Summer in Mammoth Lakes

Aerial Tour with Skytime Helicopter

Even if you’ve lived in Mammoth Lakes your entire life, seeing it from the air will leave you completely awestruck. We took an aerial tour with Ed from Skytime Helicopter out of Mammoth-Yosemite airport. He took us over Mono Lake, June Mountain, the Minarets, Mammoth Mountain, and finally Convict Lake all while pointing out various geological features. It was a completely surreal experience to say the least. Yes, the rugged mountain landscape is beautiful from the ground, but from seeing it from the air gave us an entirely new perspective. If you ever have the opportunity, we would highly recommend taking this trip.

Fly Fishing

Mammoth Lakes is a popular destination for fly fishers year round. During our visit, we took a half-day guided tour with the Troutfitter down along Hot Creek. This creek is fed by thermally active springs that keep the water a consistent temperature throughout the year. We spent a relaxing morning casting along its grassy banks and snagged beautiful rainbow trout in the process. Even if you’ve never fly fished before, the guides at Troutfitter can make sure you have a wonderful experience out on the river.

Kayaking on Mono Lake

One of the oldest lakes in the western hemisphere, Mono Lake is a shallow, salty body of water that spreads across the greater Mono Basin. Centuries of evaporation and ground seepage has slowly reduce its size and turned its water alkaline. While it might not seem like a great place to kayak, seeing this lake from the water is actually the best way to appreciate its haunting beauty. Along its shoreline giant calcium spires called tufas tower like sentinels. As we paddled along our guide Stuart from Caldera Kayaks filled us in on the ancient lake’s fascinating geological history. Barren and lifeless from a far, Mono Lake has plenty of secrets to tell when viewed up close.

Outdoor Dining

When summer arrives, the people of Mammoth Lakes really do know how to embrace it. Throughout the town, there are dozens of places that offer outdoor seating. Soak up some rays, enjoy a cold beer, and gaze up at the beautiful mountains. We recommend checking out: Mammoth Brewing Company, June Lake Brewing, O’Hanas food truck, or Campo in The Village.

Hike & Picnic

Situated in the foothills of the Sierra mountains, Mammoth Lakes has an incredible amount of hiking trails right out their back door. But what to bring for lunch?  Bleu Handcrafted Foods is a local delicatessen that can prepare a to-go charcuterie box that’s perfect for short day hikes. They can even have the box delivered to your cabin or hotel the day before. We did a little hiking in Lundy Canyon and the dried meats, cheese, olives, and nuts made for a perfect trailside picnic.

Bodie State Historic Park  

As the largest unrestored ghost town in the west, Bodie State Historic Park is like stepping through a portal to the past. This remote mining town got its start in 1859 with the discovery of gold. Its population rapidly exploded over following decades, transforming it into a bustling boomtown. At its peak, Bodie had up to 2000 buildings and a population of 7,000 people. But as mining declined towards the turn-of-the-century, so did Bodie. Now you can walk through the faded ruins of this ghost town and see what was left behind. While the state park has reinforced some of the structures for safety, none have been restored.

Scenic Drives

Whether you’re driving or cycling, Mammoth Lakes has a couple of pretty incredible scenic loops. The Mammoth Loop leaves from the north of town and weaves through a sea of pine trees before ending at the 395. A little ways up 395, you can pick up the June Lake Loop. This scenic byway takes you through the town of June Lake, past the ski resort, and down past Silver Lake and Grant Lake. Both routes are gorgeous in either direction and worth checking out.

Festivals

Summer is the time for festivals and Mammoth Lakes host a couple that are definitely worth checking out. We visited during the Mammoth Lakes Film Festival. While only in its third year, it has started to attract some top name talent to this small mountain town. Mammoth also hosts a 4th of July  Parade, a reggae festival, and a jazzfest during the summer. But, their hallmark festival is Bluesapalooza in early August- a four day blues-centric music festival that draws crowds from all over the country.