Flanked by forest and the craggy slopes of Mammoth Mountain, the small town of Mammoth Lakes is a gateway to much bigger outdoor adventure. Mammoth Mountain, or just Mammoth, is a world-class ski resort destination located in central California just outside of Yosemite National Park. With a 3,100-foot vertical drop, 150 trails and 30 lifts (including 10 high speed quads), Mammoth Mountain is an outdoor enthusiast's paradise. Accumulating between 8-12 feet of snow per year, Mammoth's ski slopes stay open longer than any other resort in California with substantial snow still sticking around as late as April. Snow bunnies aren't the only ones that will find the Mammoth Mountain and Mammoth Lakes region appealing, however, as there are a number of lakes and innumerable outdoor areas to explore year-round. Mammoth Mountain, too, does not hibernate in the winter. Instead activities ranging from rock climbing to golf to downhill mountain biking are all popular during the summer months.
Skiing and snowboarding are by far the most popular activities at Mammoth and with a lift capacity of 50,000 rides per hour its no secret that Mammoth is one of the countries most popular ski and summer resorts. Contributing to that success is the many varied recreational options this area provides not only in the winter, but during summertime as well. Bring your helmet and your sense of adventure if you intend to take advantage of the mountain biking and climbing in the area. Mammoth Mountain Bike Park provides great mountain bike trails such as the On The Top trail or The Kamikaze Downhill: a fast and furious 3.4-mile downhill adrenaline rush. If mountain biking isn't your thing, take some time to explore one of the area lakes. Mammoth Mountain is also a great base to explore the plethora of National Forests and Parks in the area. Mammoth is located on the Inyo National Forest and is bordered by the Ansel Adams and John Muir Wilderness Areas. Yosemite National Park's eastern entrance, Hwy 120/Tioga Pass (closed in winter), is located just 45 minutes away.
Mammoth Mountain is located in the Eastern Sierra Nevada mountain range about 325 miles north of Los Angeles and about 164 miles south of Reno, Nevada. By automobile, Mammoth Lakes can be reached via U.S. Highway 395 from the north and south. From the east and west on Interstate 80 and Hwy 50. State Highway 120 and State Highway 108 are open in the summer months only.
