Page 142 - 2018 Travel Guide to California

MAMMOTH LAKES
Play at the top of California
B Y B I L L F I N K
»HIKE, FISH,
GOLF, SKI!
Mammoth Lakes
Visitor Information
visitmammoth.com
TWO HOURS NORTH of Mount
Whitney, the Continental United States’
highest point, and only 45 minutes from
Yosemite’s east entrance, the Mammoth
Lakes region is an epicenter for outdoor
activities throughout the year.
Mammoth Mountain
Skiing & more
mammothmountain.com
junemountain.com
Summer Fun
Up in the hills and meadows of the Eastern
Sierra mountain range, hikers and bikers
can explore the extensive Mammoth Lakes
Trail System, whether it be for rugged
multi-day adventures or a gentle walk
through a park. Golfers enjoy extra-long
drives in the high elevations of Sierra Star
and Snowcreek Golf Courses. The Mam-
moth Lakes area is well known for fishing,
so much so, that many local motels feature
fish-cleaning facilities. Fly fishing in
streams, and lure-based fishing in lakes
(including Convict, Crowley and several
lakes in Mammoth Lakes Basin) gives
everyone a chance to try their specialty or
pick up a new skill. The full “grand slam” of
trout—rainbow, brook, brown and golden—
await your arrival. Or you can skip the
fishing, and simply paddle a kayak, canoe
or stand-up paddle board through the lakes
and take in the scenery, or even try out a
floating historical tour of Mono Lake.
Explore the wonders of geology at Devils
Postpile National Monument and gaze at its
towering basalt columns, then cool off in
the spray of the hundred-foot-tall Rainbow
Falls just downstream. Summer is also fes-
tival time, the calendar filled with music
events and food and drink gatherings,
including the combination of “blues and
brews” for Mammoth’s Festival of Beers and
Bluesapalooza each August.
140 2018 T R AV E L G U I D E TO C A L I F O R N I A