Rock Creek (Owens River)

Rock Creek
"Lower Rock Creek" (downstream of Toms Place)
River
Rock Creek with the Sierra Crest in the background
Country United States
State California
Region Mono County
District Inyo National Forest
Part of Long Valley—Crowley Lake Watershed
Tributaries
 - right Witcher & Pine Creeks
Elevation 7,087 ft (2,160 m) [1]
Source Rock Creek Lake [1]
 - coordinates 37°27′20″N 118°44′08″W / 37.4554886°N 118.7356796°W / 37.4554886; -118.7356796
Mouth Owens River
 - location Owens River Gorge
 - coordinates 37°33′40″N 118°40′48″W / 37.5610431°N 118.6801252°W / 37.5610431; -118.6801252Coordinates: 37°33′40″N 118°40′48″W / 37.5610431°N 118.6801252°W / 37.5610431; -118.6801252
Length 30 mi (48 km) Rock Creek plus Lower Rock Creek[2]
GNIS code 234580[1]
Location of the mouth of Rock Creek in California

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 Forests.

Course

Rock Creek drains from the Sierra Crest 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.[2]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Rock Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. 1 2 U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map, accessed March 17, 2011


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