Green Creek Wildlife Area

person fishing from stream bank

Description

Green Creek Wildlife Area is 2,756 acres. The Summers Meadow Unit is 2,036 acres and Green Creek Unit is 720 acres. Aspen, Jefferey pine, riparian, bitterbrush and sage habitat dominate the wildlife area. It has sloping valleys and high mountain meadows with an elevation up to 7,400 feet. Three miles of Green Creek run through the wildlife area. The riparian and meadow habitats provide an excellent mule deer migration corridor and fawning area. Deer, black bear, beaver, bald eagle, grouse, mountain quail, and limited numbers of waterfowl are found here. Green Creek supports brown, rainbow and brook trout.

The wildlife area is surrounded by Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Toiyabe National Forest lands. Two miles to the west is the Hoover Wilderness Area and 6 miles west is the Yosemite National Park boundary.

For more information, call the Inland Deserts Region Bishop office at (760) 872-1171.

Recreational Opportunities

wildlife viewing fishing quail hunting deer hunting

Activities: wildlife viewing, birdwatching, photography, hiking, fishing, and hunting

Public lands administered by the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management can be accessed from this wildlife area.

Dynamo Pond was originally built in the 1890s to serve as a water supply for a hydroelectric plant to provide electricity to Bodie, and is now a historic ghost town owned by the Department of Parks and Recreation.

Hunting: Mountain quail, black bear, and deer may be present.

Type C: Green Creek Wildlife Area does not require the purchase of a hunting pass for entry. Entry permits and/or passes or special drawing may be required for hunting on some Type C wildlife areas.

Facilities: None. The Forest Service's Green Creek Campground is approximately one mile further south.

NOTE: Visitors are responsible for knowing and complying with all regulations pertaining to the use of Department lands.

Refer to the Public Uses on State and Federal Lands section of the Waterfowl, Upland Game, and Public Use Regulations (PDF) booklet for both statewide and property-specific regulations.

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Area History

It is reported that the Paiutes maintained herds of horses in the valley during the times of the Mexican missions. These horses were traded to the Californios as far away as Los Angeles by bands from the Bridgeport area. Artifacts indicate that summer activity was high in the Green Creek area and it may be presumed that the wildlife area was once a major summer camp and fall hunting area for the Paiute Indians.

The wildlife area also has a long history of cattle and sheep grazing. In the early 1860’s, Jesse Summers operated the Bridgeport Butcher Shop and supplied meat to Bodie. His cattle grazed Summers Meadows based at Point Ranch, 3 miles south of Bridgeport. Those cattle probably also grazed the meadows along upper Green Creek in the summer.

The property was acquired to retain and enhance the area for habitat and to assure public access where it does not conflict with maintaining habitat values. It was designated as a wildlife area by the Fish and Game Commission in 1996.

Related Documents

Outdoor California Articles

PDF map of Green Creek WA location - click to enlarge in new window
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Location

Inland Deserts Region (Region 6)

Mono County

8 miles south of Bridgeport on Green Creek Road

Access: From Bridgeport head south on Hwy 395 for 8 miles to Green Creek Road. Continue southwest on Green Creek Road, a dirt road, for approximately 4 miles. The northern boundary of the wildlife area begins at the southern part of Dynamo Pond.

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