Welcome to California’s Eastern Sierra! Situated at the edge of two vast, geographic provinces—the Great Basin, and the Sierra Nevada—the Eastern Sierra offers dramatic beauty and great birding. The Eastern Sierra Birding Trail traverses a 200-mile stretch of this scenic landscape and includes a surprising variety of habitats and birding opportunities. Gray-crowned Rosy Finches glean insects from granite heights, American Dippers bob along roaring mountain streams, Golden Eagles ply the thermals, Piñon Jays roam scrubby woodland in search of pine nuts, Warbling Vireos establish summer quarters in stately Cottonwoods, Sage Thrashers call from tufa tower perches, and thousands of shorebirds and waterfowl descend on basin lakes, pausing to refuel during their annual migratory odyssey.
Inyo and Mono counties are blessed with an abundance of public land, most of which offers excellent birding. Our communities are becoming increasingly aware that birding is good business and are eager to welcome birders to their towns. Visitors need only ask around and they’ll find helpful locals eager to share tips about birding, sites to see, places to eat, and the secret spots tucked away that only they know about.
The goal of this map is to share the birds of the Eastern Sierra with you. Whether you’re just getting started in birding or an expert new to the area, this map will be your guide to finding the birds in Mono and Inyo Counties. This map covers the most dramatic scenery found anywhere along Highway 395. It includes 37 birding sites chosen for their variety of birds and habitats. The map provides enough information for several thorough birding trips, and it is only the beginning. This trail is highway-based, but there are also side roads, dirt roads, and thousands of miles of foot trails that offer several lifetimes of exploration and birding. The Eastern Sierra is an immense, rugged, and extraordinary landscape rich with birds. Let this map be your introduction. We think you’ll be migrating back for more.
We hope you enjoy your visit to the Eastern Sierra.
Happy Birding!