Coyote Plateau Summary

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Overview of Area

This unique alpine roaded area provides some of the only area in the Inyo National Forest where motorized users can explore areas over 11,000 ft. Rocky routes extend into the high country where they head to lakes, meadows, and high ridges all within miles of some of the highest peaks in the Sierra.

Along with these unique recreational opportunities comes a host of potential problems. Many routes travel through fragile alpine headwaters cutting into wet meadows and creeks. In other regions, users travel off-route on alpine ridges and flats. In some locations mechanized users have opportunities to venture into wilderness areas where such travel is prohibited. Grazing and mine sites, also present in the landscape, have caused rise to many routes in fragile systems.

bulletAreas Surveyed
bulletCoyote Plateau Areas of Concern
bulletManagement Recommendations for the Coyote Plateau Area

 

Areas Descriptions Links
North Coyote Plateau Route complex east off of the Coyote Valley Road located south of Bishop. 
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Coyote Lake & Ridge Routes traveling along the west fork of Coyote Creek to Coyote Lake and those traveling the east portion of Coyote Ridge.  
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Coyote Plateau: West of Coyote Ridge Mining routes west of the ridge and those traveling south on alpine terrain toward Green Lake. 
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Coyote & Ford Creeks Meadows & creeks along the east fork of Coyote Creek and Ford Creek, located just north of Coyote Flat.
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Funnel Lake Moderate to high-use camping area located west of Coyote Flat. 
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Baker Creek Area Complex of meadows and creeks located along Baker Creek, bordered on the west by the John Muir Wilderness and south and east of Cow creek.  
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Coyote Flat Area on Coyote Plateau located north of Sanger Meadow and south of the west fork of Coyote Creek. 
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Onion Valley High-alpine meadows following Onion Creek south and east toward Big Pine. 
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Shannon Canyon Rare riparian corridor located north and east of Big Pine. 
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Route Hotspots

Shannon Canyon

This route spends its entirety, approximately     miles in a creek. There is significant and apparent  damage to the creek and adjacent lands due to grazing. There are no apparent management efforts to reduce damage.

We recommend restoring this route by prohibiting motorized travel on it. Limiting grazing and providing an alternate access route onto the Coyote Plateau for cattle may decrease these impacts .

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Grazing impacts in Shannon Canyon.  Tracks and cattle scat were plentiful along this route. Note increased mud and crushed riparian vegetation. 
The route that travels up Shannon Canyon is a creek for most of its length. Note washed-out closure gate. 
East end of Baker Creek

There is significant proliferation of off-route motorized tracks. Tracks  travel through a creek toward an area with no roads. We found destroyed closure signs and multiple campsites near a creek and meadow. 

Placing effective barriers to prohibit access may restore the route and prevent further damage. Campsites on water should be restored.

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Off-route proliferation of tracks near Baker Creek. 
Broken closure sign at the east end of Baker Creek.
Onion Valley

As this route travels through a riparian corridor, it generates unstable creek crossings and lengthy meadow crossings. Significant grazing impacts are evident. 

We recommend restoring this route or, at least re-routing it around riparian areas. If extended, route N2210 could serve as a possible alternative route.
Meadow crossing in Onion Valley. 
There is significant amounts of mud, down cut vegetation and gullying.  
Unstable crossing through another tributary of Onion Creek. There is a short stream capture and a significant amount of mud and widening. Note grazing evidence.
West End of Baker Creek

According to the inventory, this route is not managed for motorized use. Despite this fact there are motorized tracks on the route; these continue into the Wilderness area, where motorized use is prohibited. In addition, there is an unstable creek crossing and several meadow crossings as this route travels through a riparian corridor. 

We recommend restoring this route route and managing it for non-motorized, non-mechanized use. Place signs/barriers at the Baker Lake trailhead indicating route is for non-motorized, non- mechanized use. Place sign to indicate entrance into Wilderness area. 

 
Route crossing through creek in meadow. Note mud and damage to vegetation.  
ATV & motorcycle tracks through the west end of Baker Creek causing rutting, gullying and crushed riparian vegetation. 

Overall Management Recommendations
   
    The Coyote Plateau is a high-use area in close proximity to the towns of Bishop and Big Pine. It appears that the unique motorized access to terrain above 11, 400 feet makes this a popular area for both locals and visitors. Because of the wide open nature of this terrain, users have the potential to pass through fragile alpine and riparian zones. Thus, the major concerns in this area include route proliferation and damaging creek and meadow crossings. 

    Increased management efforts could decrease resource damage and potential user conflicts. We suggest that an area with such high-use in critical habitat could benefit from the presence of a Forest Service ranger to patrol, sign and otherwise manage the area. Due to the high use that they receive, several campsites (i.e., Coyote Lake & Funnel Lake) should have facilities and management to match their level of use.