Lower Rock Creek Rd, Bishop, CA
- Tim Mayhew
- Apr 21
- 2 min read
Lower Rock Creek Road / Sherwin Grade is a 13-mile diversion north of Bishop, CA that parallels the main highway. It won’t get you there faster, but it will add some fantastic curves to an otherwise bland ride up Highway 395. If you follow these daily posts, you’ve likely figured out the theme: the goal of riding 395 is to get off 395.
While most travelers blithely bypass this stretch on the modern highway, those who peel off the main artery are rewarded with a masterpiece that follows the natural contours of Rock Creek. The road is a delight for anyone seeking an escape, featuring a series of constant-radius S-curves and elevation changes that climb nearly 3,000 feet for northbound riders.
Lower Rock Creek Rd originally served as the primary thoroughfare for the 19th-century stagecoaches and freight wagons traveling between the mining camps of the Owens Valley and the higher elevations north of Bishop.
Along the way, you'll pass through Paradise (no, not that Paradise—this is a different Paradise). This tiny community of 150 was once home to the historic Paradise Resort, a restaurant built directly over Rock Creek. Diners could eat their meals while listening to the rushing water beneath their feet. Originally a grouping of 17 stream side cabins were built in the 1920s, the resort’s restaurant was extended over the creek long before building inspectors figured out that, "Yeah, nope—you can't build stuff like that."
As the road levels out, it reaches Swall Meadows, a quiet high-desert community of about 120 homes tucked between Bishop and Mammoth. Sitting at 7,000 feet, it remains purely residential with no commercial development.
After a quick 13 miles, Sherwin Grade meets back up with the 395—but fear not. Stick to the theme: ride 395 a short distance north and peel off again at Rock Creek Rd at Tom's Place. From there, you can continue onto Crowley Lake Drive to stay off the highway, or head up to the end of the pavement at the Little Lakes Valley and Mono Pass trailhead.
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