10 Summer Activities for Families in Mammoth Lakes

Summer in Mammoth is an amazing time to explore the mountains, relax and go on an adventure. With so many things to do and places to explore, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Here is a list of some of our favorite family fun activities to enjoy this summer!

1. Horseback Riding
Enjoy exploring the Eastern Sierras on horseback.  Book a guided ride out of The Lakes Basin, Convict Lake and Reds Meadow.

2.  Biking around Town & The Lakes Basin
Hop on a bike and take one of the many paved paths to cruise through town or up and around The Lakes Basin.

3.  Hike around Convict Lake
Take a nice hike around Convict Lake just South of Mammoth.  The path is fairly flat, following the lake line and is about 3 miles round trip and also leads out to larger hikes into the high country.  You can make a whole day out of it, Convict Lake has boat rentals, fishing, restaurants and more!

4.  Mammoth Mountain Activity Center
Located at Main Lodge at Mammoth Mountain.  Kids ages 12 & under can enjoy the rock climbing walls, bungee trampoline, ropes course, junior zip line, Stacyc pump track and S.A.F.E. Archery.

5.  Devils Postpile & Rainbow Falls Hike
Take the shuttle down to Reds Meadow and explore Devils Postpile National Monument and Rainbow Falls.  Getting off at the Devils Postpile trailhead, there is a ranger station and Devils Postpile is about 0.4 miles and fairly flat.  You can continue on to Rainbow Falls waterfall which is an additional 2.1 miles.

6.  Spend Time on a Lake Boating, Paddle Boarding, Kayaking or Canoeing 
There are quite a few marinas and rental shops scattered throughout the area.  You can rent everything from a pontoon boat, fishing boat, kayak, paddle board and canoe to enjoy nature from the water.  Rentals vary from hourly to half day and full day.

7.  Movies Under The Stars at The Village
Watch movies on the big screen underneath the stars!  Thursday and Sunday evenings throughout summer beginning at dusk (8:30pm earlier in the season and 7:45pm later in the season).  Bring a chair or dine on the patio at Campo and watch a family friendly movie outdoors at the plaza in The Village.

8.  Stop by a Weekend Festival at The Village
Every summer weekend enjoy a festival with music, food and more!  From the Country Fest, Jazz Fest, Reggae Fest, Wine Walk, Margarita Fest, Mammoth Rock n’ Rye, Village Fest with rib and burger cook-off, there is something for everyone.

9.  Scenic Gondola Tour
Hop on the gondola out of Mammoth Mountain’s Main Lodge up to the summit!  Take in expansive views from the top, check out the Interpretive Center to learn more about the area, grab lunch from the cafe and even enjoy hiking trails off the top.

10.  Mountain Biking
With beginner, intermediate, expert and pro singletrack, there is something for everyone!  The mountain offers plenty of pavers, berms, jumps and drops for those looking for a thrill.  Ride Mammoth Mountain with lift access, shuttles, rentals and demos.  Mountain bike trails are also scattered throughout town for those not looking to purchase a lift ticket.  A more popular free trail is The Mammoth Rock Trail, an intermediate dirt single track on The Sherwin mountain range.

 

Photo courtesy of Sean Logan