Happy New Year from Bishop, California!
As 2026 gets underway, the Eastern Sierra is offering the best of both worlds – fresh snow piling up high in the mountains, and clear, snow-free valley floors that are perfect for exploring. It’s an ideal time to enjoy winter adventures up high, then come back down to Bishop for blue skies, open trails, great shopping, and local flavors. Here’s to a new year full of discovery in Bishop and the surrounding region.
Bishop Trout Rodeo – February 7th
Get outside and enjoy the Bishop Trout Rodeo on Saturday, February 7, 2026! This fun, catch-and-release fishing tournament starts with a morning meet-up at the Tri-County Fairgrounds, then lets anglers head out to their favorite local waters from the Upper Owens to Lone Pine. Competitors can fish individually or in teams using fly or conventional gear, with prizes awarded for the biggest catches and most total inches logged using the iAngler app. After a day on the water, everyone returns to the Fairgrounds for dinner and awards — a perfect way to celebrate Bishop’s great outdoor community.
Just south of Bishop, Death Valley National Park is experiencing one of its most remarkable seasons in recent memory after receiving a record amount of rain this year. The rare return of Lake Manly has transformed the valley floor, creating a fleeting body of water that visitors can see right now, with the photo here taken January 2nd 2026. With all this moisture, anticipation is high for a potential wildflower superbloom, something that has followed similar wet winters in the past, though nature will ultimately decide. Based on previous superbloom years, the best window to visit for wildflowers typically runs from late February through early April, starting at lower elevations and moving upward as spring unfolds.
Blake Jones Trout Derby Applications Open!
The Blake Jones Trout Derby on Saturday, March 21, 2026 is one of California’s longest-running and largest single-day trout fishing contests! Anglers of all ages can fish Pleasant Valley Reservoir and the Owens River using the fun blind bogey format, with prizes for early-bird signups, big fish, catch-and-release, and more. Registration, weigh-in, and the awards ceremony take place at the Eastern Sierra Tri-County Fairgrounds in downtown Bishop, and there’s plenty of activities for families too. This classic community event celebrates our fishing heritage and offers cash, gear, and local prizes valued at nearly $10,000.
Winter Flights to Bishop Happening Now!
FLY TO BISHOP!
United Airlines offers seasonal flights to/from San Francisco and Denver. You can connect to anywhere in the world from there!
Additional flights have been added for the winter season:
San Francisco (SFO) → Bishop (BIH)
· Daily Flights run Dec. 11, 2025 – Apr. 4, 2026.
· Two flights run on Saturdays: Dec. 20 – Jan. 3 and Feb. 14 – Apr. 4
**Summer Service flights to SFO will run May 21-October 23, 2026
Denver (DEN) → Bishop (BIH)
· Daily Flights run Dec. 18, 2025 – Apr. 27, 2026.
· Two flights run on weekends from Dec. 19 – Apr. 4:
· • One additional flight arrives Fri PM / departs Sat AM
· • One additional flight arrives Sat PM / departs Sun AM
Pro Tip: Make ground transportation reservations BEFORE you take off for Bishop! While we don’t have UBER or Lyft, we do have door-to-door Dial a Ride service with Eastern Sierra Transit. They also have shuttle service other communities.
Other options include: Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Mammoth Taxi and Mammoth All Weather Shuttle.
Plan Your Trip – Create an Itinerary
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