The following is my creation - if you have corrections or updates, please get to me @ jwest@ridgenet.net

Janet Westbrook, Professor of Biology, emeritus,  Naturalist;    updated 7/17/2011

Seasonal things to do

    all these places are described in detail in all the other pages in this Tourist Info section

Spring Wildflowers:

Each spring is very different!
Short Canyon and Sand Canyon have streams which will flow for a while. They're your best bet.  Check our "News" page for updates.   Same holds true of Death Valley - just depends -

wildflowers are affected by fall and winter rains, winter temperatures, spring temperatures -

Spring Hiking:

Trails and dirt roads in the Rademacher Hills south of Ridgecrest - many possibilities near the College
Pacific Crest trail - catch at Walker Pass - north and south, or at Kennedy Meadows
Great Falls Basin north of Trona;  Darwin Falls west of Panamint Springs

Summer Fishing: (fishing season last weekend in April - Nov. 15)

Owens River, Pleasant Valley Reservoir ( both open all year for fishing), some Eastern Sierra Creeks have early opener - March 1; 
South Fork Kern River at Kennedy Meadows and Fish Creek above Kennedy Meadows. 
Whitney Portal, Lone Pine Creek.  Lake Isabella, Kern River above and below the lake.

Summer Hiking:

Pacific Crest Trail, (catch at Walker Pass or Kennedy Meadows); 
Kennedy Meadows- Blackrock  trailhead- Casa Vieja, Jordan Hot Springs;  or any of the many other trails
Telescope Peak;  see Death Valley info; 7 miles to the top, but watch the weather!
Mt. Whitney (permits required) (see Inyo USFS)
Cottonwood Lakes (permits required)
 Just about every trailhead in the Sierra now needs a Wilderness Permit - get at Lone Pine Interagency Visitor Center.

Fall Colors:- usually mid October to Nov.

Owens Valley - Big Pine to Bishop to Round Valley; Rock Creek, 
Bishop Creek
Hilton Creek, McGee Creek, Convict Lake, 
June Lake Loop
Lee Vining Canyon
Lundy Canyon
Conway Summit
South Fork of Kern River, Weldon area - nice gold cottonwoods in October

Winter Snow Play:

Walker Pass gets snow sometimes!!
Kennedy Meadows- Chimney Peak, Pine Pass, beyond the winter closing at the General Store
Shirley Meadows Ski Area - in the Greenhorn Mountains; 2 chair lifts, ski rental, ski lessons
Whitney Portal- as snow permits the road to be open

Onion Valley- as snow permits the road to be open
Bishop Creek- plowed up to Aspendell

18 hole Golf Courses are found at: China Lake, Lone Pine, Bishop, Death Valley, California City, Lancaster, Kernville.

OHV open areas include: the Spangler Hills just south & east of Ridgecrest, and near Red Rock Canyon at Dove Springs canyon and Jawbone Canyon. Check in with BLM for details.

Mountain Biking trails are all over the hills behind the college, south of town, and in the canyons of the Sierra west of town. Keysville on the west side of Lake Isabella.   Mountain bikes allowed on dirt roads and some trails on the Kern Plateau.