Outdoor Delight around Mammoth Lakes
Hiking and the great outdoors are still exceptional ways to experience treasures off the beaten track, to seek solitude and explore unique destinations. The area around Yosemite National Park in California lends itself to such exploration, yet within the confines and limitations of the park area. Just a few miles further East of Yosemite, however, there are numerous smaller pockets of unchartered territory with greater flexibility and potential, as they fall outside the boundaries of the National Park. Among them, the area around Mono Lake and Mammoth Lakes stands out for its scenic beauty and variety of outdoor activities. Using Las Vegas, Nevada as a base, Mammoth Lakes thus lends itself perfectly as a long weekend getaway destination.
The drive North to Mammoth is already an adventure in itself - passing through the moonscape of Death Valley National Park with a possible stop at Scotty's Castle, we eventually join Hwy 395 North-bound passing through some of the most deserted and neglected areas of California including the towns of Independence and Bishop, CA, administrative centers of Inyo County and the central Mojave Desert in California. Yet further North, the scenery begins to change and more vegetation can be found along the highway, including shrubs and small trees. It marks the beginning of the Inyo National Forest with marked changes in climate and altitude as we pass the dried-out area around Lake Crowley on the right. Soon the mountains begin in earnest, with snow-capped peaks in winter time of up to 7000 ft. The area around Mammoth Lakes and Mammoth mountains is geologically highly active with hot springs and rhyolite domes of less than 1000 years of age. For that reason, Mammoth boasts a variety of outdoor activities from skiing in the winter to unique hiking and outdoor thermal springs adventures almost year-round.
The town of Mammoth Lakes is hardly a well-kept secret anymore and shows signs of the same suburban sprawl experienced nationwide, albeit in moderate degrees. Its official population of 10000 inhabitants can easily double in number during the winter peak, when many Coastal Californians head inland for skiing and hiking delight in the mountains. For that reason, though, it boasts a good infrastructure with sufficient hotel rooms of all categories, great restaurants and some evening activities. The town thus lends itself as a perfect base for day trips into the surrounding mountains. Mammoth Mountain ranks among the most interesting, as it was formed by volcanic eruptions only 57000 years ago, extremely recent in geological terms. The mountain still produces hazardous volcanic gases that affect tree growth and shape the scenery of the surrounding forest area. Many trees, for instance, appear damaged or dead from what first seems like a forest fire, but at second sight turns out to be the effect of hazardous sulphor gas from Mammoth Mountain.
The area boasts phenomenal hiking and skiing opportunities, particularly heading North on the Mammoth Lakes Loop passing Old Mammoth on the left. Numerous lakes at different altitude levels beckon for a break to seek solitude, have picnics or go on extensive hikes of the surrounding mountain area. Following a day worth of hiking, nothing better to soak our tired sore muscles in some of the local hot springs, many of which are in the outdoors and form part of the natural springs stemming from the geologically active Mammoth Mountain. During daytime we particularly like the springs around Hot Creek Ranch, which can be reached by heading South on Hwy 395 and turning left on a small dirt road before reaching Convict Lake. Those are best visited during daytime, however, while the publically marked outdoor springs to the right off Hwy 395 South of Mammoth are best enjoyed at night, with the Moon light illuminating both the trail and the springs themselves. Mammoth Lakes is thus a perfect venue to seek wellness, solitude, to hike the great outdoors and to feel alive & well far away from tourist crowds.
The drive North to Mammoth is already an adventure in itself - passing through the moonscape of Death Valley National Park with a possible stop at Scotty's Castle, we eventually join Hwy 395 North-bound passing through some of the most deserted and neglected areas of California including the towns of Independence and Bishop, CA, administrative centers of Inyo County and the central Mojave Desert in California. Yet further North, the scenery begins to change and more vegetation can be found along the highway, including shrubs and small trees. It marks the beginning of the Inyo National Forest with marked changes in climate and altitude as we pass the dried-out area around Lake Crowley on the right. Soon the mountains begin in earnest, with snow-capped peaks in winter time of up to 7000 ft. The area around Mammoth Lakes and Mammoth mountains is geologically highly active with hot springs and rhyolite domes of less than 1000 years of age. For that reason, Mammoth boasts a variety of outdoor activities from skiing in the winter to unique hiking and outdoor thermal springs adventures almost year-round.
The town of Mammoth Lakes is hardly a well-kept secret anymore and shows signs of the same suburban sprawl experienced nationwide, albeit in moderate degrees. Its official population of 10000 inhabitants can easily double in number during the winter peak, when many Coastal Californians head inland for skiing and hiking delight in the mountains. For that reason, though, it boasts a good infrastructure with sufficient hotel rooms of all categories, great restaurants and some evening activities. The town thus lends itself as a perfect base for day trips into the surrounding mountains. Mammoth Mountain ranks among the most interesting, as it was formed by volcanic eruptions only 57000 years ago, extremely recent in geological terms. The mountain still produces hazardous volcanic gases that affect tree growth and shape the scenery of the surrounding forest area. Many trees, for instance, appear damaged or dead from what first seems like a forest fire, but at second sight turns out to be the effect of hazardous sulphor gas from Mammoth Mountain.
The area boasts phenomenal hiking and skiing opportunities, particularly heading North on the Mammoth Lakes Loop passing Old Mammoth on the left. Numerous lakes at different altitude levels beckon for a break to seek solitude, have picnics or go on extensive hikes of the surrounding mountain area. Following a day worth of hiking, nothing better to soak our tired sore muscles in some of the local hot springs, many of which are in the outdoors and form part of the natural springs stemming from the geologically active Mammoth Mountain. During daytime we particularly like the springs around Hot Creek Ranch, which can be reached by heading South on Hwy 395 and turning left on a small dirt road before reaching Convict Lake. Those are best visited during daytime, however, while the publically marked outdoor springs to the right off Hwy 395 South of Mammoth are best enjoyed at night, with the Moon light illuminating both the trail and the springs themselves. Mammoth Lakes is thus a perfect venue to seek wellness, solitude, to hike the great outdoors and to feel alive & well far away from tourist crowds.
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