Today I want to share my California itinerary for spending 3 days in Mammoth Lakes in summer. This is a great place to travel in the warmer months if you love nature and the outdoors. With beautiful scenery, miles of hiking trails and bike paths, pristine mountain lakes, and eerie ghost towns, this part of the Golden State is worth a visit. I’m here now and I can’t wait to share my itinerary with you. I’ve included a map, too.
3 Days in Mammoth Lakes in Summer
Mammoth Lakes is a town in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Known for its winter skiing and summer outdoor activities, it’s a popular place for California vacations. Surrounded by everything from pristine lakes to hiking trails and waterfalls, it makes a great base for exploring.
I’ve traveled to this part of the eastern Sierra Nevada before, but only to ski. I’m excited to be back to spend 3 days in Mammoth Lakes in summer to discover the best of what the area has to offer in the warmer months.
Where to Stay in Mammoth
When I arrive, I check into my room at The Village Lodge at Mammoth. The property is beautiful, and it’s located right in the heart of the area.
The lodge offers mountain hotel-and-condo-style accommodation. My room has a full kitchenette and a living area, as well as a balcony that overlooks restaurants, cafes, and shops. It’s a great base for my stay. If you want to follow in my footsteps, you can book a room here.
Day 1: Hike and Dinner
After getting settled in, I kick off the first of my 3 days in Mammoth Lakes with a hike. My pre-trip research has led me to the Panorama Dome Trail, a relatively short, moderately-challenging hike with spectacular views over Mammoth Lakes.
I park on Lake Mary Road near the junction of Twin Lakes Road, then hop on the out-and-back trail to the treeless summit. It’s refreshingly uncrowded as I walk through low-lying manzanita scrub and hike up into the trees.
When I reach the top, I’m rewarded with sweeping views of Mammoth Mountain, Twin Lakes, the Mammoth Crest, the Long Valley Caldera, and the White Mountains.
Dinner in The Village at Mammoth
Back at the The Village, I grab a quick dinner at Pita Pit before walking around to take in the scene. The bars are buzzing and there’s live music in the plaza. It’s a great place to spend an evening in Mammoth.
Day 2: Mammoth Lakes Sightseeing and Ghost Town
The next morning my 3 days in Mammoth Lakes in summer continue as I head out early to do some sightseeing. From famous bodies of water to infamous ghost towns, I’m excited to see the highlights.
Mono Lake
After a quick breakfast in town, my first stop is at Mono Lake. Formed over 1 million years ago, this inland sea is one of the oldest lakes in North America. Mono Lake is also known for its bird population, stunning scenery, alkaline water, and abundance of natural limestone formations known as tufas.
After parking in the lot, I walk to the water and along its edge, admiring the unique seascape. Back in the car, I drive through Lee Vining to Bodie. Along the way I stop to see everything from the Grave of the Unknown Prospector to the Upside Down House on Mattly Avenue.
Bodie
After driving down a long dirt road, I reach Bodie, a famous California ghost town that’s still remarkably intact.
Bodie started life as a 19th-century gold-mining town. Home to almost 10,000 people in the early 1880s, it was abandoned in the 20th century and fell into disrepair. It became a State Historic Park in 1962.
I spend an hour walking around Bodie to take in the sights. From historic buildings full of departing residents’ belongings to a graveyard, mill, and museum, there’s a lot that remains in a “state of arrested decay”.
I can’t stop photographing the abandoned houses, shops, school, and mining equipment. It’s fascinating to be here, and I could spend all day exploring the site.
Lunch in Lee Vining
Back on the road, I drive to Lee Vining to have lunch at the Whoa Nellie Deli. It’s a famous restaurant by a gas station near the corner of Tioga Road (which leads to Yosemite National Park) and Highway 395. It’s known for its fish tacos, and I tuck into a heaping plate as I take in the goods in the gift shop around me.
June Lake Loop
From the deli I make my way over to the June Lake Loop, a well-known drive that leads past June Lake, Gull Lake, Silver Lake, and Grant Lake.
These bodies of water are popular places to fish, boat, swim, and do other waterfront activities in Mammoth Lakes in summer. It’s fun to drive by their shores and stop to take in the mountain scenery around them.
On the way back to The Village Lodge at Mammoth, I make a quick stop at Minaret Vista. I’m here to admire the panoramic views of the Minarets, a series of jagged mountains that make up part of the Ritter Range. They’re stunning to see.
Duck Lake Trail
In the afternoon I have some free time before dinner, so I set off on a hike. Parking at the southeastern end of the Coldwater Campground, I make my way to the Duck Lake Trail. This famous path goes through the Coldwater Creek watershed and along a series of stunning alpine lakes, meadows, and areas in the John Muir Wilderness.
I have just enough time to hike up to Arrowhead Lake and Skelton Lake. The scenery is beautiful, the terrain a decent challenge, and the lakes breathtaking. I make a mental note to return someday to hike the whole trail, but for now I’m glad to have seen enough to know how amazing it is.
Dinner in Mammoth
In the evening I have dinner at Shelter Distilling in The Village. This distillery-and-restaurant has contemporary design and hip ambiance. I tuck into a drink and dinner in the indoor-outdoor space, absorbing the buzzing atmosphere around me.
Day 3: Devils Postpile and Mammoth Mountain
The next morning my 3 days in Mammoth Lakes in summer continue as I wake up early and leave The Village Lodge at Mammoth for a big day of hiking and exploring.
Rainbow Falls
I start with a shuttle ride from the Mammoth Mountain Main Lodge to Rainbow Falls, a 101-foot waterfall that’s part of Devils Postpile National Monument.
The shuttle drops me off at the trailhead, and from there I hike past the basalt columns that form the Devils Postpile before arriving at the falls. It’s a short but exciting hike, and an ideal way to see Mammoth’s natural beauty on foot.
Lunch in Mammoth
When I finish the hike, I pick up the shuttle at a stop near the falls and ride it back to Mammoth Mountain Main Lodge.
The shuttle drops me off a stone’s throw from my lunch spot, The Yodler. This alpine-style restaurant has a huge outdoor terrace where I tuck into a hearty mountain lunch with views of the famous ski resort.
Gondola Ride to Mammoth Mountain
When I finish lunch, I walk over to ride the gondola up to the top of Mammoth Mountain. The Panorama Gondola offers sweeping views of the Sierra as it transports me up 11,053 feet to the summit.
Once at the peak, I walk around and take in views of the mountains and lakes around me. Given I skied in Mammoth on my last visit, and it’s amazing to see how different everything looks without snow.
There are mountain bikers all around me, and I admire their courage as I watch them propelling themselves down the steep trails.
Bike Ride in the Mammoth Lakes Basin
They’re not the only ones going biking today, though. Back by The Village, I drive over to Main Street to rent an e-bike for a ride around the Mammoth Lakes Basin. This area is brimming with hiking trails, pine forests, mountains, wildflowers, cycle paths, and (as the name implies) lakes.
My e-bike powers me up the hills and around a myriad of shorelines. I start at Twin Lakes and make my way to Lake Mary, Lake George, and others. The mountain scenery is breathtaking, and I can’t believe how quick and easy it is to get around on the cycle paths here.
I don’t exactly need a reward at the end of my bike ride, but I get one anyway. The ice cream from Mammoth Fun Shop is a sweet treat after a big day of hiking and e-biking.
Dinner at The Brasserie in Mammoth
When evening comes, I head to dinner at The Brasserie. Unconventionally, this restaurant is situated above a bowling alley. But as soon as I head upstairs I feel like I’m a million miles from the strikes and spares below.
I dine on the terrace overlooking the surrounding mountains. It’s the perfect atmosphere for enjoying everything from the restaurant’s signature elk medallions to fresh seafood. The dinner is delicious, and it’s a great parting gift on my last night in town.
3 Days in Mammoth Lakes in Summer
The next morning I wake up early to check out of The Village Lodge at Mammoth. I’m sad to say good-bye to this beautiful part of the Golden State, but happy to have experienced firsthand how great Mammoth Lakes is in summer.
Map of Mammoth Lakes
As promised, I created an interactive Google map of all the places I visited on my 3-day Mammoth Lakes itinerary. You can see it here. I hope it helps you plan a fun trip to this part of Mono County in the summer!
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