Attractions in Mammoth Lakes – Half to Full Day Itinerary

October 15, 2023

Learn about sightseeing points of interest and the natural history of the area through brochures, books and speaking firsthand with a U.S.

California Welcome Center – Mammoth Lakes: Learn about sightseeing points of interest and the natural history of the area through brochures, books and speaking firsthand with a U.S. Forest Service Ranger, National Park Service Ranger or a Mammoth Lakes Tourism Information Agent. The California Welcome Center – Mammoth Lakes offers interpretive displays and programs, as well as a bookstore teeming with area information, books and souvenirs provided by the Eastern Sierra Interpretive Association. Open every day from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day).

Mammoth Lakes Basin: Glacier-carved lakes form the Mammoth Lakes Basin. Twin Lakes, Lake Mary, Lake Mamie, Lake George and Horseshoe Lake are nestled below jagged peaks and pine forest. Easily accessible by car, the lakes are a favorite spot for picnics, day hikes, paddleboarding, kayaking and fishing. Follow Main Street until it becomes Lake Mary Road and proceed three miles, just a 10-minute drive from Mammoth Lakes. Total driving tour through the Lakes Basin will take 30 to 45 minutes.

Hayden Cabin: Be transported back to 1930s Mammoth Lakes at The Hayden Cabin, a historic hunting and fishing lodge for summer visitors. Beds and meals were offered on a limited basis and hunters and fishermen hired the cabin’s owner, Emmett Hayden, as a guide. Three of the four bedrooms were available for rent and today house historic mining and tourism industry exhibits.