[2023] 8 Best Things To Do In Mammoth Lakes And Nearby

Endowed with the most majestic mountains, crystal alpine lakes, trails for days, pristine forests, Mammoth Lakes is an outdoor oasis that has something to offer all year round. In the summer, you have beautiful vistas to take in, hiking, hidden hot springs while in the winter, the mountain town is a hub for skiers and snowboarders.

To help with your trip planning, here are the top things to do in Mammoth Lakes and also its surrounding areas that include the Inyo National Forest, and all the way up to Mono Lake at the doorstep of the eastern entrance to Yosemite National Park.

Best Things To Do in Mammoth Lakes

Mammoth Lakes in Northern California is an outdoor paradise in every sense of the word. You’ll find this town nestled in the Sierra Nevada mountains. There’s Mammoth Mountain itself but also the nearby June Mountain, Inyo National Forest, and saltwater Mono Lake to the north.

If it’s your first time here, you’ll learn that there are a mix of well-known and hidden spots to explore. The goal of this guide is to surface the best things to do in Mammoth Lakes both within the town’s borders and expanded to include other attractions in its surrounding area that you can do easily as a day trip.

I had an opportunity to visit Mammoth Lakes as part of our 9 day Northern California road trip through the Globus Northern California By Design bus tour. If you’re looking to hop on a care-free tour of Mammoth Lakes and other highlights in NorCal, I highly recommend this tour.

1. Watch the Sunset at Minaret Vista

Part of the Ritter Range, there’s an iconic rocky ridge that separate two valleys and a defining feature are a set of tall spires that are known as Minarets. Each of the Minarets have names and the tallest is called Clyde Minaret.

The best place to see these jagged peaks is from the official Minaret Vista Viewpoint which can be reached on the same road that also leads you to Devils Postpile National Monument and Reds Meadow.

One of the best times to come here is at sunset when the vibrant glow of orange, yellow, red, and purple creates a beautiful silhouette of not only the Minarets but also the entire Ritter Range. It’s at this viewpoint where you can also see Mount Ritter and Mount Banner, Mount Adler (highest point in Yosemite), down to Devils Postpile, and the headwater of San Joaquin River.

The easiest way to get here is to drive and park at the viewpoint but you can also get here via a hiking trail that starts from Mammoth Mountain Inn.

2. Epic Photography at Hot Creek Geological Site

There are some landscapes that will simply take your breath away. Hot Creek Geological Site is one of those places.

The thing is, unless you know about it, you probably wouldn’t of added it to your trip plans. It sounds like a minor feature in Mammoth Lakes but trust me, it’s anything but.

Located next to the regional Mammoth-Yosemite Airport (MMH), this is a natural wonder that features bubbling water from the creek bed, periodic geyser eruptions, and fumaroles thanks to a chamber of magma that lies 3 miles below the surface.

The area is accessible via a 3.4 mile dirt road off of US 395 and there are a few spots where you can get off to see the geothermal activity up-close. At one point, you were allowed to jump into the water but it’s since been banned because of the rapid change in temperatures that can turn deadly.

From the primary parking lot, you can see views of the bubbling cauldron and the wooden fence that was originally erected to ward people away.

This is where most people go to see the geological site. Where you actually want to go is a little further in to a viewpoint called Brees Lookout. There’s a dirt parking lot here and from the fence you can capture photos of the bubbling creek alongside the backdrop of the mountain peaks behind.

3. Ride the Gondola Up Mammoth Mountain

One of the core attractions of Mammoth Lakes is Mammoth Mountain. It’s the name of the four-seasons mountain resort and it’s also the summit that stands to be the tallest lift-served summit in California.

In the winter, take advantage of the 3,500 skiable acres, average of 400 inches of snowfall, and a season that typically lasts from November to June. Even if you don’t ski or snowboard, you can take the gondola ride up.

Rent gear ahead of time and get it delivered to your accommodations: If you ski or snowboard and you’re not bringing gear from home, you’ll want to take advantage of this service.

In the summer, you can take a scenic gondola ride uphill which will give you 360 degree views of the Sierra and beyond. At the very top you’ll be able to take advantage of the cafe, interpretive center, and several trails that you can take from either the top or mid-mountain.

The high-speed gondola you can use is called Lower Panorama Gondola. Midway up the mountain, this connect with the Upper Panorama Gondola.

At the summit, you’ll find the Eleven53 Interpretive Center and Café. The cafe is open for lunch in the summer and offers house-made sandwiches, soup, chili, and snacks. The interpretive center has informative exhibits on topics such as volcanic history, cultural heritage, and geology.

You’ll also be able to take a selfie at the famed totem sign indicating the summit.

4. Hike to Crystal Lake

This is easily the most popular hike in the Mammoth Lakes area. Thoroughly enjoy the alpine beauty and serenity of Crystal Lake and also its panoramic views of Mammoth Lakes Basin.

The trail is simply called Crystal Lake Trail. You start in the Lake George day-use area and eventually you’ll hit a turnoff into a trail that’s predominantly fir trees, pines, and manzanitas. It’s well shaded until you reach Crystal Lake. The towering Crystal Crag watches over and provides a beautiful backdrop as you walk around the lake or jump in for a dip.

In total, the hike is just over 3 miles in and out. It’s classified as moderate and has an elevation gain of roughly 800 feet. On average, it takes 45 minutes one-way. The trail is also well-marked and quite wide.

This is the kind of hike that will give you a true taste of the breathtaking scenery of the Eastern Sierra Mountains. Since it doesn’t require backcountry experience, this is great for the family. Dogs are allowed as long as they are leashed and be sure to pack a picnic and/or fishing rod to make it a full day adventure!

5. See the Other-Worldly Tufa Towers of Mono Lake

One of the stops in our Northern California By Design with Globus tour was this unusual salt lake at the base of the Sierra Nevada formed 760,000 years ago, making it the second-oldest lake in North America.

The desolate expanse of the lake and dramatic Sierra peaks are augmented by the unearthly tufa towers that almost resemble drip sandcastles except in this case, these were formed from calcium bubbling up from subterranean springs that mix with the hyper-carbonate composition of the water.

The distinctive tufa towers are accompanied by quite the unusual eco-system that consists of brine shrimp and alkali flies, which add to the mysterious nature of the lake. Migratory and nesting birds are a fan of this diet so you’ll find species such as Violet Green Swallows and Ospreys.

To visit the lake, there is a cluster of tufa towers on the southern end of the lake. Here, you’ll find a well-paved path that leads you to the shore where you’ll then be able to explore the lake’s distinctive features.

Another way to see Mono Lake is by paddle. Caldera Kayak offers guided kayaking tours to see the “dead sea of California” from a completely different perspective.

6. Marvel at the Devils Postpile National Monument Up Close

The Mammoth Lakes area is surely blessed with a wealth of natural geological formations. A must-see wonder as part of that is the Devils Postpile National Monument.

Here, you’ll find an incredible example of columnar basalt formations that is a rare sight to see and ranks as one of the best examples of basalt columns in the world. Scientists have dated this 100,000 years old, where lava flowed and pooled slowly and consistently to create these magnificent columns that tower up to 60 feet.

The columns themselves are hexagonal and from the trail you’ll be able to see it from below and also from the top as well.

The monument area is protected by the National Park Service, and as a result, there is a very specific way to visit here. To get here, you have to take a mandatory Reds Meadow/Devils Postpile shuttle which originates from the Mammoth Mountain Adventure Center. Reservations can be made from late-June onwards with service ending Labor Day (first Monday in September).

After the mandatory shuttle stops, you can drive in but the parking lots fill up quickly. On weekends, they do offer shuttles between Reds Meadow Resort and Devils Postpile on weekends.

The monument officially closes the last Sunday in October (or earlier if winter storms arrive earlier).

7. Go Chasing Waterfalls

You’d think, as a region of lakes, there are bound to be a ton of waterfalls right? You would be correct in assuming so!

From Twin Lakes, you can see one of the iconic waterfalls in the region that tumbles down from Lake Mamie. This is known as Twin Falls. Another way to see this is with the Twin Falls Overlook off of Lake Mary Road.

If you’re going to see the Devils Postpile National Monument, you’ll be close to Rainbow Falls. This is one of the most majestic falls in the area that can be accessed via a 1.5 mile walk from the Reds Meadow. Alternatively, there’s also a direct 2-mile trek from Devils Postpile National Monument.

Rainbow Falls is an impressive one to see, plunging 101 feet from the top of the cliff and the mist that creates beautiful rainbows on sunny days.

From Devils Postpile, you can also access Minaret Falls which is a small cascading waterfall that’s easy to tack on to your day out here.

Venturing away from this region, there’s also Horse Creek Falls, north of Mono Lake. This is a 4-mile hike that starts at Mono Village Resort and eventually meanders to the waterfalls that includes views of Sawtooth Ridge and a large aspen forest.

With all waterfalls, their flows are strongest in early summer and will begin to diminish as you get into the fall.

8. See the Guadi-like Crowley Lake Columns

Speaking of bizarre formations and places that feel like you’re on another planet, it doesn’t end with Mono Lake. On the eastern end of Lake Crowley is a highly unusual plateau formation where there are up to 5,000 spiral-like columns.

These columns have drawn comparisons to Moorish temples and Gaudi’s Park Guell but there’s almost no way they would’ve seen these in their lifetime and so this is truly a natural wonder of epic proportions.

Created over 767,000 years in the past according to Atlas Obscura, a volcanic eruption swept the land and lava settled layer upon layer over ash to create stone. Scientists believe that when snow fell, it caused the still porous material to boil, creating spaces between the columns.

When you’re here, you’ll be able to walk the sandy beach and also in and through the columns.

Access to the Crowley Lake Columns a bit more challenging however. Much of the road is unpaved, windy, and sandy so you’ll need a four wheel drive. In theory you can go with a 2WD car as some have mentioned but you will need experience driving on dirt roads and navigating potholes. Lastly, it’s worth noting that access to the beach and columns is dependent on the lake’s water level.

Map of Mammoth Lake Highlights

Getting to Mammoth Lakes

When it comes to how to get to Mammoth Lakes, there are multiple approaches. Most of them are in-land but you might be surprised to hear that they have an airport as well.

By air

Mammoth Lakes is serviced by the Mammoth Yosemite Airport (MMH). This is an extremely small airport that is quite seasonal. Most of the flights to here only run in the winter and serviced by the semi-private Advanced Airlines with routes from Burbank, Los Angeles–Hawthorne, and San Diego–Carlsbad.

Starting December 2021, United Express will operate from Eastern Sierra Regional Airport (BIH) in Bishop, California which is south of Mammoth Lakes. These routes will include seasonal winter flights from Denver, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

It’s worth noting that Enterprise Rent-A-Car and National Car Rental runs out of this airport so if you need a rental car, this is where you’ll go. If you do, make sure to educate yourself on car rental coupon codes.

By road

This is going to be by far the most popular way to get to Mammoth Lakes. The town is located along the US Route 395 corridor. This is a highly scenic highway so there are a million reasons why you’d drive here even if you weren’t making a stop at Mammoth Lakes.

From the south, you can drive from LA to Mammoth Lakes and it only takes 5 hours.

From the west, San Francisco to Mammoth Lakes is a 6 hour drive that includes a drive through Yosemite National Park and the Tioga Pass. Note that you can drive through Yosemite National Park without paying. Also, you need to check to find out if Tioga Pass is open because otherwise this won’t work.

From the north, as we did with our NorCal road trip, you can also come from Lake Tahoe through the same US 395. This will take 2.5 hours.

To the southeast is Las Vegas where you’ll take US 95 up to Big Pine and connect with US 395. This route takes just over 5 hours.

Getting Around Mammoth Lakes

As you can imagine, you kind of need a vehicle to get around whether it’s your own or another.

Your own car

If this is your own road trip, you’ll be coming on your own vehicle and this is the most common way to explore Mammoth Lakes.

One thing to consider is that while a regular sedan will be good for the most part, if you have the option of driving an SUV or 4WD vehicle, take that option instead. As you’ve seen with spots such as the Crowley Lake Columns and Hot Creek Geological Site, the dirt roads, while drivable with a regular car, will be much easier with a car with higher clearance and better traction.

Group tour

Driving and planning everything yourself isn’t for everyone which is why bus tours like Northern California By Design with Globus is a great option. This tour includes Mammoth Lakes but also loops around to Sonoma, Sacramento, Lake Tahoe, and Yosemite National Park.

With a group tour, you take the stress away and you can let the professionals guide you through the region.

Renting a car

If you fly into Mammoth Lakes in the winter or need to rent a car to do your road trip, renting a car is always an option.

As we mentioned earlier, the Mammoth Yosemite Airport has a National and Enterprise.

Depending on where you’re coming from, you’ll have all the car rental companies at your disposal in your area.

TIP: Avoid renting at the airport to save taxes. Rent from a car rental company located in the city instead.

Read next: How to save massive amounts with car rental discount codes.

By RV

If you own an RV, you’ll find plenty of campgrounds in town, in the Reds Meadows, and in the Inyo National Forest. Check out Recreation.gov to make reservation at camping sites.

Something to consider is renting an RV. If you didn’t know, there’s the Airbnb of RVs with Outdoorsy. Pick up your RV at home for your road trip to Mammoth Mountain.

Taxis and ride share

While I was stay at Mammoth Mountain Inn, I was able to ask about the ride share (Uber/Lyft) situation and they basically said that there are a few drivers out there but it is not reliable and don’t expect to be able to hail one when you’re out in a remote area.

As a result, the local taxi is your best bet. Companies such as Mammoth Taxi, Mammoth Cabs (760-924-2227), Sierra Shuttle Service (760-914-2746), and MAWS Transportation service the area but when you look at their rates, you’ll know that it comes at a price.

Here are a few example rates:

• Mammoth Yosemite Airport to town starts at $60
• Mammoth Yosemite Airport to Mammoth Mountain Main Lodge is $85
• Mammoth Mountain Main Lodge to Lee Vining is $100-$120
• Mammoth Lakes Town to Mammoth Mountain Main Lodge is $40

TIP: Most of these drivers are contract drivers so if you plan on using a lot of taxi, you can negotiate a lower rate by calling them directly.

Where to Stay in Mammoth Lakes

Here are a couple of recommendations for places to stay in Mammoth Lakes that cover a range of budgets.

Where to Eat in Mammoth Lakes

During your stay here you’ll want to know the best restaurants in Mammoth Lakes. You’ll find that most of them are in the village area in town.

Mammoth Brewing Company – I am surprised that this isn’t ranked high on the usual platforms but aside from an amazing beer selection and merch, their mix of burgers and flat breads to their pork rinds, fish & chips, crispy chicken and griddle cakes, and Vietnamese inspired plates, you really can’t go wrong with anything here.

Mountainside Bar & Grill – This is the restaurant inside the Mammoth Mountain Inn. On first glance, I wasn’t expecting much but was impressed with their elk dish main, appetizers, and cast iron cookie.

Toomey’s – Consistently a top-ranked restaurant in Mammoth Lakes where they’ve brought their love of Kansas City to The Village in Mammoth Lakes. They’re best known for their lobster taquitos, burgers, seafood jambalaya and wild buffalo meatloaf.

Austria Hof Restaurant – Bringing in the alpine heritage is a unique Austrian restaurant that looks it from the outside and in. On the menu, you’ll find a selection of goulash, wienerschnitzel, kassler ripchen, sausage sampler, and of course, apple strudel.

Best Time to Visit Mammoth Lakes

There are two primary seasons for Mammoth Lakes – winter and summer. While most folks might know Mammoth Lakes for being a winter resort destination, it really is great to visit year-round.

As you can imagine, Mammoth Lakes looks very different between summer and winter.

In the winter, you have the massive Mammoth Mountain and also the smaller June Mountain. There, you’ll have access to incredible trails and the highest snow resort summit in California. When you’re back down in town, you’ll be able to bundle by the fire and enjoy the best of apres-ski. The amazing thing is that you can ski or snowboard all the way into June.

When the weather starts to warm up, spring brings about the blooming of alpine wildflowers and the meltwater means gushing waterfalls. Since the snow season lasts so long, this season is quite short.

In the summer, the mountain roads open up, trails become easily passible, and all the ranges, valleys, lakes, and canyons become your outdoor paradise. In the Mammoth Lakes region, you’ll be able to do anything from mountain biking, fishing, mountain climbing, hiking, boating, and more!

Fall is also a great time to visit as the leaves change colour and you’re faced with smaller crowds. Just note that the waterfalls will be quite dry at this point and temperatures dip quite quickly. During shoulder seasons, you’ll find that it’s very quiet which isn’t a bad thing but many shops are closed as a result.

So ultimately when is the best time to visit Mammoth Lakes? For fresh powder, the deep of winter is going to be your calling. If you want to see all of the best outdoor things to do in Mammoth Lakes and its surrounding areas, July – August are fantastic. If you don’t like crowds, June and September are great choices.

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