Bishop Mountain Road (20120)

Total Miles
5.5

Elevation

2,382.11 ft

Duration

1 Hours

Technical Rating

2

Easy

Best Time

Spring, Summer, Fall

Trail Overview

This is a fun trail that has some great views as you get near the top. The destination is at the top: an old fire lookout tower and cabin used for those assigned to it when it was operational. While you can't climb the tower, you can get a glimpse of the views that they had to the east and north through the trees nearby. You can see Island Park Reservoir as well as much of the Harriman State Park area. A warning: if the Forest Service rents the cabin, they will lock the gate at the top of the road near the lookout tower and cabin. You can still get a great view of the surrounding area but will not be able to get near the cabin or lookout tower. This happens infrequently but if you are worried, you can call the local Forest Service office near Island Park to check on access status.

Photos of Bishop Mountain Road (20120)

Bishop Mountain Road (20120)
Bishop Mountain Road (20120)

Difficulty

This is an infrequently maintained road with rocks and washes to navigate as you climb the mountain. While not extremely tough, they could be a challenge for a two-wheel drive vehicle. The road has not been maintained after significant snow and resulting runoff. The washes were up to approximately 8 inches deep and there are rocks 4-6 inches frequently on the roadway. You may have to wait for the road to open in the spring and it will probably be closed after the first snowfall to wheeled vehicles.

Technical Rating

2

Access Description

There is room to park a trailer at the start of the road, but most will begin from the nearby Highway 20 that traverses the area.

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