Why Mammoth Lakes:
Chill, adventurous, beautiful, relaxing, and full of new things to explore, Mammoth Lakes is the perfect getaway spot for a long weekend. While this majestic location boasts a number of outdoor activities, delicious restaurants, and gorgeous photo-ops, it will greatly depend on the time of year you go as to what you will be able to do. In this post, we will take a look at what to do in Mammoth in the off-season of late fall, when the Bike Park has closed, and the Ski Resort hasn’t quite opened yet. This ‘slow time’ could be your next great adventure.
If you’re driving in from any northern state, I highly suggest taking a look at our “Off The Beaten Path: Nevada” post. It’s worth the detour! We stayed at a very cool free campground in the middle of nowhere with hot springs on the property. It has a slow vibe, beautiful sunsets, and an exceptionally lovely camp host who gave us a few hot spring recommendations to check out the next morning. It definitely set us up for a great start heading to Mammoth.
Where to Stay:
Whether you’re camping in a tent, pulling a trailer, or rockin’ an RV, Mammoth Mountain RV Park offers close proximity to Mammoth, with a quiet and comfortable vibe. This is where we set up for our weekend getaway. There is also a campground across the road called New Shady Rest Campground that is cheaper but has no hook-ups. I’d highly recommend it as well.
Don’t let the lack of running lifts deter you from some awesome mountain bike rides. I assure you, the lack of crowds and the views you’ll see are worth the extra effort! There are also amazing hot springs to soak in every day to soothe the soul.
Mammoth Lakes Day 1:
Whether breakfast, brunch, or lunch, you can’t go wrong swinging into Elixir Superfood & Juice. They make very clean food, use organic whole-food ingredients, and everything is Gluten Free. In addition to coffee, they have smoothies, and açaí bowls, along with organic cold-pressed juices and energy snacks to go. For lunch, they have a plethora of grain bowls and salads. This little cafe is conveniently located right on the way to Uptown Trail, which is the entrance to the famous trails of Mammoth. From there, we hit Paper Route Trail and connected to Lakes Trail. From the Lakes Trail, you can pop out on the main road and ride along the lakes through the campground and continue on a paved trail to Horseshoe Lake Loop. Or you can just head back into town. Read all about this route on our Paper Route Trail!
Tired and thirsty after our ride, we swung into Roberto’s Cafe for a quick happy hour. I can’t say it was anything to rave about, but they have cheap tacos and $4 Margaritas on HH! After that, we headed back to the campground for a quick change into our swimsuits. Excited to check out the local hot springs, we hopped in the Jeep and took off. We headed to Crab Cooker Hot Springs first.
The road was pretty bumpy, so make sure your car has enough clearance. Unfortunately, the water was cold. We heard that happens every once in a while, and sadly it was not our day. However, the views were incredible and it was so sad to walk away. Next, we ventured on to Shepherd Hot Springs and hit it just right. Thankfully, nobody was there and the views were incredible. Keep in mind that both of these hot springs are probably only big enough for 4-5 people. So they don’t lend themselves to getting in if they are already occupied by another crew. Finally, if they’re full… keep trying, they’re worth it!
End the day with some live music if you’re lucky at Shelter Distilling in Mammoth Lakes, and dine on fantastic food and drink in a laid-back atmosphere. Their pizza was awesome and there were gluten-free options as well. Not surprisingly, we went here two nights in a row because we liked it so much.
Check off Day 1 of your weekend in Mammoth!
Mammoth Lakes Day 2:
Grab breakfast at The Warming Hut or a coffee at Black Velvet Coffee and prepare yourself for day two of riding. Again, head towards the Uptown Route which then links to Beach Cruiser and comes down Mountain View Trail. This route will have you climbing a little over 2,000 feet in elevation, and you’ll want to allow 4+ hours to enjoy it. More details can be found here, Beach Cruiser Route.
Afterward, head to Wild Willy’s Hot Springs for another evening soak. These hot springs seemed to be a bit more popular, but they also had a lot more pools (at least 4) to accommodate more people. Follow the wooden walkway from the parking lot straight to the hot springs.
There’s also Grocery Outlet and a Vons not far from Mammoth RV Park, so it’s always fun to grab food and enjoy the sunset at the hot springs or have a chill night camping.
After your weekend in Mammoth, don’t miss out on the beautiful neighboring town of Bishop.
