Horseback Riding in Mammoth Lakes

See the Mammoth Lakes and Eastern Sierra backcountry on horseback. If you’re looking for a guided horseback riding experience in Mammoth Lakes, the Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit offers a variety of trips for people of all skill levels, ages seven and up.

What to Expect with Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit

The Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit is located in the Mammoth Lakes Basin on Lake Mary Road. Open seven days a week in the summer, Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit offers guided horse and mule rides in the Mammoth Lakes Basin and into the Eastern Sierra backcountry. The season varies from year to year and is dependent on when the Mammoth Lakes Basin is open to vehicular traffic. Typically horseback riding in Mammoth Lakes is offered early June through late September.

Guided Horseback Riding Day Trips in the Mammoth Lakes Basin

Choose from a variety of guided horseback riding adventures to suit your interests, price point and ability level.

1-Hour Trail Rides

Available to guest ages 7 and up, the one-hour trail rides operate daily at 11 am and 4 pm. The 11 am ride leaves the Mammoth Lakes Basin and heads to Panorama Dome for views of the Long Valley Caldera, passing by Twin Lakes, Lake Mamie and the waterfall between the two lakes.

In the afternoon, take a loop trail ride to Red Mountain, overlooking the Mammoth Lakes Basin, Lake Mary and Mammoth Mountain. 

1.5-Hour Trail Rides

At 9 am and 2 pm daily, guest can join two different one-and a half-hour routes. Take a wooded scenic ride past three of the Mammoth Lakes Basin Lakes in the morning, or ride alon Mammoth Creek to the historic Mammoth Consolidated Mine in the afternoon. 

These rides are offered to riders ages 7 and up.

2-Hour Trail Rides

Explore further off the beaten path in the Mammoth Lakes Basin on a 2-hour guided horseback ride adventure. These guided trips depart the Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit at 8 am and 1:30 pm daily, with four different routes offered throughout the week, visiting Heart Lake, TJ and Barrett Lakes, Emerald Lake or Lake George.

Check the Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit website to see what lakes are on the schedule, as different routes are offered throughout the week. Guests ages 9 and up are permitted to join the 2-hour trail rides.

Half-Day Trail Rides

Offered Monday, Tuesday and Fridays throughout the summer, half-day trail rides are open to guests ages 10 and up. Choose from three different routes, each with a unique perspective on the beauty of the Mammoth Lakes Basin and the backcountry area.

Check the Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit website for details on which route is scheduled for the day you’d like to ride.

Full-Day Trail Rides

For a fully immersive guided horseback rides adventure, join the full-day ride, which is offered each Wednesday throughout the summer. Guest ages 10 and up are welcome to join the ride to Barney Lake at the base of Duck Pass. The trip includes time for fishing, lunch and hiking along the way.

Walk & Lead Horseback Riding in the Mammoth Lakes Basin

For younger guests, ages 3 to 6, Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit offers walk and lead rides. Children ride a horse or mule guided by their parent or guardian along a self-guided trail. The ride takes about 20 minutes. Helmets are required for all riders, but are available on site and free of charge.

Guided Pack Trips Just Outside of Mammoth Lakes

Custom Pack Trips

The Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit offers custom pack trips for guest looking to spend more time in the backcountry on horseback. From gear transportation and knowledgable guides to backcountry kitchens with a cook and stay-in-camp wranglers to care for the livestock, you can create the perfect pack trip for your group. 

Visit the Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit website for more details on pack trip services and to book your trip.

Bodie Trail Ride

Each summer, Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit offers a special multi-day trail ride to Bodie State Historic Park. The pack trip includes a full service camp, with meals provided by a cook, and a knowledgeable guide to show you the Bodie ghost town and other sites along the way.

Visit the Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit website for more details on pack trip services and to book your trip.

Spring and Fall Horse Drives

Join in the annual Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit horse drive at the start or end of the season. This traditional working horse drive is for the true cowboys at heart who want to join in a unique western experience.

The five-day horse drive includes full-service camps, with meals provided by a cook. All riders work as part of the crew on this hands-on pack trip, so basic riding experience is required.

Visit the Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit website for more details on pack trip services and to book your trip.

Getting to the Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit

By Shuttle

Eastern Sierra Transit Authority (ESTA) provides free roundtrip shuttle service to the Mammoth Lakes Basin. The shuttle is the recommended mode of transportation to the Mammoth Lakes Basin and the Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit, as traffic by car can be heavy during holidays and weekends.

The Lakes Basin Trolley bus runs to the Mammoth Pack Outfit from The Village at Mammoth and stops at other Mammoth Lakes Basin points of interest along the way. Learn more about the free shuttle to the Mammoth Lakes Basin here.

By Car

The Mammoth Lakes Basin and Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit are also accessible by car. Parking at in the Mammoth Lakes Basin is free, although space is limited. A number of Mammoth Lakes taxi and shuttle services also provide transportation to the Mammoth Lakes Basin and the Mammoth Lakes Pack Outfit.