The 325-mile drive from Las Vegas to Mammoth Lakes takes about five hours, depending on travel conditions. From Las Vegas, take Hwy. 95 toward Beatty. When you get to Amargosa Valley, this is the first turn off to come through Death Valley National Park. This entrance to Death Valley will take you past Zabriskie Point, Furnace Creek and Bad Water Basin. You can also enter the park at Beatty via Hwy. 374. This route is more direct through the park, though if you want to see the lowest point in the continental U.S. (Bad Water Basin) you will need to take a short detour.
If you are looking for the more direct route to Mammoth Lakes, keep on Hwy. 95 past Beatty. Then connect to Hwy. 266, which takes you toward Hwy. 168 to Big Pine or Hwy. 6 toward Benton and eventually to Hwy. 395. Local’s tip: Mammoth Lakes locals swear that the 266 is the fastest option to and from Las Vegas.
No matter which route you choose, scenery is abundant but the services are not. Make sure you have plenty of snacks, water and a full tank of gas before you leave Las Vegas, and take advantage of rest stops when you see them. They are few and far between on this route.
