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Big Pine, California
Big Pine is a community of 1,615 people in Inyo County, California.
Why visit Big Pine
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 2 parks and trails, 6 places to eat, 6 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Big Pine Triangle County Park and Mendenhall Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 100°F; December lows average 22°F.
Weather in Big Pine
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Big Pine
Big Pine (formerly Bigpine) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Inyo County, California, United States. Big Pine is located approximately 15 miles (24 km) south-southeast of Bishop. Its population was 1,875 at the 2020 census, up from 1,756 at the 2010 census. The Big Pine Band of Owens Valley Paiute Shoshone Indians of the Big Pine Reservation bases their tribal headquarters here.
From the Wikipedia article Big Pine, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks2
Parks, trails and playgrounds2
Restaurants and cafes6
Country Kitchen
Diner · American
101 South Main Street, Big Pine
Rossi's Bar
Bar and pub · 0.4 mi
142 South Main Street, Big Pine
History
The Big Pine post office first opened in 1870, closed for a time during 1877, changed its name to Bigpine in 1895, and reverted to Big Pine in 1962.
Big Pine has a significant geologic feature (an earthquake scarp) related to the 1872 Lone Pine earthquake.
In 1958, the Owens Valley Radio Observatory was established just north of Big Pine.
Matt Williams, a professional baseball player and manager, lived there for part of his life. Hollywood character actor Elisha Cook, Jr., known for such classic films as The Maltese Falcon and Shane, had a home in Big Pine and died there in 1995.
From the History section of Big Pine, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay6
Starlight Motel
Motel and hotel · 0.4 mi
511 South Main Street, Big Pine / Tovowahamatü
Churches and places of worship1
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Palisade Glacier High (Continuation)
School · 2.0 mi
2001 Sugar Loaf Rd., Big Pine
Map of Big Pine
28 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 56°F | 24°F | 1.1 in |
| Feb | 59°F | 26°F | 0.9 in |
| Mar | 67°F | 31°F | 0.6 in |
| Apr | 74°F | 37°F | 0.2 in |
| May | 83°F | 44°F | 0.2 in |
| Jun | 94°F | 51°F | 0.1 in |
| Jul | 100°F | 57°F | 0.2 in |
| Aug | 98°F | 54°F | 0.1 in |
| Sep | 90°F | 47°F | 0.1 in |
| Oct | 78°F | 37°F | 0.3 in |
| Nov | 64°F | 27°F | 0.3 in |
| Dec | 54°F | 22°F | 0.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Bishop Ap 72480 (15 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Inyo County has had 11 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2023-11-21: Tropical Storm Hilary (Hurricane)
- 2023-04-03: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-03-10: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-14: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-03-22: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Eastern Sierra Regional Airport (BIH) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 15 miles away.
- Wilkerson 9 mi northwest, about 15 min by car
- Bishop 15 mi north, about 24 min by car
- Dixon Lane-MeadowCreek 17 mi northwest, about 27 min by car
- West Bishop 17 mi northwest, about 27 min by car
- Mesa 22 mi northwest, about 35 min by car
- Round Valley 23 mi northwest, about 37 min by car
- Chalfant 23 mi north, about 37 min by car
- Independence 24 mi south, about 38 min by car
- Swall Meadows 30 mi northwest, about 49 min by car
- Crowley Lake 37 mi northwest, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Big Pine landscape, Clinton Steeds from Los Angeles, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Young giant sequoia Sequoiadendron giganteum in Big Pine CA, Dcrjsr, CC BY 3.0
- Sierra Shadows, Big Pine, CA 2015 (28830155115), Don Graham from Redlands, CA, USA - God bless it!, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Sierra Shadows, Big Pine, CA 2015 (30661352040), inkknife_2000 (7.5 million views +), CC BY-SA 2.0
- River-in-Big-Pine-CA, Niceley, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lupinus shockleyi 199551727, Matt Berger, CC BY 4.0
- Unenhanced icon 8-15 (20660856118), Don Graham from Redlands, CA, USA - God bless it!, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Calystegia longipes 606013105, Steve Matson, CC BY 4.0
- Leaving Yosemite, William Warby, CC BY 2.0
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