Mammoth Lakes and Vicinity
Mammoth Lakes is a destination resort located in the Eastern Sierra region of the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. If you're looking for us on a map, Mammoth Lakes is in the eastern central area of California, about 150 miles southeast of Lake Tahoe and about 30 miles east of the southeastern edge of Yosemite National Park. Mammoth Lakes is best known for its tremendous annual snowfall and the outstanding skiing and snowboarding at Mammoth Mountain, which is considered one of the top ski resorts in North America. Mammoth Mountain is a very popular skiing and snowboarding desitnation for Southern California residents, with an average annual snowfall of more than 300 inches.
In the last fifteen years, more visitors are also discovering the abundance of Summer activities in Mammoth. With summer time temperatures averaging 80 degrees from May through September, outdoor enthusiasts come to enjoy the solitude and beauty of Mammoth Lakes, and the great outdoor opportunities such as hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, climbing, fishing, boating, kayaking, golfing, tennis, swimming, hot air ballooning, off-road vehicle use, fall foliage viewing, and resort-town activities like art galleries, movies, museums, shopping, live music, and fine dining.
In close proximity to Mammoth Lakes are Crowley Lake, Rock Creek Canyon, Devils Postpile National Monument and Rainbow Falls, June Lake, June Mountain Ski Area, Bodie State Historic Park, Mono Lake, and the Ansel Adams and John Muir Wilderness Areas.
Visiting Mammoth Lakes
Travel by auto
The Mammoth Lakes area is easily reached year round via US-395 from Reno, Nevada or from Southern California, via CA-14 from Los Angeles, and via Interstate 80 and US-50 from the east and west (then south on US-395). Except when roads are closed due to snow, it can also be reached from the west via CA-120 through Yosemite National Park over Tioga Pass, via CA-108 over Sonora Pass, and via CA-89 over Monitor Pass. (Because of high elevations, roads that cross passes on the Sierra Crest are often closed for several months during the winter. Tioga Pass is generally open only from late May or early June until early November and use of CA-120 over Tioga Pass requires payment of Yosemite National Park's entrance fees or possession of a National Parks entry pass.)
Travel by air
Mammoth Yosemite Airport (MMH) lies along US 395 east of the town of Mammoth Lakes. Commercial flights begain in 2008, with daily non-stop service between Mammoth and Los Angeles Airport (LAX). Starting in 2009, Horizon Air will expand its air service to Mammoth from Los Angeles and several other markets.
Charters are also available, Mammoth Lakes air charter services include:
* Hot Creek Aviation 760.924.9127
* Mammoth Air Charter 760.934.4279
Reno/Tahoe International Airport (RNO) is the closest commercial airport to the Mammoth Lakes area. It is served by about a dozen commercial airlines. Mammoth Lakes is 163 miles (262 km) from the Reno airport, along US-395. Carson Ridgecrest Eastern Sierra Transit (CREST) connects Reno/Tahoe International Airport with Mammoth Lakes by bus (coach) on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, with one trip each day in each direction.
Municipal airports are also located in the towns of Bishop, Bridgeport and Lee Vining.
Travel by bus (coach)
The Eastern Sierra Transit Authority provides scheduled bus (coach) public transit between Reno, Nevada and Mammoth Lakes and between Mammoth Lakes and Lancaster, California. Its routes can be used to create connections to other transit services.
Yosemite Area Rapid Transit System (YARTS) provides summer-only scheduled bus (coach) service between Mammoth Lakes and Yosemite Valley in Yosemite National Park. YARTS also travels between Yosemite Valley and Merced, California, where a rail connection can be made with the San Francisco Bay area through the Central Valley on Amtrak's San Joaquin route.
These tour bus lines provide service between Southern California and Mammoth Lakes; some operate only during the ski season:
* Gold Coast Tours 800.638.6427 / 714.449.6888
* New Horizon Tours 805.499.7544
* Pacific Sports Tours 310.798.1234
* Sierra Ski & Rafting Tours 888.667.1110 / 714.667.1111
* XTC Tours 760.924.8480