Mammoth Lakes, California is a year-round destination with snow activities in the winter to hiking, biking and exploring in the summer. Here’s my guide of the best things to do in or around Mammoth Lakes in the summer. Whether you have a week or weekend to spend exploring you won’t have trouble filling your days.
1. Mono Lake
One of the best things to do when you’re in Mammoth is to venture over to Mono Lake and check out the Tufa Towers. Mono Lake is over 1 million years old and has 3x the salinity of the ocean. The Tufas were formed by a chemical reaction when freshwater interacted with the alkaline lake water forming solid calcium carbonate into tall spires. If you want to see the the tufa up close I recommend going to South Tufa. It costs $3 per person (children under 15 are free). Bring cash and exact change as there was no one working when we went. It’s a short walk from the parking lot to the shore. There is no shade and can get quite hot in the summer so make sure to bring water.
Directions to South Tufa- From Highway 395, turn onto onto Highway 120 East, drive approximately 5 miles and turn left at the signs for South Tufa. Keep left at the fork in the dirt road.
2. Lake George
Lake George is one of many lakes near Mammoth. It’s easily accessible and offers camping, bathrooms, cabin rentals and access to popular trailheads. We decided to take the 1.5 mile loop around the lake. It was easy but there was some scrambling in a few sections. In one area we saw people jumping off the rocks into the lake. In the distance you can view Crystal Crag, a 10,377 foot summit.
3. Devils Postpile National Monument
The Devils Postpile formation is a geological wonder. How were these columns created? In short- about 80,000 years ago cooling lava flow cracked into multi-sided columns.
How to Get to Devils Post Pile
During shuttle bus season you will have to take the shuttle into the monument. The shuttle runs at various times throughout the day. You purchase tickets and board the shuttle near the Mammoth Mountain Adventure Center located near Mammoth Mountain Main Lodge. You can find shuttle bus information here. If you’d like to drive your car in you can do so only between 7:00am or after 7:00pm or when the shuttles aren’t running.
How Must Does it Cost to Visit Devils Postpile
The shuttle is $15.00 for adults, $7.00 for children aged 3-15, and free for children under age 2. If you drive your own car, you’ll need to pay the $10 vehicle fee at the Minaret Vista Station. (This fee is also valid for Mono Lake South Tufa Reserve and the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest if visiting while the fee is still valid.)
When to Visit Devils Postpile
The monument is only open during the summer months. Opening depends entirely on snow conditions but generally opens mid-June to mid/late October. You can check the National Parks Service website for opening information.
What To See
Once you get to the Devils Postpile Ranger Station you can use the bathrooms and begin on the 0.4 mile journey to the bottom of the Postpile. Do not forget your bug spray! We got there at about 7:30pm and the mosquitos were out in full force. There is a loop that takes you to the top of the Postpile. It’s not a difficult hike and will take you about 15 minutes to get to the top.
Once you’re done looking at Devils Postpile you can continue onto Rainbow Falls, an impressive 101-foot waterfall. It’s a 2.5 mile hike from the Ranger station. We decided not to hike to the falls because of timing (we got to the Postpile after 7:30pm) and we weren’t sure how the kids would do on a 5 mile hike.
4. Convict Lake
We stopped at Shea Schat’s Bakery for lunch and takeaway pastries then drove 15 minutes to Convict Lake. The lake is an oblong shape with a three-mile long trail looping around it. You can see Mount Laurel in the background. The lake was named Monte Diablo but after an incident in 1871 it was renamed Convict Lake. A group of escaped convicts from Carson City, Nevada engaged in a shoot out with two locals, Robert Morrison and Mono Jim, who were killed. Most of the inmates were eventually caught. It’s a great lake for swimming, fishing and boating. There is no entry fee at Convict Lake.
5. Hot Creek Geological Site
About ten minutes away from Mammoth Lakes is the Hot Creek Geological Site. Hot magma lies about three miles below the surface in this area causing bubbling, steam, and occasionally geyser eruptions. The water temperature changes drastically so swimming is strictly prohibited.
To get to Hot Creek from Highway 395 take Hot Creek Hatchery Road go 2 miles on a paved road and then 3 miles on a gravel road. Hot Creek will be on your left. There is no entry fee.
6. Find Some Hot Springs to Swim In
When in Mammoth you have to find at least one hot springs to swim in. We chose to go to Wild Willy’s probably because I saw a picture of the heart shaped pool and wanted to check it out. It’s really easy to get there with a 0.25 mile walk on a well-maintained path. Turns out the heart shaped pool is pretty hot so I could only stand it for a couple of minutes.
To get to Wild Willy’s, take highway 395 and turn onto Benton Crossing Road (look for the green church on the corner). Go about 3 miles and after the second cattle grate, take the right turn and follow the road for another 1.0 mile. From the parking lot, take the wooden footbridge down to the hot springs. Wild Willy’s is another free activity!
7. Minaret Vista
Stop at the Minaret Vista scenic overlook for incredible views of the Minarets, a series of jagged peaks located in the Ritter Range. You can also see Mount Ritter and Banner Peak, the two tallest peaks in the range.
To reach the Minaret Vista overlook from Mammoth Lakes, drive on Minaret Road past the Mammoth Mountain Main Lodge Area for approximately 2 miles. The turn off for the vista overlook will be on your right.
8. Lake Mary
Lake Mary is a great place to stop and climb rocks or wander in the trees. There’s a very scenic loop around the lake that takes about 20 minutes. There are camping, kayaking and fishing opportunities as well.
8. Earthquake Fault
The Earthquake Fault is not actually a ‘fault’, but rather a ‘fissure’ because the rocks on either side haven’t moved much. Regardless of the name, it’s believed to have formed around 600 years ago during volcanic activity. The depth of the fissure goes from 10 feet up to 60 feet deep. It is easily accessible from Mammoth Lakes. To get here, from Main Street turn onto Minaret Road and go just under 2 miles until you see the sign on the right. There is a large parking area with restrooms and picnic tables. It’s a short 0.3-mile hiking (more like walking) trail through the trees to the fault. There is no entry fee.
10. Activities at Mammoth Mountain
There are lots of things to do at Mammoth Mountain in the summer. There’s the Adventure Center right by the Main Lodge. Kids can enjoy the climbing wall, bungee trampoline, ropes course, junior zip line, the pump track, and Archery. The Mammoth Bike Park offers 80+ miles of riding. We opted for the scenic gondola ride to the top of Mammoth Mountain. You can buy your tickets online or at the Main Lodge. Tickets for Adults are $39 but up to 2 kids (under 12) ride free with each paying adult. Children under 5 are free.
Once you get to the top, it’s a short walk to the totem sign. From there you can enjoy views of the Minarets. There is a café as well as an interpretive center.
11. Bodie State Historic Park
About 90 minutes northeast from Mammoth is a really cool ghost town from the 1800s. You can visit Bodie before stopping at Mono Lake on your way home. I wouldn’t stop at Mono Lake first if you plan on getting in the water because you will be covered in salt. Check out this post for more information on Bodie.
12. June Lake Loop
June Lake Loop is about 16 miles and takes about 30 minutes without stopping. The loop goes around 4 lakes- June Lake, Gull Lake, Silver Lake, and Grant Lake. Each lake offering beautiful views and surroundings. One stop we made as at Gull Lake near the playground. My kids made friends with some locals who were catching crawdads. You could easily spend several hours visiting the lakes.
13. Crowley Lake Stone Columns
I wanted to see the Crowley Lake Stone Columns but couldn’t make it happen. It’s a bit complicated to visit these columns. You have to go towards the end of fall through winter. During the other seasons, the water is too high to properly see the columns. To get here you will need a 4WD vehicle or plan on hiking in from a further distance.
Where to Eat
We stayed in a self-catering Airbnb so stoked up at Vons and ate mostly at home (or packed lunches). However, we did enjoy a few meals out.
-We ate at The Stove twice. The french toast was SO good!
-We had pizza from Giovanni’s Pizzeria.
-For an amazing selection of pastries stop at Shea Schat’s Bakery. We went here twice.
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