Northern Highway 395

Eastern Sierra Mountains, CA

Highway 395, alpine passes, hot springs, trout water

13 Homes From $50/night Seasonal rates · select rooms Best May–Oct 90 min from RNO

The Historic West Walker Motel · Stewarded for road-trippers, anglers, and high-country families

What We Love

Eastern Sierra Mountains

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.

13 Homes Available

Stays in Eastern Sierra Mountains

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

15% better than the booking sites

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

Talk to the team behind every stay

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

Care before, during, and after

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

Rate plans shaped around your stay

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.

The Destination

Where Highway 395 Turns Into a Mountain Itinerary

The Eastern Sierra is not one place. It is a line of river valleys, old mining roads, hot springs, alpine lakes, and passes that climb quickly from sagebrush to granite. Coleville sits in the northern part of that line, close enough to Tahoe for a day on blue water and close enough to Bridgeport for hot springs, Bodie, Twin Lakes, and the road up Sonora Pass.

The rhythm here is simple. Start early, because mountain light rewards the first hour. Follow the West Walker River south, turn toward a high pass, or drive north for Topaz Lake and Tahoe. By evening, the air cools, the valley quiets, and the motel begins to feel like the right decision. Not because it is far from the adventure, but because it gives the adventure a place to land.

In 1859, W. S. Bodey and a small party found placer gold in the hills southeast of Bridgeport. He tried to return with supplies later that year and died in a blizzard before he could see the town that would carry his name. The spelling shifted to Bodie, and by 1879 the boomtown had roughly 8,500 people and more than 2,000 buildings. More than 60 saloons and dance halls lined its streets. Today the town is preserved in a state of arrested decay, which is why a visit feels less like a museum and more like walking into a room someone just left.

On the map

Where Eastern Sierra Mountains sits

  • 1 The Historic West Walker Motel · Coleville
  • 2 Topaz Lake
  • 3 Bridgeport
  • 4 Bodie State Historic Park

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

The shape of the northern Sierra

West Walker River corridor through Coleville

Coleville & The Walker River

Cottonwood, aspen, and a river running just outside the door

Topaz Lake and the open Antelope Valley

Topaz Lake & Antelope Valley

Smooth water ten minutes north, cool morning before the wind comes up

Bridgeport basin and the Sawtooth Range

Bridgeport & Twin Lakes

County seat, hot springs, and the trail to Twin Lakes

Bodie's preserved 1880 boomtown

Bodie & Mono Basin

A preserved 1880 boomtown and the alkaline shore beneath it

Sonora Pass climbing south from the West Walker drainage

Sonora Pass & The High Country

A summer-only road that climbs from sagebrush to granite in twenty miles

Year-round

Season at a glance

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

Things our guests love to do

A few moments that travel home with people, ordered roughly by distance from the front door. Scroll across.

West Walker River corridor at first light

Right outside

Trout mornings on the West Walker

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.

Topaz Lake at first light

Ten minutes north

Topaz Lake at first light

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.

Travertine Hot Springs terraces above Bridgeport

Worth the half day

Travertine Hot Springs at sunset

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.

Bodie's preserved boomtown

Walking through history

A morning in Bodie

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.

Sonora Pass scenic climb in summer

Summer only

Sonora Pass when it opens

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.

June Lake autumn loop in fall color

A long day worth it

The June Lake autumn loop

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

What Our Guests Are Saying

Real stays. Real stories. From guests who used Coleville as their mountain road home.

Rebecca Davis

December 2025

5.0

The room was great for our family

We stayed at this hotel to visit Yosemite, and it worked out great! Got us away from the hustle and bustle of the park. The room was great for our family, and we traveled with dogs. The host was quick to respond! We would stay here again for sure!

Vivian Song

March 2026

5.0

The place looked exactly like the pictures

The place looked exactly like the pictures. The bed was very spacious, definitely bigger than a queen. The property was surrounded by beautiful mountains, which made the stay feel peaceful and relaxing. There is one restaurant across the street, but aside from that, you'll need to drive 30+ minutes for additional food options. The host was very kind, checked in with us through messages to make sure we had everything we needed, and was very responsive throughout our stay.

Jorge Brito

December 2025

5.0

Excellent location. Everything went great

Stay was cool's a bit overpriced the room was nice and clean. Only thing was that the sign was off at night only reason I stayed here was because I've never stayed at a motel before. Not a huge deal as everything else went great.

Brandon Henderson

January 2026

5.0

Great place to stay

Great place to stay when visiting the hot springs in nearby Bridgeport. And don't miss out on the Raspberry Elk Chops at the Topaz Lodge Casino Steakhouse just 15 minutes north of Walker. Delicious! 🤤

Flavia Calusdian

December 2025

5.0

Well-decorated with a cozy bed and a spotless bathroom.

A Hidden Gem in Walker/Coleville—Radiator Springs Vibes! 🌟

I recently stayed at a delightful little motel just as you arrive into Walker/Coleville, and it was everything I hoped for—quaint, cozy, and full of charm. The front of each room features cute patches of grass and thoughtful landscaping that felt straight out of Radiator Springs—nostalgic and welcoming.

Inside, the room was well-decorated with a cozy bed and a spotless bathroom.

I absolutely plan to come back and have already recommended it to my family and friends. If you're passing through and want a place that feels like a sweet slice of Americana, this motel is it.

Anthony Garcia

January 2026

5.0

Gorgeous views, perfect location

I stay here from time to time due toWork and it's like home away from home. There is gorgeous views and it's at a perfect location where you're not too far away from major stores in Nevada, but you also have local places around where you can go ahead and get food if needed. I would definitely recommend this place for driving through. I need a cozy little spot to stay.

Cassidy Forsman

February 2026

5.0

Super easy to get to. Excellent

It was his a quick night for a hot springs adventure but it was a cute little spot, super easy to get to and had everything we needed. Host was great about setting up the reservation with the dogs and getting the right unit. Will definitely be back.

Matt Owens

March 2026

5.0

Great minimalist room that was cozy and clean

This was a great minimalist room that was cozy and clean. The bed was comfortable, the water was hot, and the heated bathroom floors were a very nice touch. We had a little trouble with the wall heater, but the plug in radiator heated the room nicely once it warmed up. There was also a really nice coffee shop just up the road called the Walker Coffee Co that had great breakfast options.

Before You Book

Eastern Sierra FAQs

A few things guests ask us before choosing The Historic West Walker Motel as their Eastern Sierra basecamp.

Is The Historic West Walker Motel a good base for the Eastern Sierra?

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.

What is closest to the motel?

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.

Can we visit Lake Tahoe from Coleville?

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.

Is Sonora Pass open year-round?

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.

Are Buckeye Hot Springs and Travertine Hot Springs nearby?

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.

Is Bodie Ghost Town worth the drive?

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.

What can guests do at Topaz Lake?

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.

Can we do June Lake from The Historic West Walker Motel?

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.

What is the best season to visit the Eastern Sierra?

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.

Do we need to check road conditions before driving?

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.

Is this destination good for fishing and outdoor trips?

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.

Can you help us choose what to do during our stay?

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.

Are pets welcome at the motel?

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.

What is your cancellation policy?

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.

How do new owners join the Everyday Luxury portfolio?

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

The Insider's Guide to the Eastern Sierra

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.