A First-Timer’s Guide to Mammoth Lakes

If you’ve spent some time in California, there are two iconic weekend destinations you’re bound to have heard of — Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Lakes. While I’m yet to visit the former, I’ve been to Mammoth Lakes twice since I moved to California and absolutely love it! If you’re an outdoor sports enthusiast and want to set up base for a few days while exploring the Sierras, Mammoth Lakes is your best bet. Here’s a handy guide to your first trip there.

How to get to Mammoth Lakes

Mammoth Lakes is a town located in Mono County, California. Most visitors drive from wherever they are in California, but there’s also the Mammoth Yosemite Airport if you’re coming from out of state. You can take a flight here from the Burbank, Carlsbad or Hawthorne airports (all in Southern California).

If you’re driving from Northern California, you have a couple of options. You could take CA-120 E through Yosemite National Park and hang right at Mono Lake, and then drive for about 32 miles. You could also drive around Yosemite via US-50 E and US-395 S. The latter will take longer (up to two extra hours), but during summer you’ll need a pre-approved permit to drive through Yosemite between 8am and 4pm, so if you can’t land a permit and you want to make the journey during the day, bypassing Yosemite may be your best option. Travellers in Southern California can simply take US-395 N and drive straight up.

Things to do in Mammoth Lakes

Mammoth Lakes is smack dab in the middle of hiker/backpacker heaven. Inyo National Forest, Ansel Adams Wilderness and John Muir Wilderness all surround the town, and Yosemite and Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks aren’t too far away either!

Tackle some 14ers

Mt Whitney, Mt Langley and White Mountain are all close by. These are Class 1 14ers, and are highly beloved by hikers getting into ‘peak bagging’. If you’re planning to hike these, we recommend camping the night before at the trailhead. Plus, remember that hiking Mt Whitney needs a permit, so keep your eyes peeled for when the lottery opens in March.

Speaking of 14ers, there are a whopping 11 of them nearby! Those looking for something a little harder than a day hike can attempt these routes, some of which require full climbing gear (like Middle and North Palisade) and/or experience on the ice (like Mount Sill).

Conquer the John Muir Trail

Backpackers will love the John Muir Trail, a 213-mile section of the famed Pacific Crest Trail. Starting at Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley and ending at the summit of Mt Whitney, this is a true test of your mettle.

Enjoy some day hikes

We loved the trail from Agnew Meadows to Thousand Islands Lake, as well as the Lake Sabrina trail. Both of these can be done as a day hike from Mammoth Lakes. No matter your fitness level, there are a plethora of lakes, mountains, meadows and passes to hike through. Just open the AllTrails app and go wild!

If you prefer not to drive after your long journey to Mammoth Lakes, there’s an excellent shuttle service courtesy of the Eastern Sierra Transit Authority (ESTA) that will take you to and from some of the better-known trailheads. Check out the website for their spring, summer and winter schedules so you can plan your trip. Also, bear in mind that many of the shuttle destinations are shuttle-only — if you miss them, you can’t take your car there.

Go winter mountaineering or skiing

During the winter, there are several mountaineering adventures to go on, the most famous being Mt Ritter. If you’re new to this sport, consider joining a guided adventure where you can learn the basics before hitting the ice. Bouldering fans will find several spots within an hour’s drive of the town, including Horseshoe Boulder, Aspen Wall, Chattanooga Hustle and Ugly Duckling. You could also drive a little further out to the famous Buttermilks and the Happy and Sad boulders. Finally, who could forget about skiing? The Mammoth Mountain Resort is open all year round and offers skiing lessons for both children and adults.

Explore Mammoth Village

For those seeking less strenuous pursuits, or for some R&R after your day on the trail, the Village at Mammoth hosts some great events, especially in the summer. Music, food and liquor feature prominently on the schedule — when we were there in July 2022, they had a jazz festival going on, and there was a margarita festival during our August visit. They also do an annual Mammoth Book Festival!

Where to stay in Mammoth Lakes

When it comes to accommodation, Mammoth Lakes is on the pricey side. Especially during peak season, Airbnbs can easily run north of $300 a night. During my July visit, I stayed at the Cinnamon Bear Inn — a cute, affordable place with a hot breakfast. But you could easily camp out and then come into town for supplies and anything else you need. Some of the nearby campgrounds (within 90 minutes’ drive) are:

• Lake Mary Campground
• Twin Lakes Campground
• Sherwin Creek Campground
• Pine City Campground
• Bitterbrush Campground
• Big Trees Campground
• Four Jeffrey Campground (I stayed here in August and loved it!)

Be sure to make your reservations online, or arrive early in the day to grab a walk-in permit. Many of these campgrounds, especially the ones in the Mammoth Lakes Basin, can be accessed via the ESTA shuttle service.

What to eat in Mammoth Lakes

Mammoth Coffee Roasting Co might just be my new favourite cafe in California. They do some glorious doughnuts and cakes, and their bottomless Mammosa (Mammoth mimosa) is divine! They also do a sourdough grilled cheese with arugula that will warm the cockles of your bougie heart. The cafe officially opens at 6, but according to the proprietor, fishermen who come hollering at 5am for coffee are never turned away. So you might get lucky if you’re looking for your early morning pre-hike brew.

The cool thing about eating in Mammoth Lakes is that you get something for every craving. From sushi to pizza to classic diner fare, they have it all. Some other places we tried/liked the look of are:

• Wok N Roll – We loved their Chinese food so much, we ate here on two consecutive nights! Try their vegetarian spring rolls.
• Good Life Cafe – Your old-school American diner with some truly delicious food. Not a bad mimosa, either.
• Hugs Ice Cream – Deliciously creamy ice cream and smaller scoop sizes, which means you can try more flavours at a go!
• Mammoth Pizza Co & Slice Bar – Each yummy slice makes for a great meal!
• Side Door Wine Bar and Cafe – Looked like a great place to chill over a fancy-ish meal and a glass (or several).
• Mammoth Brewing Company – It’s got the distinction of being the highest elevation brewery on the West Coast. And we hear the beers are fantastic!

All in all, Mammoth Lakes has a ton of options to make your visit special, whether you’re a solo hiker looking for your next big hike in California or a family seeking a fun weekend. We hope this guide helps you plan your perfect trip — let us know how it went!

Meet the author
Deya Bhattacharya is a freelance writer and outdoor enthusiast from India. She moved to California in the summer of 2022 and fell in love with hiking, and now spends every spare minute on the trail. Deya loves what fitness can do for the body and mind, and firmly believes that you can stay fit and strong and still enjoy your pizza nights. When she’s not hiking, she’s playing with her cats, searching for bougie cafes with her husband or writing short fiction that will hopefully make her famous someday. You can subscribe to her blog at https://deya.substack.com/ and follow her on Instagram @thebougiehiker.

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