Situated in California’s Eastern Sierra, the historic Bridgeport Valley has changed little since cattlemen and miners discovered its grassy pastures in the 1850’s. Surrounded by vast National Forest lands, the Bridgeport region is an unspoiled recreational playground with pristine lakes, rivers, streams and hot springs.

Alpine adventures begin at Twin Lakes, popular for boating, camping, hiking, mountain biking, mountaineering, winter sports and fishing (the state’s largest brown trout was caught here). Robinson and Buckeye creeks are renowned for fly fishing, and to the south, Virginia Lakes and Green Lake offer remote destinations for camping, fishing and hiking in the Hoover Wilderness. Here too are the headwaters of the East Walker River, which flows to Bridgeport Reservoir northeast of town.

The Bridgeport area is rich in history. There’s the 1880 Mono County Courthouse, which is still is use today. Museums explore Native American, mining and ranching heritage. And nearby Bodie is one of the nation’s best preserved ghost towns.