Anyone ever go to Mammoth with a sxs?

[dbart]

My group is looking to expand our horizons.

Never been to Mammoth and I hear there is some awesome riding there???

Is it worth it, is there enough for a 4-5 day trip?

Just curious if anyone here has experience riding near there?

Thanks for any info.

I started looking at the Mammoth lakes OHV, but thought I'd see if I can get the cliff notes and real world experience from those here.

 

[Hondajimz]

I've been there a couple times and booked again this October. It's worth the drive. We are spoiled and camp at Mammoth RV park. Drive the SxS's straight from camp.Plenty to see and do for a 4 day trip. 

 

[Agricon]

It has lots of trails and lakes. There are a couple of camp grounds that are free. Well worth the trip. we do it every year.

 

[Crusty]

Always heard it was SxS heaven for trails and camping off grid.

Would love to learn more myself. Camping, Riding and Fishing = heaven

 

[wesinls]

I've gone 8 or more times and have the place figured out pretty good- usually a week trip but went for two weeks one season...4 or 5 day trip is nice, but you might want to stay a bit longer...Having at least one person with a streetcar will help / allows you to do more. (In other words, not all motorhomes in your group)

There are 3 first come 1st serve campgrounds where you can ride from camp and big enough for a decent size rig (I've towed my 40 ft warrior in there, motorhome with enclosed, etc)- Glass Springs Campground being the largest and easiest to pull into - and most sites are large enough that 2 or 3 rigs can camp together (none of the camp hosts have ever cared and they seem to encourage it) ...I always tried to show up on a Sunday or Monday to assure there; is a spot available....so far have always found a spot - but I've purposely not gone on July 4th, etc.  1st or 2nd weekend of August usually. 80's in the day (warm) - 40's at night, perfect campfire weather - it's awesome. Usually a rain / lighting storm or two that time of year, which is also cool.

Typical plan for us - but may vary form year to year
Ride day 1 and 2
Hike to Rainbow Falls Day 3 (you can drive there in your own car as long as you get to the gate before 7am) - easy hike along the river - past devils postpile, etc.  Fun time.
Ride Day 4
Drive to Yosemite Day 5 (it's about a 45 minute drive) - this might be more difficult now with needing reservations? IDK - Just a nice scenic drive

There's some free PDF maps I can show you - software to use with them, etc. You can legally drive your sxs's to June Lake (it's a hard trail to find) - a small lake near the ski slopes (also hard to find) - Laurel Lakes (you have to cross the 395 to do it, but a lot of people do) - a few rivers, you can park close to town and walk in, etc etc. All of those rides are a good 4 hours and amazing.

I should be a guide for that place Iol...I've taken a few friends for their 1st time over the years, and everyone loves it.

 

 

[megadesertdiesel]

Looks like an awesome place to ride.  OnX shows alot of trails out there. 

 

[dbart]

I've gone 8 or more times and have the place figured out pretty good- usually a week trip but went for two weeks one season...4 or 5 day trip is nice, but you might want to stay a bit longer...Having at least one person with a streetcar will help / allows you to do more. (In other words, not all motorhomes in your group)

There are 3 first come 1st serve campgrounds where you can ride from camp and big enough for a decent size rig (I've towed my 40 ft warrior in there, motorhome with enclosed, etc)- Glass Springs Campground being the largest and easiest to pull into - and most sites are large enough that 2 or 3 rigs can camp together (none of the camp hosts have ever cared and they seem to encourage it) ...I always tried to show up on a Sunday or Monday to assure there; is a spot available....so far have always found a spot - but I've purposely not gone on July 4th, etc.  1st or 2nd weekend of August usually. 80's in the day (warm) - 40's at night, perfect campfire weather - it's awesome. Usually a rain / lighting storm or two that time of year, which is also cool.

Typical plan for us - but may vary form year to year
Ride day 1 and 2
Hike to Rainbow Falls Day 3 (you can drive there in your own car as long as you get to the gate before 7am) - easy hike along the river - past devils postpile, etc.  Fun time.
Ride Day 4
Drive to Yosemite Day 5 (it's about a 45 minute drive) - this might be more difficult now with needing reservations? IDK - Just a nice scenic drive

There's some free PDF maps I can show you - software to use with them, etc. You can legally drive your sxs's to June Lake (it's a hard trail to find) - a small lake near the ski slopes (also hard to find) - Laurel Lakes (you have to cross the 395 to do it, but a lot of people do) - a few rivers, you can park close to town and walk in, etc etc. All of those rides are a good 4 hours and amazing.

I should be a guide for that place Iol...I've taken a few friends for their 1st time over the years, and everyone loves it.

 

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@wesinls AWESOME!!! I love this site! Thank you so much...this what I was hoping for.

We all have trucks and enclosed trailers, nothing larger than 24'.

I am going to share this with my group and see if it can get put on the calendar.

We are thinking around April sometime.

 

[MWB]

April sometime.

April in the high country can be one of those months.  The weather just turned warm and the snow is melting fast so lots of run off and lots of mud, or a spring storm comes in and you get dumped on with the cold wet stuff. I would push out till early June at least.

 

[IFLY]

Just got back from Glass Creek. Pulled in on a Thursday around 5pm and it was full. Got lucky someone stopped us as we were heading out and said we could camp in his spot. He was leaving the next day. Its free but you can get there and not get a spot. There is BLM land you can park on but get there during the day light. With school almost back I think it was crowded more than normal. We had a ride to Bodie, made it 3/4 of the way and was kind of late so some wanted to head back. Did the laurel lake ride, Its nice but don't need to do that again. If its crowded, it is a pain to pass other vehicles. Have a vehicle and there are lots of day trips you can do from there as already mentioned. Weather was awesome. 

 

[madweazl]

@wesinls AWESOME!!! I love this site! Thank you so much...this what I was hoping for.

We all have trucks and enclosed trailers, nothing larger than 24'.

I am going to share this with my group and see if it can get put on the calendar.

We are thinking around April sometime.

Be better off 1st week of June. April still cold up there. We do Twin Lakes (closer to Bridgeport) every year in June and we've still had it snow on us. 

 

[wesinls]

+ 1 on April being a sketchy month to plan...We always picked August for 2 reasons - kids back at school / less crowded - and the weather is nice...Only downside is in dry years the creeks are not flowing all that great - and the drive there can be a bit brutal on the tow vehicles.  Person above showed up Thursday - I'll say it again, show up on a Sunday or Monday, by Wednesday / Thursday, it's usually always full (in my experience at least). 

Big Sprins is another free site - and Hartley Springs...Big Springs is small / not a lot of big spots - but the river along it usually flows pretty good an you can hear it from camp,

Hartley Springs is another...the road to Hartley Springs can be rough some years - if you do decide to camp there - have a vehicle scout it out...it's quite up there as it's not close to any roads, which is cool.

There are several "secret" spots I've located throughout the years - mainly because you can camp anywhere as long as you are not on the main roads and don't tread over plant life...there's not many areas you can do this - but enough that IF all camp sites are full you'd be able to find a spot - just not ideal with a big group.

Next to all these camp sites is a rest stop...The rest stop has water and it's a good place to use your sxs to bring trash too.

For dumping - we usually go to the water district office in mammoth - there's a box to leave to bucks...the entrance is a little tight - so scout it out before you try to dump there...If you don't dump there - there's a few places along the 395, but the one I used to use was closed last time.

Gas stations for big rigs...I've always been able to make it to the casino in independence - Nice big lot....Use the big rig station if you have a diesel.  For those that partake...there's a dispensary on that exit too (not for me, but for some).  I then fill up in Mammoth and fill up gain here on the way home.

 

 

[URCLEVER]

I've gone 8 or more times and have the place figured out pretty good- usually a week trip but went for two weeks one season...4 or 5 day trip is nice, but you might want to stay a bit longer...Having at least one person with a streetcar will help / allows you to do more. (In other words, not all motorhomes in your group)

There are 3 first come 1st serve campgrounds where you can ride from camp and big enough for a decent size rig (I've towed my 40 ft warrior in there, motorhome with enclosed, etc)- Glass Springs Campground being the largest and easiest to pull into - and most sites are large enough that 2 or 3 rigs can camp together (none of the camp hosts have ever cared and they seem to encourage it) ...I always tried to show up on a Sunday or Monday to assure there; is a spot available....so far have always found a spot - but I've purposely not gone on July 4th, etc.  1st or 2nd weekend of August usually. 80's in the day (warm) - 40's at night, perfect campfire weather - it's awesome. Usually a rain / lighting storm or two that time of year, which is also cool.

Typical plan for us - but may vary form year to year
Ride day 1 and 2
Hike to Rainbow Falls Day 3 (you can drive there in your own car as long as you get to the gate before 7am) - easy hike along the river - past devils postpile, etc.  Fun time.
Ride Day 4
Drive to Yosemite Day 5 (it's about a 45 minute drive) - this might be more difficult now with needing reservations? IDK - Just a nice scenic drive

There's some free PDF maps I can show you - software to use with them, etc. You can legally drive your sxs's to June Lake (it's a hard trail to find) - a small lake near the ski slopes (also hard to find) - Laurel Lakes (you have to cross the 395 to do it, but a lot of people do) - a few rivers, you can park close to town and walk in, etc etc. All of those rides are a good 4 hours and amazing.

I should be a guide for that place Iol...I've taken a few friends for their 1st time over the years, and everyone loves it.

 

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Great report. Thanks. I look forward to going there next month.

 

[dbart]

I think I have our group convinced to do June!

This is awesome...anyone else like @URCLEVER post a trip report if you want when you get back!

:cheers:

Having not ever been up there, I really appreciate all the feedback!

Dale

 

[wesinls]

To see all the trails you can ride - study these maps...you can download software on your phone and the once the maps are loaded on your phone - it works off of GPS and is helpful when you have no cell signal and hit a junction on a trail.   I think some of the newer RZR's have some of them built in - but regardless the PDF versions of the maps (there's two version of the maps on the main link below - a PDF to look at on your laptop and an Avenza version to use with an app.

Study the PDFs on your laptop...if you zoom in you can see trail numbers. road types, etc.  The maps connect to each other if you study them...Note in the screen shot I circles Glass Springs Campground from the June Lake map - open up Mammoth Map and you'll also find Glass Creek Campground....hope this makes sense.  S

Second picture is a parking lot across the 395 from Glass Creek Campground...it makes it quicker to go to various destinations...kind of hidden gem.  Just drive slowly and be respectful when going through the parking lot, no one has ever cared and they usually wave....but there's a lot of idiots up there so some locals hate the sxs's.

There are also two tunnels you can go under the 395 - one north of June lake loop road, and one south of the campground...if you're nervous about crossing the 395.

Hope this helps - wanting to share what I learned over the years.

Inyo National Forest - Maps & Publications (usda.gov)
 

These are the main maps to use:

June Lake
Mammoth

Mono Lake

 

[wesinls]

 

[rivermobster]

And let's keep those top secret spots, top secret!!!

I get up there pretty much every year. Lots and lots of trails to explore and different places to see.  

I'm also in agreement with going early spring. It gets Hot and Dry up there mid summer!  Kinna takes all the fun of a big fire at night away. 

I busted my steering gear shaft off (on my truck) on this year's trip. That was a fun fix out on the trail!

After that, I didn't want to dry camp anymore, so I got a pull through spot at Grant Lake. It was actually pretty sweet and more than affordable!

I'm thinking about taking my toon up there next year and staying for a month or so. This year's trip was 3 weeks, and all went by too fast. 

 

[wesinls]

And let's keep those top secret spots, top secret!!!

I get up there pretty much every year. Lots and lots of trails to explore and different places to see.  

I'm also in agreement with going early spring. It gets Hot and Dry up there mid summer!  Kinna takes all the fun of a big fire at night away. 

I busted my steering gear shaft off (on my truck) on this year's trip. That was a fun fix out on the trail!

After that, I didn't want to dry camp anymore, so I got a pull through spot at Grant Lake. It was actually pretty sweet and more than affordable!

I'm thinking about taking my toon up there next year and staying for a month or so. This year's trip was 3 weeks, and all went by too fast. 

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Nice campground - did you ride out of grant lake? It doesn't look there's any trails near the campground. Looks like a few miles up the main asphalt road to trails.

 

[rivermobster]

Nice campground - did you ride out of grant lake? It doesn't look there's any trails near the campground. Looks like a few miles up the main asphalt road to trails.

You are right, and I did not. Mostly just sat around and caught up on a few good books! 

Owens River road is a pretty decent place to dry camp and ride out of, if that's what you're looking for. 

 

[rivermobster]

@wesinls

My Owens River Road camp spot.