South Lake Road Construction Information
Significant progress has been made this summer on the South Lake Road Reconstruction. As the project moves into paving and striping, extended closures are required to complete this work. Hat Creek Construction anticipates that the project will be completed by October 7.
No overnight parking is permitted at Bishop Pass Trailhead. There is no estimated date for when it will re-open for overnight parking. This includes Bishop Pass Trailhead parking, boat trailer parking, and some of the day use parking near South Lake. This will allow for fog sealing, parking lot striping, and will be used for a turn-around for paving trucks. It will close intermittently to day use parking as well. There is no parking along the shoulders of the road anywhere along South Lake Road.
Vehicles that are parked in closed areas or along the shoulder of the road will be towed to Bishop at the owner’s expense.
Hat Creek Construction must provide 40 day-use parking spaces in the area. However, this is a popular recreation destination for boating, fishing, and hiking, these spaces will fill up quickly. Visitors should plan that parking, which is difficult in a normal year, will be substantially reduced. Consider carpooling.
Tyee Lakes Trailhead parking remains closed to both day and overnight parking with no estimated date for when it will re-open.
Overnight parking is still available at the dirt parking lot north of Tyee Lakes Trailhead. It is a three-mile walk to the Bishop Pass Trailhead via the trail behind Willow Campground that continues near Parchers Resort and connects to the trailhead on the east side of South Lake Road.
Three-hour closures are planned at Four Jeffrey Campground (This includes the entrance and the camp loops) The closures will run from 8am – 11am and 1pm-4pm, with delays of up to 30 minutes from 6am-8am & 11am-1pm & 4pm-8pm. Hat Creek Construction is planning these closures for the following days:
- 9/2/2020 through 9/3/2020
- 9/9/2020 through 9/10/2020
The campground will remain open. However, campers at Four Jeffrey will need to plan to enter and exit the campground around this schedule. RRM, the concessioner who manages Four Jeffrey Campground and the contractor will work with campers to ensure vehicles are safely out of the roadway where work is taking place. Some loops may be closed completely, on an alternating basis, to allow for safe and timely completion of this work. Staying at other campgrounds during these dates is advised to avoid any inconvenience and the noise and dust that comes with construction.
The construction schedule remains Monday – Friday, 6:00 am to 8:00 pm, Expect up to 30-minute delays. Flaggers and a pilot car will manage traffic, allowing alternating two-way traffic. The exception for the Labor Day Weekend, when work stop at the end of construction on Thursday September 3 and will restart on Tuesday, September 8.
Motorhomes and trailers are not recommended past Four Jeffrey Campground unless you have a reservation with Creekside Resort, Bishop Creek Lodge, or Parchers Resort during this period since there is no safe turn-around past this point.
Local businesses and services along South Lake Road remain open and accessible.
There is no way to complete a project of this nature without it having a significant impact on visitors to the area. Accessing the area may be, at times, difficult and frustrating. If you have any flexibility in your plans, please consider a visit to South Lake/Bishop Pass destinations in another year.
Hiker Shuttles: Eastern Sierra Transit Authority (ESTA)’s Bishop Creek Shuttle is running twice daily. https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd586535.pdf
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