Page 118 - 2023-2024 Travel Guide to California

MAMMOTH LAKES
Adventure awaits you in California’s high country
HIKE, FISH,
GOLF, SKI!
MAMMOTH VISITOR
INFORMATION
VisitMammoth.com
MAMMOTH MOUNTAIN
SKIING & MORE
MammothMountain.com
JuneMountain.com
A spectacular setting for year-round
fun, the Mammoth Lakes region
sprawls across the mountains,
meadows, and waterways of the Eastern
Sierra. Two hours north of Mount Whitney,
the Continental United States’ highest
point, and only 45 minutes from Yosemite’s
east entrance, this outdoor playground
hosts year-round events, from winter snow
events to summer festivals, fishing derbies
to endurance events.
Accessible by driving, you can also fly
into two local airports. The Eastern Sierra
Regional Airport (BIH) in Bishop, 45 min-
utes south of Mammoth Lakes, offers
commercial airline service, and scheduled
charters fly into the Mammoth-Yosemite
Airport (MMH), a 10-minute ride to town.
Summer Fun
Summer brings hikers and bikers wishing
to explore the extensive Mammoth Lakes
Trail System, from rugged multi-day adven-
tures to gentle walks on flat, shady forest
trails. At the Sierra Star and Snowcreek golf
courses, golfers boast about extra-long
drives in the thin high-elevation air.
Many Mammoth Lakes motels cater to
fishing enthusiasts, offering fish-cleaning
facilities to their guests. The area is
116 2023-24 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA
B Y L E N O R E G R E I N E R
renowned for its superb fly fishing in
streams and lure-based fishing in lakes, such
as the Mammoth Lakes Basin and Convict
and Crowley lakes. If up for a challenge, you
can attempt the “grand slam” of trout fishing,
which involves catching rainbow, brook,
brown and golden trout. Or take to the water
without a fishing rod and paddle your way
through Mammoth Lakes’ picturesque lakes
and rivers on a kayak, canoe, or stand-up
paddle board. For a more immersive experi-
ence, you can even try a guided historical
tour while paddling on Mono Lake. When
you’re ready to take a break from the water,
you can view the geological wonders of the
Devils Postpile National Monument. Here,
you can marvel at the towering basalt
columns before cooling off in the spray of
the hundred-foot-tall Rainbow Falls, nearby.
Summer is festival time around Mam-
moth Lakes, with a calendar filled with
concerts and events, including the ever-
popular August Bluesapalooza music and
beer festival. Thrill-seeker experiences
abound, from climbing courses on Mam-
moth’s high-wire Via Ferrata cliff-edge to
the Mammoth Bike Park with more than 80
miles of singletrack on truly radical terrain
(but also with a beginner-friendly Dis-
covery Zone).
JOSH WRAY/VISIT MAMMOTH; PATRICK GRILEY/VISIT MAMMOTH. OPPOSITE: DAKOTA SNIDER/VISIT MAMMOTH; PATRICK GRILEY/VISIT MAMMOTH