4 Best Sights in Independence, The Mojave Desert

A reminder of an ugly episode in U.S. history, this site is where more than 10,000 Japanese-Americans were contained behind barbed-wire fences between 1942 and 1945. A visit here is both deeply moving and inspiring—the former because it’s hard to comprehend that the United States was capable of confining its citizens in such a way, the latter because those imprisoned here persevered despite the adversity.

The best place to start is the outstanding interpretive center, which screens a 22-minute documentary film and displays historical photos, artifacts, and a model of the camp as it was during WWII. Although few of the original 1940s structures remain, the area known as Block 14 has a restored mess hall and reconstructions of a women's latrine as well as two barracks, where four exhibits highlight what daily life was like here. You can also drive or bike the 3.2-mile road through the site, taking a self-guided tour of Japanese rock gardens, various signposted ruins, and a small cemetery.

About an hour's drive from Independence or Bishop you can view some of the oldest living trees on Earth, a few of which date back more than 40 centuries. The world's largest bristlecone pine can be found in Patriarch Grove, while the world's oldest known living tree—over 4,800 years old—is along Methusula Trail in Schulman Grove. Getting to Patriarch Grove is slow going along the narrow dirt road, especially for vehicles with low clearance, but once there you'll find picnic tables, restrooms, and interpretive trails.

The highlights of this museum dedicated to Inyo County and the Eastern Sierra’s history include photos and artifacts from the Manzanar War Relocation Center, Paiute and Shoshone baskets, and exhibits on the Los Angeles Aqueduct and mountaineer Norman Clyde. Be sure to visit the botanical garden and the outdoor exhibits as well.

A delightful place for a family picnic, the hatchery was one of California's first trout farms. The Tudor Revival–style structure, constructed in 1916, is an architectural stunner, its walls nearly 3 feet thick with locally quarried granite. Fish production ceased in 2007 after a fire and subsequent mudslide, but dedicated volunteers staff the facility and raise trout for display purposes in a large pond out front. Bring change for the fish-food machines.