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Northern Highway 395
Highway 395, alpine passes, hot springs, trout water
The Historic West Walker Motel · Stewarded for road-trippers, anglers, and high-country families
What We Love
We love this stretch of the Eastern Sierra because it still feels like a road trip with room in it. Coleville sits on Highway 395 where the West Walker River runs beside cottonwood and aspen, with Topaz Lake ten miles north and Sonora Pass rising fast to the south. The days can be as quiet as trout water or as ambitious as a drive to Bodie, Twin Lakes, Tahoe, or June Lake. Guests come for the high country, hot springs, fishing, and long views across Antelope Valley. They stay with us because The Historic West Walker Motel gives the trip a center, a small, comfortable place to return to after the mountain roads have done their work.
The Historic West Walker Motel is the motel we look after on Highway 395, with thirteen distinct stays under one roof. We are grateful to the owners who chose us to steward it.
Why book direct with Everyday Luxury
Best Price
Direct booking skips the Airbnb and Vrbo platform fees. Those savings come back to you, every stay. Find a lower rate elsewhere? We'll match it.
Direct Line
Every reservation routes to the same people the owners trust to look after these homes: the Everyday Luxury team. No third-party agents. No call-center hand-offs. No anonymous middleman.
Concierge
From dinner recommendations the week before you arrive, to support throughout your stay, to a thoughtful follow-up after, we treat every booking as the start of a relationship, not a one-night transaction.
Curated Offers
Direct booking may unlock curated offers such as Non-Refundable, Last-Minute, and Early Booking rates. Exact savings depend on your dates, guests, property eligibility, and live availability.
On the map
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Our basecamp sits in Coleville, on Highway 395 where the West Walker River runs through cottonwood and aspen. Topaz Lake is ten miles north; Bridgeport, Twin Lakes, and the Travertine Hot Springs cluster are roughly thirty miles south; Bodie State Historic Park is fifty. Reno-Tahoe (RNO) is the closest major airport, ninety minutes north on US-395 with no mountain passes between; Mammoth-Yosemite (MMH) is two and a quarter hours south for ski-season flyers.
Regions From The Basecamp
Cottonwood, aspen, and a river running just outside the door
Smooth water ten minutes north, cool morning before the wind comes up
County seat, hot springs, and the trail to Twin Lakes
A preserved 1880 boomtown and the alkaline shore beneath it
A summer-only road that climbs from sagebrush to granite in twenty miles
Year-round
Winter
Dec – Feb
15–45°F
Sonora Pass is closed and the high country is white. The motel is a quiet base for snow at Topaz and clear-day Tahoe runs.
Spring
Mar – May
25–65°F
Snowmelt fills the West Walker, the cottonwoods finally green, and the high passes still wait for CalTrans to clear them.
Summer
Jun – Aug
45–85°F
Sonora Pass opens, Bodie is fully accessible, and the long evenings carry to Travertine for the best soak of the day.
Fall
Sep – Nov
28–70°F
June Lake's autumn loop turns gold first, then the cottonwoods along the river. The quietest pretty stretch of the year.
Local Treasures
A few moments that travel home with people, ordered roughly by distance from the front door. Scroll across.
Right outside
The river runs strong in spring, easier in late summer, and the wild cottonwood corridor gives the line of sight to read the water. Most guests pack a rod for the trip and step out the front door of the motel before the road starts moving.
Ten minutes north
The straddle of California and Nevada that nobody mentions until you see it. Smooth water before the wind comes up, an easy first morning while you find your bearings, and a launch ramp the locals use without ceremony.
Worth the half day
A primitive, free set of soaking pools above Bridgeport, terraced into the mineral travertine the springs built themselves. The mountains do their best work at the end of the day. Pack water, expect the road to feel optional.
Walking through history
Maintained in a state of arrested decay since the 1960s, Bodie still holds the dust of its 1880 boomtown self. Schoolbooks open on a desk. Bottles on a shelf. Walk slowly. The details are the point.
Summer only
One of the highest paved passes in California, narrow and steep enough that long vehicles do not belong on it. When CalTrans clears it for the season, the climb out of the West Walker drainage past Sardine Falls is among the prettiest hours in the state.
A long day worth it
Sixteen miles of color when fall lands in October. Aspens turn first, then the cottonwoods, then the willows. June Lake itself is the postcard, but the loop is the point. Build a slow day around it.
Guest Experiences
Real stays. Real stories. From guests who used Coleville as their mountain road home.
Before You Book
A few things guests ask us before choosing The Historic West Walker Motel as their Eastern Sierra basecamp.
Yes. The motel works especially well for guests who want one steady place to sleep while exploring both north and south along Highway 395. From Coleville, you can reach Topaz Lake, Sonora Junction, Sonora Pass, Bridgeport, Twin Lakes, Bodie, Tahoe, Carson City, June Lake, and Reno without rebuilding your trip around a different hotel every night.
Topaz Lake is about ten miles north. Sonora Junction is about fourteen minutes south. Sonora Pass is about twenty-eight miles south. Buckeye Hot Springs and Travertine Hot Springs are roughly thirty-one to thirty-two miles south, and Twin Lakes is about forty miles south. Lake Tahoe is about forty-six miles north, which makes Coleville a strong middle point for guests who want both high-country quiet and day-trip range.
Yes. Lake Tahoe is about forty-six miles north of The Historic West Walker Motel, and Sand Harbor Beach is about sixty-six miles away. Sand Harbor is worth the early start, especially in summer, because parking and entry can fill quickly. If Tahoe is part of your plan, we recommend checking current reservation and parking guidance before you drive.
No. Sonora Pass is a high-elevation mountain road and is generally open to vehicles in summer only. It is narrow and steep in places, so it is not the right road for long or large vehicles. When it is open, it is one of the most memorable drives from this side of the Sierra.
Yes. Both are south of Coleville near the Bridgeport area. These are primitive, outdoor hot spring settings, not spa facilities, so guests should bring water, wear practical shoes, respect closures, pack out everything they bring in, and be prepared for changing road and weather conditions.
Yes. Bodie is one of the most memorable historic stops in the Eastern Sierra. The road includes rough sections, and the park sits at high elevation, so it is best approached with time, water, sun protection, and a vehicle suited for dirt-road conditions. Go when you can walk slowly. The details are the point.
Topaz Lake is one of the easiest first-day choices from the motel. Guests go for fishing, boating, shoreline time, and a calmer lake day before or after longer mountain drives. It is close enough that you do not have to make it complicated.
Yes. June Lake is about ninety-five miles south, which makes it better as a full-day outing than a quick stop. The June Lake Loop is especially loved for fall color, lake views, fishing, and a slower village pace. Start early, build in stops, and let the drive be part of the day.
Late spring through fall is the easiest season for mountain-road exploring, fishing, lake days, and high-pass drives. Fall is especially strong for color along the river corridors and lake loops. Winter can be beautiful, but guests should expect road closures, snow, and changing mountain conditions.
Yes. This part of California is shaped by mountain weather. Before heading toward Sonora Pass, Tahoe, Bodie, June Lake, or any high-elevation route, check current road conditions, seasonal closures, and local advisories. A clear plan in the morning makes the whole day feel easier.
Yes. The West Walker River, Topaz Lake, nearby alpine lakes, Bridgeport-area waters, and the broader Highway 395 corridor give anglers and outdoor travelers a strong range of choices. Some guests build the whole trip around fishing. Others use it as the quiet thread between hot springs, scenic drives, and small-town stops.
Yes. We can help you think through timing, distance, weather, and the kind of day you actually want. Some guests should start with Topaz Lake and the West Walker River. Others should make the longer drive to Bodie, Twin Lakes, Tahoe, or June Lake. Tell us your pace, and we will help you shape the trip.
We can help you find a pet-friendly option when one is available, and there are quiet morning loops along the river corridor that suit a stay with a dog. Tell us about your pet when you reach out and we will let you know which rooms work.
Plans change, and a thoughtful cancellation policy is part of how we look after every guest. Terms vary by home and by season, so the policy that applies to your stay is shown in full on the reservation page when you begin a booking for any Everyday Luxury Curated listing. You can also read it in advance on our cancellation policy page (opens in a new tab). If your dates need to move, reach out early and we will do everything we can to reschedule or re-accommodate.
We are honoured by every property we steward, and grateful to the owners who continue to choose us. If you own a stay along Highway 395 (or anywhere in the Eastern Sierra) and want to learn more about how we look after homes, our team would love to hear from you. Read more on our property management page.
Local Guidance
Our team can help you think through the first version before you arrive. Ask us about the right morning for Sand Harbor, when to make the hot springs a quiet stop instead of a crowded one, where to point the car for fall color, and how to choose between Bodie, Twin Lakes, Sonora Pass, and Tahoe when you only have one open day. We will help you plan like a guest who already knows the road. The goal is simple: fewer missed turns, better timing, and a mountain trip that feels personal from the first mile.