parking in towns along HWY 395

[gregodorizzi]

In many posts, I've seen recommendations to park one's car in Lone Pine for the convenience of hitching rides to/from trailheads. I haven't done this for fear of local laws that prohibit parking on public streets for more than 3 days. Are there locations in town that are better than others? Do you do the same in Independence, Bishop, etc?

[Dave_Ayers]

In Bishop, they used to allow extended parking at the public lot by the police/courthouse/library on Church St. I'd call the police station and ask first though. Ditto for other towns.

Another option is to try the RV parks, some of those will allow it for a fee. I'm told there's one in Mammoth that does that.

[oleander]

In Bishop, I've parked on neighborhood streets for more than 3 days, many times, without consequence.

Drive down Line Street a few blocks away from downtown towards the mountains. Turn down a quiet street. Leave your car there. I've sometimes parked next to a big school there (the high school?). There is no competition for spaces at that particular spot.

In most communities, 72-hour rules are only enforced when a homeowner calls up to complain about a car outside their house that seems abandoned. The more it looks like a hippie van, the more likely someone makes the call.

Not sure Bishop even has a 72-hour ruel.

- Oleander

[Wandering Daisy]

If you use a shuttle service, they should provide or know of a place for you to park your car. Now that there is a shuttle bus to South Lake, I would hope some arrangement for parking in Bishop is provided.

Since it is in the Forest Service's interest to reduce the number of cars at a trailhead, they may let you park in one of their field facilities. I know that the BLM actually allows you to RV overnight in their parking lots, particularly in Nevada. Perhaps the large shopping center in Bishop (Vons/Safeway), if you notify the management.

I parked my car at trailhead for up to three weeks. In this case I leave a note in the car window, with my backcountry permit information, so they do not tow my car! I doubt anywhere in a town would work for this type of long-term parking.

[SSSdave]

http://www.californiadriving.com/parking/

The only two incorporated cities on the east side are Mammoth Lakes and Bishop. All the rest are just communities under county jurisdictions. Time limit parking regulations are made by cities however county governments probably can do so also. Thus if one is in a city, one strategy is to look at a map showing city boundaries and then park on streets within unincorporated areas. Also industrial or and commercial areas where semi trucks park.

Decades ago there were no time limit parking limitations in the state. However the rise of vans in the 70s and especially in the 80s, the rise of recreational vehicles, RVs, changed all that. In any case the wise thing to do is simply to phone Inyo and Mono County police and ask.

[dave54]

...

Another option is to try the RV parks, some of those will allow it for a fee. I'm told there's one in Mammoth that does that.

RV parks usually have showers too.

[John Harper]

Not sure Bishop even has a 72-hour rule.

CVC 22651(k)

John