Day Trips and Scenic Tours from Mammoth Lakes

A spectacular day trip indeed, Yosemite National Park—with the famous Tuolumne Meadows, Tenaya Lake, Half Dome, El Capitan, the beautiful waterfalls of Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias—is only a 45-minute drive away. There are many options for activities once inside the park making this a full day adventure.

Take U.S. Highway 395 north from Mammoth Lakes about 30 miles to State Highway 120 West. Wind your way up Lee Vining Canyon to Tioga Pass (10,000 feet) to the eastern entrance to Yosemite National Park. Entrance fee required—visit recreation.gov to buy your pass ahead of time. Note: The pass is closed during the winter season. For a unique point of interest located at the Mobil Gas Station, just off U.S. Highway 395 on State Highway 120, check out the Whoa Nellie Deli—an unlikely setting offering delicious cuisine overlooking beautiful Mono Lake, complete with a picturesque picnic area.

Want to relax and enjoy the scenery instead of focusing on the road? Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) offers an affordable, stress-free way to visit the park without driving your own vehicle.

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. 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, paddle boarding, 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.

Take a gondola ride to the top of Mammoth Mountain to an elevation of 11,053 feet! There you will have spectacular panoramic views of over 400 miles of the Sierra Nevada Range. Explore the Eleven53 Interpretive Center with interactive displays on the area’s geology, hydrology and volcanic history.

Grab a bite at the Eleven53 Café before you ride or hike the trails on Mammoth Mountain. The gondola ride is only a 15-minute ride from the Adventure Center at the base of the mountain. Dogs on a leash are welcome. Free maps are available at the Adventure Center. Fee required. For more information, contact Mammoth Mountain at 800-626-6684.

Minaret Vista

Approximately 2 miles up from the Mammoth Mountain Adventure Center is Minaret Vista, with breathtaking views of the Ansel Adams and John Muir Wilderness Areas. The jutting spires of the Minarets with Mount Ritter (13,157 feet) and Banner Peak (12,945 feet), the two tallest peaks in the range are clearly visible. Minaret Vista is a popular spot for stargazing, and during the summer months there are “Star Parties.” Restrooms and picnic areas are available.

Earthquake Fault

The sizable fissure is not an earthquake fault caused by a single quake, but was actually formed during a series of strong quakes. A more appropriate name for this fracture would be “Earthquake Fissure.” The fissure is up to 10 feet wide and 60 feet deep and cuts through volcanic rock, part of a glassy rhyolite lava flow from Mammoth Mountain that was formed by tectonic stresses in the earth’s crust.

The age of the fissure is unknown, but some of the trees growing in it are 150 years old, indicating that the crack is at least that old. A short walking trail surrounds this natural phenomenon. Majestic red fir and Jeffrey pine trees make this a nice spot for a picnic. Closed in winter. Located off Minaret Road about halfway between the Town of Mammoth Lakes and Mammoth Mountain Ski Area.

Mount Whitney

Mount Whitney stands at 14,505 feet and is the highest point in the contiguous United States. The west slope of the mountain is in Sequoia National Park, the summit is at the south end of the John Muir Trail, and the east slope is in the Inyo National Forest in Inyo County. Mount Whitney is above the tree line and has an alpine climate and ecology; very few plants grow near the summit. The peak’s name comes from Josiah Whitney, the state geologist of California and benefactor of the California Geological Survey in July 1864.

Trips going to Mount Whitney have specific quotas and must be reserved. A valid overnight permit or day-use permit is required year-round.

Mount Whitney is west of the town of Lone Pine along U.S. Highway 395 (approximately 105 miles south of Mammoth Lakes), and is easily accessed by the Whitney Portal Trailhead approximately 13 miles west of town. For more information on Mount Whitney and permits, contact the Wilderness Information Line at 760-873-2485 or the Reservation Line at 760-873-2483.

Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park has over 3 million acres of designated wilderness and hundreds of miles of backcountry roads. The park contains an amazing variety of terrain, historic sites, plants and animals for outdoor adventurers to explore. Some of the highlights of Death Valley are Golden Canyon, Artist’s Drive, Devil’s Golf Course, Natural Bridge, Zabriskie Point, Dante’s View, Twenty Mule Team Canyon, Titus Canyon, Eureka Dunes, The Racetrack and Badwater, the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level.

The Furnace Creek Visitor Center and Museum is open daily. The visitor center is located in the Furnace Creek Resort area on California State Highway 190. Contact them at 760-786-3200. The Death Valley Natural History Association sales outlets are located in visitor centers and contact stations and have informational materials about the park. Lodging, camp stores, restaurants, dump stations, fuel and auto services are available in Furnace Creek, Stovepipe Wells Village, Panamint Springs and in the towns adjacent to the park.

Cellphones and GPS do not work in Death Valley! Do not depend on them. In some cases there is spotty reception, but dependence on a cellphone or GPS can be fatal in an emergency situation. Check with the rangers for specific recommendations on travel safety. Located approximately 4 hours (214 miles) south of Mammoth Lakes, take U.S. Highway 395 south to Lone Pine and take State Highway 136 to State Highway 190 into the park, or continue south to Olancha to State Highway 190, heading east into the park.

Badwater, 282 feet below sea level, is the lowest point in North America and only 80 aerial miles from Mount Whitney.

Manzanar

Manzanar used to be an internment camp during World War II for U.S. residents of Japanese descent. Discover some of the history in the Owens Valley. 95 miles south of Mammoth Lakes.