Fatbikes have been growing in popularity over the past couple of years. If you’re interested in trying out fat biking when you’re in. Mammoth Lakes, here’s some info about the sport and routes to explore for all levels.
Why Ride a Fatbike?
A fat bike is a mountain bike that accommodates very large, 4-to 5-inch tires. This allows for amazing stability and a high degree of traction on difficult surfaces and terrain. Therefore, you may feel more comfortable riding over things and being on trails on a fat bike that might make you nervous on a normal mountain bike.
Fatbikes are also great for powering through difficult terrain like snow and pumice without getting bogged down. Fatbike riders often experience a confidence boost on a fat bike because they can go places that they couldn’t before.
Great rides for Fatbikers
Beginner Fatbiking in Mammoth Lakes
Ride up the Lakes Basin Path or take the trolley to Horseshoe Lake. This short and relatively flat trail around the lake offers beautiful vistas. It’s perfect for beginners who want to check out fat biking. It’s also a great trail for those who want to acclimate or warm-up when they first arrive in Mammoth Lakes.
Intermediate Fatbiking in Mammoth Lakes
Pick up a trail map at the Mammoth Lakes Welcome Center and head out to Shady Rest. The trails in this area have amazing dirt for fat biking. The dirt gets really soft and riders will be able to feel how well the fat bikes work in conditions that would be difficult for cross country mountain bikes with narrower tires. Riders can “pick their own adventures” on a mixture of hills, flats, single track trails and dirt roads.
Advanced Fatbiking in Mammoth Lakes
A super fun trail that is Jen’s favorite is
Mountain View. This route is a longer ride with a lot more hills and elevation gain, and it has a ton of beautiful views and loose dirt. To access this trail, riders can take the shuttle up to Main Lodge. Riders can ride up to Minaret Vista to access the trail or pick it up behind Mammoth Mountain Inn and ride it all the way down to the Earthquake Fault, then hop on to Downtown on to The Village at Mammoth. Those who want a longer, more strenuous ride, can
purchase a Mammoth Mountain Bike Park pass and ride up Uptown to Main Lodge and onto Minaret Vista.
