DESTINATIONS

MAMMOTH LAKES ★ Mammoth Lakes is a destination of choice, and often serves to break up the long drive between Yosemite and Death Valley, especially on longer trips like a 3-week USA itinerary. This destination offers impressive scenery, especially if you arrive via the famous Tioga Road, with its spectacular mountain landscapes, dense forest and magnificent lakes. It is a true paradise for outdoor enthusiasts, whatever the season: cross-country skiing, downhill skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, hiking, fishing... There is something for everyone!

MAMMOTH LAKES © DollarPhotoClub WHAT TO DO DEVILS POSTPILE NATIONAL MONUMENT ★★

— Season: Open every day, 24 hours a day, from mid-June to mid-October (note that the opening season is subject to DEVILS POSTPILE weather conditions). NATIONAL MONUMENT ★★ Visitor center: Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. when the park is in operation. This one-of-a-kind natio- Entry fee : $10/vehicle/day including passengers if shuttle service is not available. The America the Beautiful Pass is not nal monument is about 30 accepted here. minutes from Mammoth Shuttle service inside the park? Lakes, and is definitely Yes, from late July until Labor Day (1st Monday in Sep­tember). When available, all visitors must use the shuttle service worth the detour. The for- to get around in the park, with few exceptions. Tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for children (ages 3-15) and can be purchased at Adventure Center (10001 Minaret Road, Mammoth Lakes), where you can also mation is a rare sight in the park your vehicle. There are regular shuttle departures from Mammoth Mountain Adventure Center between 7:30 geologic world and ranks a.m. and 7 p.m. as one of the world’s finest www.nps.gov/depo/index.htm examples of columnar basalt. Its columns tower * Note: vehicles over 25 feet in length are not allowed on Devils Postpile Spur Road. up to 60 feet and display a striking symmetry. An easy 600-metre walk (one way) leads to the base of the columns, and the top of the Postpile is another 15 minutes uphill. Within the Monument, which has been a protected area since 1911, you will find beautiful mountain scenery and the fa­mous 101-foot high Rain- bow Falls ★ ★ . A 4-kilome- tre (one way) walk from the monument Ranger Station, mostly downhill, leads to the falls. HOT CREEK GEOLOGICAL SITE ★ Hot Creek is a place to marvel at geology in ac- DEVILS POSTPILE NATIONAL MONUMENT tion. Boiling water bub- © iStock Photo, Ludmila bling up from the creek bed, fumaroles and perio- dic eruptions attest to the chamber of hot magma which lies just 5 ki- lometres below the surface of the earth in this area! The site is open from sun- rise to sunset and swimmi- ng is prohibited due to the risk of and sudden changes in water tempera- ture. It is just over twenty kilometres from Mammoth Lakes. Open daily from sunrise to sunset. HOT CREEK HATCHERY ROAD MAMMOTH LAKES WWW.FS.USDA.GOV/RECAREA/ INYO/RECAREA/?RECID=20414

HOT CREEK GEOLOGICAL SITE © shutterstock_1140875135-Bill45

Hiking ★ Noteworthy ★★ Worth the detour ★★★ Must see DESTINATIONS

HILLTOP HOT ★ There are several hot springs in this area, most of which are secret spots known only to the locals. No road signs indicate their presence. One of the nicest, Hilltop Hot Springs, is very small and located on a hilltop in the plain, with a superb view of the Sierra Nevada.

Try to go early for the best view and to avoid the crowds. To get there: from Hwy 203 in Mammoth Lakes, take the 395 South for about 8 km. Turn left on Benton Crossing, drive 5.8 km and you will see a gravel road on your left that leads to a small parking area. The trail to the hot springs is about 250 metres long.

HILLTOP HIKING AROUND © iStock-1004901150, Nirian MAMMOTH LAKES ★

CRYSTAL LAKE TRAIL ★ Distance (round-trip): 4.5 km Time (round-trip): 2 to 3 hours Level: Intermediate

This relatively short (about 4.9 km / 2-3 hours round-trip), intermediate trail will take you straight to the heart of the alpine beauty of Crystal Lake and provide panoramic views ★ of the Mammoth Lakes Basin. Crystal Crag, a granite mo- nolith more than 10,000 feet high, will watch over you as you climb. This trail is a must- do for visitors to the area and is accessed from the Lake George trailhead from June to October. WWW.VISITMAMMOTH.COM

CONVICT LAKE LOOP TRAIL ★ Distance (round-trip): 4 km CONVICT LAKE © AdobeStock_181299476, Mary Lynn Strand Time (round-trip): 2 hours Level: Easy with families and fishermen country and groves of pine parking lot or the Convict and is accessible­ between and aspen, with the sheer Lake Picnic Area. The Convict Lake Loop Trail June and November. The trail granite scarps of Mt. Morrison WWW.MAMMOTHTRAILS.ORG/ is just under 4 kilometres hugs the shore all the way and Laurel Mountain rising TRAIL/57/CONVICT-LAKE-LOOP (2 hours), but is easier than around Convict Lake, meande- above. It can be accessed by Crystal Lake Trail. It is popular ring through open sagebrush the Convict Creek Trailhead

Hiking ★ Noteworthy ★★ Worth the detour ★★★ Must see — jazz music.You canalsoeaton fusion, latinandother genres of Jazz artists from contemporary, Come enjoy performances by Dates :mid-July 20211 Mammoth Jazzfest NEARBY — ecosystem. Asitis2.5 times as with anunusually productive Mono Lake is an km northof Mammoth Lakes, Yosemite National Park and50 kilometres eastof Tioga Pass in Nevada mountains, about ten snow-capped peaksof the Sierra Located on the edgeof the MONO LAKE FESTIVALS MONO LAKE ancient salt lake ★ www.mammothjazzfest.org class ifyou’re in the mood! site andeven take a free dance that rise aboverise the formations that picturesque calcium carbonate in origin,itisknown for its shrimp andalkali flies. Volcanic migratorybirdson the that feed habitat for two millionannual waters, andprovides critical shrimp, which thrive initssalty lake ishome to trillions of brine liveHowever, there. desert the salty as the ocean, nofishcan nal bluesperformers withamix lineup of national andinternatio- festival brings together asuperb This outdoorsmusicandbeer Dates :August 5-8,2021 Bluesapalooza Visitor Center to learnmore during the summer. Stop at the season and three times aday on Saturdays andSundays inlow Short guided tours are offered pictures early in the morning. and the light isbest for taking the mostspectacular scenery, lake,of the tufa tower s. The southshore surface of the water, known as ★ South Tufa, offers Noteworthy ★ Worthdetour the good time guaranteed! good time craft beersin the country. A can samplesomeof the best true delight for beer lovers, who of stylesand genres. It isalsoa www.mammothbluesbrewsfest.com memorable experience! salt water isadelightful and floating effortlessly on the can even swim inMono Lake: and fall. If you feel like it,you 9 a.m. to 4:30p.m.inspring and Thursday-Mondayfrom from 8a.m. to 5p.m.insummer and wildlife. Open every day about the lake’s history, geology WWW.MONOLAKE.ORG ★ Must see

© Adobe Stock-103941865, aiisha DESTINATIONS

RAINBOW FALLS © Adobe Stock, Luis Belma WHERE TO EAT — 1 TOOMEY’S CATERING ($$) 2 THE MOGUL RESTAURANT 3 THE RESTAURANT AT 4 PETRA’S BISTRO & This unassuming restaurant ($$-$$$) CONVICT LAKE ($$$) WINE BAR ($$$) is one of the top eateries Widely considered to be the The Restaurant at Convict This is perhaps the in Mammoth and enjoys an best steakhouse in town, Lake Resort offers a fine trendiest of Mammoth’s ideal location on Minaret the Mogul is famous for dining experience on restaurants, also known Boulevard. Chef Matt its steaks but also serves the shores of historic for its vibrant atmosphere Toomey is a real baseball mouth-watering rack of Mammoth Lake. You and beautiful stone fan, and his collection of lamb, pork loin, veal chops, will enjoy the romantic fireplace. The menu memorabilia is displayed all marinated chicken and atmosphere and casually changes regularly, but the over the walls. Locals come fresh fish. The fresh garden elegant decor. The menu main courses are prepared for the soups, salads, tacos, salad bar is one of the best features continental with care and attention burgers, crab cakes, fish ‘n’ in town and is included cuisine with specialities to detail. Petra’s is in the chips, filet mignon... and the with most of the entrees. such as rack of lamb, beef Alpenhof Lodge and is open Green Monster Smoothie. Children’s menu available. Wellington, seafood, pasta Tuesday-Sunday from 5 Open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 Open daily from 5:30 p.m. and fresh trout. Open daily p.m. to 9 p.m. p.m. 1528, TAVERN ROAD from 5:30 p.m. 6080 MINARET ROAD 6085 MINARET ROAD MAMMOTH LAKES 2000, CONVICT LAKE ROAD MAMMOTH LAKES / 760-934-3500 MAMMOTH LAKES 760-934-3039 MAMMOTH LAKE WWW.PETRASBISTRO.COM 760-924-4408 WWW.THEMOGUL.COM 760-934-3800 TOOMEYSMAMMOTH.COM CONVICTLAKE.COM/FINE-DINING *** Hours may vary ***

$ Inexppensive $$ Moderate $$$ Upscale $$$$ Fine dining to Mono Lake & Yosemite

1 = Restaurants MAMMOTH LAKES 395 = Parks N = Hiking trails

HOT CREEK DEVILS POSTPILE GEOLOGICAL SITE ★★ 2 m NATIONALE MONUMENT ★★

Mammoth Lake 203 1 4 Visitor Center 2 203 Withmore Hot Springs Old Mammoth ★ Noteworthy CONVICT LAKE 395 Lake Mary LOOP TRAIL ★ 3 to Death Valley Crystal Lake Convict Lake ★ Worthdetour the

NE VA DA RAINBOW FALLS ★★ CRYSTAL LAKE TRAIL ★ Reno

★ Yosemite

Must see San Francisco