Inyo district, California, United States

Places to visit near Big Pine

Big Pine is a town in Inyo district, California, United States, home to about 1,756 people. Within 50 km by road there are 129 places to visit — 66 hill stations & viewpoints, 27 lakes, dams & reservoirs, 14 forts & heritage and 4 wildlife, forests & gardens. The must-see places are Big Pine (1 km), Tinemaha Reservoir (16 km) and Birch Creek Pass (22 km).

Updated · Distances are road estimates · Open Big Pine on the map

Big Pine, California
Big Pine, Inyo district, California, United States. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Big Pine at a glance

Location
Inyo district, California, United States
Population
about 1,756
Coordinates
37.1649° N, 118.2896° W
Places within 50 km
129 (46 must-see)
Best time to visit
October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints; August to December when reservoirs are full and gates may open for lakes, dams & reservoirs

Top places to visit near Big Pine

Ranked by how worth the drive they are from Big Pine: must-see places and the closest well-loved spots first. Open a place for photos, today’s visitor status, timings and directions.

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Things to see near Big Pine, by type

Hill stations & viewpoints near Big Pine

131 hill stations & viewpoints within 100 km of Big Pine. The closest is Crater Mountain (7 km); the best-known is Birch Creek Pass (22 km). Best time: october to february for cool, clear air.

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Lakes, dams & reservoirs near Big Pine

48 lakes, dams & reservoirs within 100 km of Big Pine. The closest is Big Pine (1 km). Best time: august to december when reservoirs are full and gates may open.

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Forts & heritage near Big Pine

14 forts & heritage within 100 km of Big Pine. The closest is Sierra White Quarry (6 km). Best time: october to february.

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Wildlife, forests & gardens near Big Pine

13 wildlife, forests & gardens within 100 km of Big Pine. The closest is Sangers Slough (12 km). Best time: november to march for sightings.

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Waterfalls near Big Pine

3 waterfalls within 100 km of Big Pine. The closest is First Falls (18 km). Best time: july to january, best august to november right after rains.

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Treks near Big Pine

3 treks within 100 km of Big Pine. The closest is Theodore Solomons Trail (67 km). Best time: october to february.

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A one-day trip from Big Pine

5 of the best places within 60 km, in driving order so you don’t double back: about 65 km on the road.

  1. Start in Big Pine
  2. 1 km Big Pine · lake, Esmeralda
  3. 1 km Big Pine Triangle County Park · park, Inyo
  4. 1 km Mendenhall Park · park, Inyo
  5. 22 km Birch Creek Pass · viewpoint, Esmeralda
  6. 24 km Tinemaha Reservoir · reservoir, Esmeralda
  7. 16 km Back to Big Pine

Plan a longer trip from Big Pine — the planner adds a place to stay each night and keeps the route to one loop.

From travellers near Big Pine

No traveller has reported from around Big Pine yet. Been to one of these places recently? Open it and post what you found — is the waterfall flowing, how crowded was the temple, is the beach safe — so the next visitor knows before they drive.

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How to reach Big Pine

    All places near Big Pine by distance

    Within 15 km of Big Pine

    15–50 km — half-day trips

    50–100 km — one-day trips

    Count by type (within 100 km)

    Places near Big Pine by type
    TypeWithin 50 kmWithin 100 kmNearest
    Hill stations & viewpoints66131Crater Mountain (7 km)
    Lakes, dams & reservoirs2748Big Pine (1 km)
    Other attractions1318Wilkerson Springs (6 km)
    Forts & heritage1414Sierra White Quarry (6 km)
    Wildlife, forests & gardens413Sangers Slough (12 km)
    Waterfalls23First Falls (18 km)
    Treks03Theodore Solomons Trail (67 km)
    Parks22Mendenhall Park (1 km)
    Temples11Temple Crag (24 km)
    Museums01Eastern California Museum (51 km)

    Big Pine: questions travellers ask

    What are the best places to visit near Big Pine?

    Big Pine (lake, about 1 km), Tinemaha Reservoir (reservoir, about 16 km), Mendenhall Park (park, about 1 km), Big Pine Triangle County Park (park, about 1 km), Birch Creek Pass (viewpoint, about 22 km), Middle Palisade Glacier (viewpoint, about 23 km).

    How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Big Pine?

    129 places on Spotwander: 66 hill stations & viewpoints, 27 lakes, dams & reservoirs, 13 other attractions, 14 forts & heritage, 4 wildlife, forests & gardens.

    Which is the nearest viewpoint to Big Pine?

    Crater Mountain, about 7 km by road; Piper Peak (11 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest lake to Big Pine?

    Big Pine, about 1 km by road; Tinemaha Reservoir (16 km) is next.

    Which is the nearest fort to Big Pine?

    Sierra White Quarry, about 6 km by road; Bakoch Prospect (10 km) is next.

    What is a good one-day trip from Big Pine?

    Start in Big Pine, visit Big Pine, then Big Pine Triangle County Park, then Mendenhall Park, then Birch Creek Pass, then Tinemaha Reservoir, and drive back — about 65 km by road in all.

    What is the best time to visit places near Big Pine?

    October to February for cool, clear air for hill stations & viewpoints; August to December when reservoirs are full and gates may open for lakes, dams & reservoirs.

    Towns near Big Pine

    Sources: places from OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata and GeoNames; Big Pine’s location and population from GeoNames; see also Big Pine on Wikipedia. Data sources & credits.