What's an "Inyo"?

Inyo is at once a region, a county and a National Forest, all within the Eastern border of California. It is a Paiute Indian word generally given the translation of "Dwelling Place of the Great Spirit".  Many superlatives describe the area - the highest peak in the lower 48 states, Mount Whitney (14,495') is here. In fact, of California's fifteen named peaks over 14,000' in height only one (Mt. Shasta) is not in Inyo County. The Country's lowest point, Badwater, in Death Valley, is also in Inyo County. One of the oldest living things on earth, the Methuselah tree, a Bristlecone Pine, resides in and presides over Inyo County in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest of the White Mountains. Mono County, the northern half of the Inyo Region, is home to the amazing Mono Lake, the ghost town of Bodie, and North America's highest desert mountain range, the White Mountains.

In short, there's much to know, do, and learn here in the Inyo. We invite you to come do so!

Resources for doing so at our site include our "explore" section, our outings, and anything in our Newsroom.