter Lantz.

As for a comprehensive history on the June Lake Loop, which may or may not still be available or out of print - but likely the library in town has a copy - is HORSESHOE CANYON, by Betty Bean. It was published in 1977 by the June Lake Loop Women's Club. Many photos and historical accounts and is a very enjoyable read.

As for me, I decided the grass was greener in 1985 when I moved to Wyoming. I lived in Wyoming 1985-1987, then moved to the gray desert of Trona (I was working for Kerr-McGee in Wyoming, which owned at the time the borax plants in Trona, my ex-inlaws all lived there). In 1994 I moved back to the eastern Sierra at Big Pine but continued to work in Trona until I retired from the plant in 2004. I currently live in Winnemucca, Nevada. But I occasionally run down US395 and if I have time I still enjoy running the loop.

There are really three good campgrounds on the loop,, in my opinion.

Pinecliff has a general store and is situated near the lake, it may still have a gas pump as well. As you come in on the main highway, you take the right, instead of turning left into town. They have pay showers available. We had a bad experience at Pinecliff when on their retiree employees came chasing after my daughter and accused her of stealing some gum. The old bitty even forced my daughters mouth open. NEVER been back there since.

I would suggest Silver Lake Resort as the top pick. It has a general store and the world famous Silve Lake Cafe (open for breakfast and lunch). There is a nice public campground at Silver Lake as well.

Another option is the Mammoth Lakes Campground, which is on your left as you drive into Mammoth Lakes. Showers are included in your space rental. They have an indoor pool and hot tup as well. Not the best or warmest but they are available. Mammoth has quite a few lakes available to fish as well and would make a good base for traveling to June Lake Loop.

Don't forget to eat at the Whoa Nelli Deli up at Lee Vining. It is located at the Mobil/CHevron station on the road to Yosemite.

The building where Rainbow Ridge Real Estate & Chamber of Commerce was towed on skids (I think skids) from somewhere else and was the ICE house. That is why there is cement loading dock in front. It then was a hardware store and then Suzanna's Bananas and now houses Rainbow Ridge.

Marshall Berryman told me it was an old ice house moved from Mammoth Lakes in 1948. He also said the road at the Ballanced Rock had to be widened.

My father made his first trip to June Lake from LA in 1925. It was a 2 day trip in a Model T on a two track dirt wagon road with a night of camping at Little Lake. The average fish was about 5 lbs. My first trip was with him in 1949. I made many yearly family vacations there until I was about 17, then I drove myself.
The old ice house was used to hang deer in during the hunting season. Culver's Cabin was located next to the road just past the Big Rock where the FS campground is now located. Even in those days (early to mid fifties) it was somewhat rundown. We mostly stayed at Big Rock Landing (owned by the Kulpers in those days, I believe the family still owns a cabin right across the road from Big Rock to this day). We had many 10 fish per day trips then (40/day for the family) which my sister and I cleaned at the fish cleaning sink at Big Rock that is still in use today, one time in a blowing snow storm. The Kulpers kept a fenced in area right next to the dock with trout in it for show. The Heidelburg Inn was then the June Lake Hotel. It was rumored that Charlie Chaplin once slept on the fireplace hearth and that way back when, there were "ladies of the evening" working out of small rooms on the back side of the hotel.
Wallace Berry, the actor, once had a cabin on an island on Silver Lake but it was wiped out by a snow slide.
In the fifties there were hot steam and water geysers along 395 between Mamoth and June Lake near the county raod maintenance station. There was, for a few years, a marina on Mono Lake, near Lee Vining, that promoted water skiing.