Southern Sierra

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

The Southern Sierra is a curious place, full of wonder and contradiction. And some great motorcycle roads. We love it. This is the highest, most intimidating part of the Sierra Nevada. But the feet of the mountains are in the deserts of Southern California.

Fifteen million people live within an easy half-day drive, but it is easy to find deserted roads with delicious twisty curves.

You can cross the Sierra Crest at an unnamed pass just 15 minutes from busy US 395. Or you can continue on that same road another three hours up and over another pass, 3,000 feet (about 900 meters) higher, that sits on the divide between the two main forks of the Kern River. The only large river in the Sierra that flows south, rather than west or east.

When you ride that road chances are good that you’ll go miles without seeing another vehicle. It’s one of the best motorcycle roads in the Southern Sierra.

Mountain pass roads of the Southern Sierra

Here’s a list of all the passes in the Southern Sierra, from north to south, with links to read a few facts about each:

• Tioga Pass, CA 120
• Minaret Summit, CA 203
• Sherman Pass, Forest Route 22S05
• An unnamed pass, Nine Mile Canyon Road
• Walker Pass, CA 178
• Tehachapi Pass, CA 58

Best roads for motorcycling

Here are our favorites:

• Sherman Pass
• The unnamed pass
• Walker Pass

And here’s why:

Sherman Pass

We think Sherman Pass could be the best motorcycle road in the Southern Sierra. It’s a big ride, with huge, open views. From the summit you can see Mount Whitney. There are ladders of switchbacks and tight, technical turns.

And there is very little traffic. You’ll need three to four hours for the ride. And for most of that time you probably won’t see more than a handful of other vehicles.

You also won’t see a lot of gas stations, stores, restaurants, or motels. Plan accordingly.

Sherman Pass Road is managed by the US Forest Service. Check their Sherman Pass page for current open or closed status. Or call the Kern River Ranger District office in Kernville at (760) 376-3781. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm.

An unnamed pass

This pass isn’t marked on most maps. And you could easily cross it without realizing that you had; it’s rather unremarkable.

But the ride up to the pass on Nine Mile Road from US 395 is spectacular. If you are traveling in the Eastern Sierra, it’s an easy detour for some fantastic twisties. Just 15 minutes up to the Sierra Crest, a quick turn around, and 15 minutes back down those same curves to the main highway.

You can continue on through Kennedy Meadows to Sherman Pass. It’s a big day of riding. You’ll see why we think this entire route makes it the best motorcycle road in the Southern Sierra.

Walker Pass

Walker Pass on CA 178 is a surprisingly pleasant road to travel. This far south, the Sierra has begun to slope down to much lower elevations. The range ends about 50 miles (80 kilometers) south, at Tehachapi Summit. So Walker Pass isn’t dramatic. But it is quiet, without much traffic, and with peaceful scenery along the way.

About the Southern Sierra

Landscape

The Southern Sierra is the highest, most rugged, most remote, and least accessible region of the entire range. There are three national parks, two national monuments, and more than a dozen federally designated wilderness areas here.

Only three paved roads cross the Southern Sierra, with one more rounding its southern end. From Tioga Pass, in Yosemite National Park, you would need to travel south 180 miles (290 kilometers) down the Eastern Sierra before finding another paved road that crosses the mountains.

There are 11 peaks here higher than 13,000 feet (3,962 meters). Three of those are more than 14,000 feet (4,267 meters) tall. The highest peak in this part of the range is Mount Whitney, at 14,505 feet (4,421 meters) above sea level. It is also the tallest mountain in California and in the lower 48 states. And it’s only about 100 miles (160 kilometers) from the lowest point in North America.

Weather

The four seasons are a bit less distinct in the Southern Sierra than in other parts of the range. Think of the weather here as having perhaps three major seasons, plus one minor one.

Spring

Spring is probably the best time to ride the Southern Sierra. Temperatures are mostly pleasant during the day and the night. It’s early enough in the year that the biggest crowds have not yet arrived. Accomodations and campsites will be easier to find and restaurants won’t be as busy. And depending on where you are you might just find some spectacular wildflower displays.

If you are hoping to ride over Tioga Pass you may have to find another route. This pass is almost always the last to open after winter. It is usually closed until well into May and often June.

Sherman Pass also closes for winter but is usually open in early spring.

Summer

Summer in the Southern Sierra can be quite hot. This time of year elevation is your friend. Ride up into the mountains, high above the deserts. It’s cooler up here. Summer is a great time to ride Sherman Pass.

Summer is also the time of year when a lot of other folks want to visit the Southern Sierra. Highway 178 up to the Lake Isabella area and the Kern River Canyon just north of there are extremely popular places. Roads, campgrounds, and motels can all be quite busy in summer.

Tioga Pass and Yosemite National Park are also extremely busy in the summer season. If you can wait until after the Labor Day weekend, you’ll probably enjoy your trip more.

Fall

Ah, fall. Our favorite time of year in the Sierra. Possibly more so in the Southern Sierra. The crowds begin to taper off, the roads are less busy, and it is much easier to find a place to stay or to eat.

And in the Southern Sierra, fall lasts through October and well into late November. We’ve camped in the Kern River canyon in November and had the entire campground to ourselves. By late November the nighttime temperatures can get chilly. Early November can be perfect.

This is also a great time of year to visit Yosemite and ride over Tioga Pass.

Winter

Winter can also be a great time to ride. Remember, this is Southern California. Temperatures at lower elevations will usually be tolerable, maybe even pleasant.

Up at the higher elevations it will be cold and snowy. But there aren’t very many high-elevation roads in the Southern Sierra so you wouldn’t be up there anyway.

The biggest exception to that is Tioga Pass. It usually closes for the winter season in late November or mid-December. It stays closed until May or June.

Sherman Pass is also closed in winter though for a much shorter period.

Minaret Summit closes for winter above the town of Mammoth Lakes.

Check our Weather page to learn a lot more about the climate and seasons in the Sierra.

See our Road Closures page to find out which Sierra passes are usually open, closed in winter, and when things change.

Towns and cities

Owens Valley

On the eastern side of the Sierra you’ll find a bunch of cool little mountain towns, all strung along US 395, from Lee Vining in the north to Lone Pine, south, in the Owens Valley. Each has its own unique personality and most have good places to eat or to spend the night.

Bishop is the largest town in the area, though it only has about 4,000 people. If you need something while you are traveling, Bishop is probably the most likely place to find it.

Lone Pine only has about 2,000 residents. But it is the gateway for travelers headed up to Mount Whitney or into Death Valley, so it has a surprising number of places selling outdoor gear and equipment. If you need camping supplies, Lone Pine would be a good place to look.

Kern River Valley

The communities in the Kern River Valley and around Isabella Lake are small, friendly, and fairly quiet. The area is very popular in late spring and summer for boating and paddling. Kernville is a great little town with good restaurants and a great brewpub. We’ve enjoyed our times in Kernville—in the off season.

Tehachapi

Tehachapi Pass and the town of Tehachapi mark the southern end of the Sierra Nevada. The mountains south of town are the Tehachapi Range. This is the largest community in the Southen Sierra, with about 14,000 people. If you need supplies or repairs, you will have the best success finding them here.

Tehachapi is also a busy transportation center. Highway 58 is a major truck route. And if you spend any time in town you will hear and see quite a few trains roll through.

So there you have it. Our guide to the mountain pass roads of the Southern Sierra. There aren’t as many passes here as in other parts of the range, but there are certainly some great motorcycle roads.