Rock Creek (Owens River)
Encyclopedia
Rock Creek is a stream
that flows from the high Eastern Sierra Nevada to the Owens River
in Mono County
of eastern California
. The upper watershed is in the John Muir Wilderness
of the Sierra
and Inyo National Forest
s.
near Bear Creek Spire. Additional creek drainage is from the crest's Mount Abbot
, Mount Mills
, Ruby Peak, and Mount Starr. They combine with flow from Little Lakes Valley to Rock Creek Lake.
From the lake Rock Creek flows north to the location known as Tom's Place along U.S. Route 395
, less than two miles from the Owens River. The creek, however, turns southeast and flows parallel to the Owens River (and is shown on maps as "Lower Rock Creek"), eventually joining the river near the mouth of the Owens River Gorge
.
Upstream from Tom's Place, Rock Creek is 15.9 miles (25.6 km) long. Lower Rock Creek, below Tom's Place, flows an additional 14.1 miles (22.7 km) to the Owens River.
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
that flows from the high Eastern Sierra Nevada to the Owens River
Owens River
The Owens River is a river in southeastern California in the United States, approximately long. It drains into and through the Owens Valley, an arid basin between the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada and the western faces of the Inyo and White Mountains. The river terminates at Owens Lake, but...
in Mono County
Mono County, California
Mono County is a county located in the east central portion of the U.S. state of California, to the east of the Sierra Nevada between Yosemite National Park and Nevada. As of the 2010 census, the population was 14,202, up from 12,853 at the 2000 census...
of eastern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The upper watershed is in the John Muir Wilderness
John Muir Wilderness
The John Muir Wilderness is a wilderness area that extends along the crest of the Sierra Nevada of California, USA for , in the Inyo and Sierra National Forests. Established in 1964 by the Wilderness Act and named for naturalist John Muir, it contains...
of the Sierra
Sierra National Forest
Sierra National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located on the western slope of central Sierra Nevada in the state of California. The forest is known for its mountain scenery and natural resources. Forest headquarters are located in Clovis, California...
and Inyo National Forest
Inyo National Forest
Inyo National Forest is a federally administered forest in the United States. The forest covers parts of the eastern Sierra Nevada of California, and the White Mountains of California and Nevada. It contains two wilderness areas: the John Muir Wilderness and the Ansel Adams Wilderness...
s.
Course
Rock Creek drains from the Sierra CrestSierra Crest
The Sierra Crest is a ~ generally north-to-south ridgeline that demarcates the broad west and narrow east slopes of the Sierra Nevada and that extends as far east as the Sierra's topographic front...
near Bear Creek Spire. Additional creek drainage is from the crest's Mount Abbot
Mount Abbot
Mount Abbot is a mountain in California's Sierra Nevada, in John Muir Wilderness.It is located between Mount Mills and Mount Dade along the Sierra Crest and straddles the border between Fresno and Inyo counties....
, Mount Mills
Mount Mills (California)
Mount Mills is a Thirteener and California 4000 meter peak on the Sierra Crest north of Mount Abbot and south of Mono Pass on the Inyo – Fresno county line. The Mono Recesses are to the west....
, Ruby Peak, and Mount Starr. They combine with flow from Little Lakes Valley to Rock Creek Lake.
From the lake Rock Creek flows north to the location known as Tom's Place along U.S. Route 395
U.S. Route 395
U.S. Route 395 is a U.S. Route in the western United States. The southern terminus of the route is in the Mojave Desert at Interstate 15 near Hesperia. The northern terminus is at the Canadian border near Laurier, where the road becomes Highway 395 upon entering British Columbia. At one time, the...
, less than two miles from the Owens River. The creek, however, turns southeast and flows parallel to the Owens River (and is shown on maps as "Lower Rock Creek"), eventually joining the river near the mouth of the Owens River Gorge
Owens River Gorge
The Owens River Gorge is a steep 10 mi canyon on the upper Owens River in eastern California in the United States. The canyon is located at the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada mountains in southern Mono County, along the stretch of the river where it exits the Long Valley near its source...
.
Upstream from Tom's Place, Rock Creek is 15.9 miles (25.6 km) long. Lower Rock Creek, below Tom's Place, flows an additional 14.1 miles (22.7 km) to the Owens River.