17 Apr 2025 - Trip Report: Sawmill Pass Wildflower Peeping 🌼

Our staff member Shelley is an avid (read: obsessive) photographer. How avid you ask? Enough to make a 1-hour hike take 3 hours because she is stopping to take so many photos!

She spent her day off yesterday making a quick early-season visit to the Sawmill Pass Trailhead in the Inyo National Forest hoping to catch some early blooms and was in no way disappointed.

Consider it officially confirmed: the wildflower season in the Eastern Sierra is off to a vibrant start!

Here's what Shelley found on her hike:

Trip Report:

Current As Of: 17 April 2025*

I arrived at the Sawmill Pass Trailhead a little after 10am, but right as I arrived another person drove up as well. Oh the irony of driving 8-10 miles away from US 395 only to find someone had the exact same idea as you!

Wanting solitude (and wanting to allow the other person their own experience as well), I went up Division Creek Road for a mile or so and turned back to the Sawmill Pass Trailhead. Then, I went up the Sawmill Pass trail for about 1.5 miles gaining 500-750ft of elevation before turning back to the trailhead and getting back to my car a little before 1pm.

All told, I probably only walked for about 45-60 minutes, but in total the hike took me nearly 2.5 hours because of all the photos I was taking of the myriad blooms I found! I saw at least 10 different species of all different colors and sizes and I am sure a true expert could have spotted a dozen more. See below for some awesome pics!

On both Division Creek Road and the Sawmill Pass Trailhead, the hillsides are dotted with Indian Paintbrush, desert dandelions, lupine, Utah Serviceberry, Primrose, Chia, and other colorful blooms. This scenic spot, just outside Bishop, is a great early stop for anyone looking to catch the region’s famous wildflower displays. Be sure to get out here in the next couple of weeks so you catch them in prime time before the blooms disappear!

In terms of weather, it was sunny without a cloud in the sky and temps were in the mid 70s, but it was quite pleasant thanks to a gentle breeze and didn't leave you feeling like you were going to melt. It was "t-shirt weather" for sure, just ensure you put on sunscreen!

This simple hike is doable for those of all ages and fitness thanks to it being scalable to whatever level of adventure you are looking for!

As always, don't hesitate to call us at store (760-873-7520) if ever in need of adventure ideas or conditions information!

(Another great spot for wildflowers is Pine Creek Canyon as seen in our recent post by my colleague on the desert peach in full bloom over there!)

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The Indian Paintbrush is on fire!

Some excellent shots of the fields of colorful Lupine!

Some Lupine with Utah Serviceberry in the background

 

 

A full bush of Utah Serviceberry with the Sierra skyline in the background

 

A Utah Serviceberry close-up

 

Primrose

 

Prickly Poppy

 

Nevada Jointfir

 

Purple Sage

 

Horsebrush

 

Sand Blossom

 

Chia

*All trip/conditions reports are subject to change, increasingly so with each passing day since the observation(s) were made. They are provided as a tool to assist your adventuring, not to replace your own risk management and decision-making. No information in any trip or conditions report published by Eastside Sports should be considered definitive in its information or directive in its recommendation.