Things to Do in Mammoth Lakes & the Eastern Sierra
Early Summer Activities
June 2nd, 2023 – Here are a few ideas of what to do in the area during the month of June 2023.
Roads: Tioga Pass and Sonora Pass Roads remain closed. You can walk and ride your bike to the upper gate on Tioga Pass.
Skiing and Snowboarding: Mammoth Mountain is open through July, with the following lifts running now. Chairs 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 11, 12, and Chair 23. Chairs 13 and 14 are open this upcoming weekend. Hours are 7:30 AM to 1:30 PM Daily. The Panorama Gondola will reopen on June 17th for Summer Operations.
Mountain Biking: Single Track Trails and Forest Service Roads are now open below the 8000-foot level. You will encounter patches of snow in some shaded areas above the 7500 level. Get the full details of what’s open and what conditions are like at this Eastern Sierra Mountain Biking website.
Early Summer Hiking: The high country at and above 9000 feet is buried in deep snow in the range of 10 to 30 feet, with snow down to about the 8000-foot level.
The Mammoth Lakes Basin is buried along with all the trails in that area. You can hike on snowshoes up Lake Mary Road at this time from Twin Lakes. There are still 8 feet around Lake Mary, so it will be around July 4th before you can access the Basin by car.
Below the 8000-foot level, lower-elevation trails have mostly melted out. The back meadow and the enchanted forest in old mammoth have melted, but it’s a muddy mess with multiple stream crossings.
Just outside of Mammoth, you can hike part of the way up to the Sherwin Lakes. The snow is melting fast here, so you might be able to make it to Sherwin Lakes now.
Down the road, a bit Lower Rock Creek Canyon Trail is perfect for a hike. Watch out for Mountain Bikers.
Fishing Season: The early Summer fishing is limited this year from the big snowpack still left above the 8000-foot level. The best places to fish now would be Crowley Lake, Convict Lakes, June Lake, Gull Lake, and Silver Lake. All the creeks, streams, and rivers are running way too high for decent fishing now. https://www.thetroutfitter.com/fish-report
Camping: A few USFS campgrounds are now open by Toms Place. On June 9th, Shady Rest and the Sherwin Camp Ground Areas will open in Mammoth. Most dispersed camping is now open as well.
Browns Town Campground is open in Bishop and Mill Pond, as is the Fair Ground RV park. Here is a link for information on Brownstown campsites. FYI: Plesant Valley Campground is closed with flooding in the area.
Scenic Gondola Rides: The Panorama Gondola will reopen on June 17th for Summer Operations.
Riding to the top of Mammoth Mountain is a fantastic experience. The views are breathtaking as you ride up and beyond compare once standing at the top.
Once you reach the top station, you will have a 360 degrees view of the Eastern Sierra and the Sierra Nevada. You will also get a chance to get a picture of the famous Mammoth Mountain Sign at 11,000 feet.
There is also an interpretative center with more information about the Eastern Sierra, Mammoth Mountain, and the mountain peaks you can see from the 11,000-foot level.
Mammoth Lakes Basin: Access is open to hikers, snowshoers, and snowmobiles, as well as back-country skiers and riders. Beware parking at the closure gate is extremely limited at this time. There is no camping in this area until early July, as there is a deep snowpack.
The Hyden Cabin in Old Mammoth is open. Here is the link for more information
Hot Creek Fish Hatchery is open. Here is the link for more information
Mill Pond Park & Disc Golf: A great place to hang out just beyond at the bottom of the Sherwin Grade. There is an entire 18-hole disc golf course to keep you busy for hours. Got Kids? The park has an excellent playground for kids as well.
Here is the link to get a map and all the details on Mill Pond.
Laws Rail Road Museum: I recommend everyone visiting the Eastern Sierra to experience this unique museum setting. You’ll find 11 acres of indoor and outdoor exhibits, including the original depot and steam locomotive, the Slim Princess. Experience what life was like over 100 years ago in Owens Valley.
Here is the link to get more information https://lawsmuseum.org/welcome-museum
Bishop City Park: Here is the link to get more information on Bishop City Park.
July 4th Holiday: The big holiday weekend will feature winter sports at Mammoth Mountains Main Lodge. These lifts are expected to be open: 1, 2, 3, and 23, along with the Panorama Gondola to the top. There will be a Summit Sunset Watch on Saturday, July 1st.
The Mountain Bike Park is not expected to be open for the Holiday due to Snow. If the weather stays warm, some lower runs could be available for mountain biking, but everything is in question at this point in time.
On July 4th, down in town at 11 AM, they have a big parade with a 5 K run that goes off at 8 AM. You will also find a very cool Art Show with many vendors down in the Footloose and Ride Aid Parking areas.
There will be July 4th Fireworks at Crowley Lake and a Small July 2nd Fireworks show at the Village at Mammoth. If you’re in Bishop, they shot off the fireworks right behind the local city park. So you can see them from most yards and businesses around downtown Bishop.
Camping by this Holiday will still be limited to elevations below about 8500 feet, with the Lake Basin above Twin Lakes still expected to have several feet of snow on the ground.
Ski Ya Later, Snowman
