The town of Mammoth Lakes in the eastern sierra of California is a great place to stay for those that like to explore outdoors. With natural hot springs, hiking, Mammoth Mountain ski resort, and some great nearby towns to check out, it is a great spot no matter the time of year.
Depending on the time of year, these are the best things to do near Mammoth Lakes.
Visit Mono lake
If you are looking to head out on a day trip to just check out the area, Mono Lake is a quick, but interesting, stop. A large, salt water lake, with interesting rock features, there is a picnic area where you can have some lunch if the weather is fine.
In my opinion, this is just a quick stop if you want a photo or you can just do a drive by on your way to other sites since it is right along the highway.
Visit all the natural hot springs
This area is extremely active and there are a lot of places where you can take a warm soak in some beautiful nature. A couple of hot springs close to the town of Mammoth Lakes are Wild Willy’s hot spring and Rock tub hot spring.
Wild Willy’s has a couple of pools that you can soak in, with a boardwalk to get to them. This one gets super busy and is probably one of the most popular places to visit, so have a back up. I visited in the beginning of December and it was very busy then. There is a porta-potty there and a decent amount of parking.
If you are not interested in sharing your natural hot spring, head over to Rock tub hot spring. This one is before Wild Willy’s on the same road. It is like a small bathtub really only suited for two people and it’s got some serious algae (no one is really taking care of it).
When we arrived we were alone there and even with the algae, it was lovely. You get great views of the mountains, it’s extremely quiet and peaceful. There is camping nearby, so this may be a little less peaceful in the summer months.
Two other hot springs to you should definitely consider are Buckeye hot spring and Travertine hot spring near the town of Bridgeport. Travertine is right off the road and there are multiple soaking tubs. But if you have to pick just one, pick Buckeye.
The ridge road to Buckeye hot spring can get a bit hairy in the winter, so make sure you have good tires so you don’t slip off the ridge. There is a large parking area and a bathroom when you arrive and a few areas where you can camp as well. You will need to hike down to Buckeye hot spring, but it is very short. There are a couple small tubs near the top that would be a lovely soak if you are unable to get to the bottom.
Buckeye hot spring sits next to a river, so you can pop in and out of the hot spring to cool down in the river. We spent hours here and for most of the time it was just the two of us. This, again, was in the beginning of December between two seasons (hiking and ski season) so the area was pretty quiet in general. Make sure to stop in Bridgeport for lunch after at the Burger Barn. The menu is fantastic and so is the owner.
Drive the June Lake Loop
This scenic drive is well worth the trip to check out. There are multiple beautiful lakes (not just June Lake) and great hiking with one of my favorite hikes Fern Lake. Fern Lake is a more challenging hike but the hidden lake in the forest and just the walk in the forest make it all worthwhile.
There are plenty of places to stop and take photos along the loop, so take your time, and make sure to stop into June Lake Brewing Company for a beer (it was the best beer I had in the area).
Hike to Inyo Craters
Inyo Craters is, as one would expect, in Inyo National Forest, and along the scenic road to Mammoth Mountain ski resort. It is a well-maintained dirt road and google maps will get you there. Just be aware that in the winter months the road will be snow covered and not well maintained but if you can catch it during that sweet spot before the first big snowfalls of the year you will have the place to yourself.
The drive in can take time, since it is a slow dirt road but eventually you will come to the parking area where there is signage to tell you more about it and the trails available. There is also a bathroom there, which is nice.
The hike into Inyo Craters is nothing special. There is a lot of forest management happening, so a lot of down trees that are in various stages of processing for removal. It’s a very short hike on flat terrain to Inyo Craters and once you arrive the area is fenced to try and stave off someone falling in.
There are 3 craters, the two obvious ones are right next to one another and the third is higher up and beyond those two. It is not 100% clear how these formed but the thought is that it is related to one event where hot steam was thrust up from the ground leaving behind these three basically holes in the ground. And they are large holes.
In the first one you see, there is water below that in the summer puts off a beautiful turquoise color. In the winter, this is frozen over. This is one of those places that you don’t have to spend a lot of time at, I mean, honestly, it’s 3 holes in the ground, but understanding how this occurs is pretty incredible. There are also some really nice forest and mountain views there and if you pack a lunch (making sure to practice Leave No Trace) you get a nice spot to eat food.
Ski and ride at Mammoth Mountain Ski Area (in the winter months, of course)
Mammoth Mountain is one of the top places to ski and ride in California and gets great snow. If you stay in the town of Mammoth Lakes there is a shuttle bus that will take you for free up to the mountain and back. That way, when the road gets sketchy, and it will get sketchy, you don’t have to worry about driving. The main parking lot and even the overflow parking lots can get very full during the main ski season (another reason to take the shuttle), so go early.
If this is your first time visiting Mammoth Mountain make sure you take a least one scenic gondola ride to the top of Mammoth Mountain, the views are incredible. You don’t even need to be a skier or rider to take the gondola, though there is still a fee.
For more information on Mammoth Mountain specifically make sure to check out my guide to Mammoth Mountain.
Visit Hot Creek Geological Site
This was my favorite spot in the area. It was beautiful, peaceful and incredibly active. You will take a fish hatchery road to hot creek geologic site, which is a dirt road that is well maintained. The drive, again, does take time as it is slow on those dirt roads but well worth it. There are lots of pull over sites where you can hike down into the gorge and walk along the river bank but there is also a main parking area where you can camp, has toilets and information on the area.
The site itself is pretty centralized and the river beyond that on either side is a beautiful stream of cold water where you can fish (catch and release only). There is a lot of signage about staying on the main trail and not touching the water because of the heat. My guess is a few people spoiled it for everyone and now you are not allowed to get close to the water.
The colors and activity here are like magic. It just doesn’t seem real. You could spend hours here, especially during the off season when no one is around, just sitting along the riverbank (beyond the actual geologic activity) listening to the river.
Visit Convict Lake
Convict Lake is practically across the road from the road that takes you to Wild Willy’s Hot Spring and is a popular spot to hang out, take some photos, bring a picnic and is just another example of how pretty the lakes are in this area.
It’s a nice place to stop over after a long soak in a hot spring.
Take the shuttle to Devils postpile National Monument and rainbow falls (spring, summer and fall months only)
This is another very popular and unique area to check out. If you visit at the right time of year. Both of these sites you will need to park next to the alpine sled area near Mammoth Mountain and take a shuttle.
This place gets very busy in the summer as you can imagine. Devils Postpile National Monument is very reminiscent of something you would see in Iceland with its basalt rocks in long thin columns. In the same general area you can also do the hike to Rainbow Falls, a definite must do if you plan to be there during the right season.
If you are heading to Mammoth Lakes in the winter, the shuttle stops running and there is no access to these areas.
Visit Yosemite National Park
Surprisingly, there is a pass that connects you to Yosemite National Park. It is only a 12 mile drive to get there. The best time of year to go is of course in the summer months, but we all know that Yosemite is one of the busiest parks in the country and they are now requiring reservations. So, visiting in the off season before there is any concern of snow is your best time to go.
I say before there is even a hint of snow because the pass is not maintained in the winter and therefore they close it pretty quickly if there is even a thought of snow. So, if you really want to visit Yosemite during your time at Mammoth Lakes, and you are there in the shoulder or winter season you are going to need to take a 5 hour road trip around in order to access the park from the other side.
Go hiking in Mammoth Lakes Basin Area
As you know, hiking is one of my favorite things to do, and the Mammoth Lakes Basin area is a great option for multiple hikes in the eastern sierras. In winter, you will have to bring your snowshoes or cross country skis if you want to explore the beauty of this area.
Visit the town of Mammoth Lakes
There are a lot of places to check out in the town of Mammoth Lakes, so you don’t need to just stay there. One of the most popular things to do is go shopping but make sure to check out the coffee shops, bakery, Distant Brewing (more a locals spot with live music) and Mammoth Lakes brewing, and try one of their many restaurants.
Concluding Thoughts
Heading back to the airport in Reno, make sure to stop at Eve’s Eatery for lunch in Carson City (farm to table, made fresh to order and phenomenal). In December, the main street is light up with beautiful Christmas decorations.
