Owens Lake
Owens Lake is a dry lake in the Owens Valley on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada. Its address puts it 12 mi north of Olancha. Look also at Mount Whitney, 21 mi away.
A lake, 12 mi north of Olancha
Summers are hot
July and August highs run 97–98°. When to go ↓
Olancha is the nearest base
Olancha is 12 miles south, with 8 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
Best months: Apr, May and Oct
April, May and October are the mild months, with highs of 72–81°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Weather, month by month
Pick a month for Owens Lake from the weather below.
Owens Lake
Owens Lake is a dry lake in the Owens Valley on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada in Inyo County, California. It is about 5 miles (8.0 km) south of Lone Pine. Unlike most dry lakes in the Basin and Range Province that have been dry for thousands of years, Owens held significant water until 1913, when much of the Owens River was diverted into the Los Angeles Aqueduct, causing the lake to desiccate by 1926. In 2006, 5% of the water flow was restored. As of 2013, it is the largest single source of dust pollution in the United States, and has been known since at least the 1990s as a pervasive source of fine alkaline dust containing harmful levels of particulates and chemicals.
- Type
- Lake
- Elevation
- 3,556 ft
- Wikipedia readers
- 44K a year
Lodging near Owens Lake
For a bed close by, look to Lone Pine (17) and Olancha (8).
Lone Pine
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
1,439 people
12 mi northwest of Owens Lake
Compare 3 towns
| Town | From Owens Lake | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lone Pine | 12 mi northwest | 20 min | 17 3 hotels · 7 motels · 6 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 1,439 | $217K |
| Olancha 25% vacation homes | 12 mi south | 15 min | 8 4 hotels · 2 motels · 1 campground · 1 RV park | 113 | — |
| Kennedy Meadows 46% vacation homes | 31 mi south | 45 min | 1 1 lodge or cabins | 93 | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Places to add to Owens Lake
A wider trip can take in these, within 62 miles.
Big draw121 mi MountainMount Whitney
Big draw47 mi National ParkSequoia National Park1.4M visitors a year
223 mi National Historic SiteManzanar National Historic Site96K visitors a year
Big draw61 mi National ParkDeath Valley National Park1.3M visitors a year
47 mi National ParkKings Canyon National Park780K visitors a year
320 mi Park & preserveMount Whitney Trail
41 mi National forestSequoia National Forest
46 mi MountainMoro RockPhoto credits
Mount Whitney: Geographer (talk · contribs), CC BY 1.0 · Sequoia National Park: Alberto Carrasco Casado, CC BY 2.0 · Manzanar National Historic Site: Dorothea Lange, Public domain · Death Valley National Park: Greg Willis from Denver, CO, usa, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Kings Canyon National Park: NileGuide.com (Josh Steinitz), CC BY 2.0 · Mount Whitney Trail: Sanjoy Ghosh, CC BY 2.0 · Sequoia National Forest: US Forest Service, Public domain · Moro Rock: DiverDave, CC BY-SA 3.0
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
Good to know about Owens Lake
What town is Owens Lake near?
Olancha, CA, about 12 miles south.
When is the best time to visit Owens Lake?
April, May and October, with highs of 72–81°.
How far is Owens Lake from Bakersfield?
About 96 miles southwest of Bakersfield, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Owens Lake?
Eastern Sierra Regional (BIH), about 69 miles away. The nearest big hub is Fresno Yosemite (FAT), about 101 miles.
Where should I stay near Owens Lake?
Lone Pine (12 mi, 17 places to stay) and Olancha (12 mi, 8 places to stay).
What locals in Olancha say
Nobody has posted a tip yet; ask or answer in Olancha’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.