Summer is Calling: Diving into the Newest Experiences in Mammoth Lakes

As Mammoth Lakes gears up for another beautiful summer season, numerous new additions have been introduced to enhance the visitor experience in the region, promising a memorable stay.

New Eats

Indulge in Mammoth’s latest culinary delights, where innovative chefs blend local flavours with global inspirations.

URSA – A collaboration between renowned Chef Al Smith and Steve & Tracie Shatkin of Mammoth Coffee Roasting Co. has joined the restaurant scene in Mammoth Lakes. Featuring small plates fine dining experience, a menu carefully crafted to showcase the very best seasonal ingredients and flavours, and an exceptional wine selection, this concept is poised to become a standout destination for locals and visitors alike.

Harmony Brazilian Steakhouse – Another newcomer to the Mammoth Lakes restaurant scene, Harmony’s menu is inspired by the rich culinary traditions of Brazil. Their chefs meticulously craft each dish to deliver an unforgettable dining experience – from succulent churrasco-style meats to mouthwatering appetizers and refreshing cocktails, every detail is designed to transport you to the streets of São Paulo.

Outdoors and Adventures

Mammoth Lakes is an outdoor adventure haven inviting enthusiasts to explore its boundless wonders.

Reds Meadow- With its crystal-clear streams, sparkling lakes, and majestic forests, Reds Meadow offers an idyllic setting for summer camping, providing opportunities for fishing, hiking, and horseback riding amidst its pristine natural beauty. Reds Meadow Road is being reconstructed to improve public access and traffic safety for all who visit the area. Reds Meadow Road will be open for the season starting June 7th, with the road open

Friday morning to Sunday evening each week.

Spring Blooms- For nature enthusiasts, Highway 396 from Tom’s Place through Walker is blossoming while Convict Lake’s trees are sprouting leaves both adorned with Desert Peach and Bitterbrush.

Bike Routes- Mammoth Mountain’s world-renowned bike park is back in a big way with a full season of operations on tap for this summer. After historic snowfall in 2023 left many trails buried under snow late into the year, the team has been working hard to rebuild, refine, and improve fun and flow across the mountain.

Family Adventures- Located on the rugged cliffs below the Caldera Overlook adjacent to McCoy Station, the Mammoth Mountain Via Ferrata is also back for Summer 2024. Via Ferrata, which means “iron path” in Italian, is a network of climbing routes using steel cables, iron rungs, and suspended bridges fixed to the rock that climbers are attached to for safety. With six different routes that progress in difficulty, the experience ends with the elation of having climbed to one of the best viewpoints in all of the Sierra. Via Ferrata is the perfect alpine activity for families and individuals.

Woolly’s Adventure Summit – A hub of activity and exploration, the progression of Woolly’s Adventure Summit will include the re-opening of the Mountain Coaster, and the addition of summer tubing lanes for Summer 2024. Woolly’s Mountain Coaster provides a thrilling ride down exciting curves, spiral twists, and roller jumps through the forest as they descend 3,550 ft of the downhill track back down to the base.

Upcoming Events

Events in Mammoth Lakes serve as a powerful catalyst, bringing people together from diverse backgrounds and cultures, fostering connections, shared experiences, and a sense of community.

Enjoy a weekend of community-focused trail running at Mammoth Trailfest. From world-class trail races to free live entertainment, storytelling, and great local food, Mammoth Trailfest is a multi-day experience designed to increase trail access and ultrarunning through opportunity, education, and trail stewardship.

The OCR World Championships (OCRWC), the pinnacle event of championship obstacle course racing, returns to Mammoth Lakes on October 4-6. Known for pushing boundaries and uniting obstacle course enthusiasts from around the globe, the 2024 OCRWC promises an unforgettable experience for participants and spectators alike. The event will feature five challenging distances designed to test competitors’ strength, endurance, and agility, reaffirming its status as the premier obstacle course racing championship. For those who are building their skills or are interested in trying obstacle course racing for the first time, the weekend will also feature a 5K Charity Open featuring 15+ obstacles in an untimed format.

New Operations

Over the years, Mammoth Lakes has undertaken and partnered with various communities to preserve and increase environmental consciousness.
Mammoth Lakes Tourism (MLT) will continue its partnership with Clean Up The Lake (CUTL), and commit to cleaning up the region’s lakes. CUTL will work alongside MLT to engage with visitors and the local community to increase education and further volunteer efforts towards remediating the issues at hand. Removal of submerged litter, documenting all aquatic invasive species threatening the lakes, working to protect animal species, and preventing of future pollution are key goals of the partnership. Every dollar raised over the 4-year partnership (up to $100,000) will be matched by MLT to support ongoing stewardship. This summer, Lake Mary will be a focus of the partnership with divers and cleanup support teams focusing their work in and around Lake Mary from July 8 through July 19.

For the fourth year, Mammoth Lakes Tourism is partnering with Mammoth Mountain, Mammoth Waste Disposal, the Mammoth Lakes Trail System, Mammoth Lakes Recreation, and the Town of Mammoth Lakes for Trashy Thursday every Thursday.

Picture credit: Mammoth Lakes Tourism