Mammoth Lakes, California
Mammoth Lakes is a town of 7,214 people in Mono County, California, founded in 1984.
Why visit Mammoth Lakes
Townapedia lists 12 museums and landmarks, 18 parks and trails, 59 places to eat, 49 places to stay and 14 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, Minaret Cinemas, Devils Postpile National Monument Ranger Cabin and Devils Postpile National Monument.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 78°F; January lows average 17°F.
Weather in Mammoth Lakes
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Mammoth Lakes
Mammoth Lakes is the only incorporated town in Mono County, California, United States. It is located immediately to the east of Mammoth Mountain, at an elevation of 7,880 feet (2,400 m). As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 7,191, representing a decrease of 12.7% from the 8,234 recorded in the 2010 Census.
From the Wikipedia article Mammoth Lakes, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do14
Mammoth Mountain Ski Area
Ski area · 3.2 mi
Ski resort in California, United States
Rainbow Falls
Waterfall · 5.4 mi
Waterfall in Madera County, California
2 more on the map.
Museums and landmarks12
Devils Postpile National Monument Ranger Cabin
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.3 mi
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Devils Postpile National Monument
Monument and historic site · 5.2 mi
National monument in California, USA
Parks, trails and playgrounds18
LA Kings Ice at Mammoth Lakes
Sports field and stadium · 1.4 mi
686 Old Mammoth Road, Mammoth Lakes
6 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes59
Harmony Brazillian Steakhouse
Restaurant · International, Brazilian, Steak House · 1.8 mi
106 Old Mammmoth Road, Mammoth Lakes
Tu-Su 16:00-22:00
Distant Brewing
Bar and pub · 1.5 mi
568 Old Mammoth Road, Mammoth Lakes
Mo-Th,Su 12:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-22:00
47 more on the map.
History
The Mono people were the first settlers of the Mammoth Lakes area, thousands of years ago. They settled in the valley but traveled by foot to other areas when trading with different tribes.
The European history of Mammoth Lakes started in 1877, when four prospectors staked a claim on Mineral Hill, south of the current town, along Old Mammoth Road. In 1878, the Mammoth Mining Company was organized to mine Mineral Hill, which caused a gold rush. By the end of 1878, 1,500 people settled in the mining camp called Mammoth City. The winters of 1879 and 1880 brought heavy snowfall, which, alongside the company shutting down in early 1880, began a population decline. In November 1880, a large fire destroyed almost half of the settlement, furthering the decline. By 1888, the population declined to fewer than 10 people.
By the early 1900s, the town of Mammoth (known today as "Old Mammoth") was informally established near Mammoth Creek. The economy of the original town was based on logging and tourism. The first post office at Mammoth Lakes opened in 1923. The completion of Highway 203 in 1937 led many businesses from Old Mammoth to relocate north to the modern-day location of the town.
From the History section of Mammoth Lakes, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay49
The Westin Monache Resort, Mammoth
Motel and hotel · 1.7 mi
50 Hillside Drive, Mammoth Lakes
Quality Inn Near Mammoth Mountain Ski Resort
Motel and hotel · 1.8 mi
3537 Main Street, Mammoth Lakes
Churches and places of worship3
St. Joseph's Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 0.7 mi
58 Ranch Road, Mammoth Lakes City
Shopping12
High Country Lumber (Ace Hardware)
Hardware store · 1.7 mi
243 Sierra Manor Road, Mammoth Lakes
Red Rooster Mall Shopping Center,
Shopping center · 1.8 mi
3343 Main Street, Mammoth Lakes
Gas and EV charging5
Mammoth Lakes Old Mammoth Road Tesla Destination Charger
EV charging · 1.4 mi
686 Old Mammoth Road, Mammoth Lakes
Schools, colleges and libraries14
Mono County Office of Education Inclusive Preschool
School · 2.0 mi
1500 Meridian Blvd., Mammoth Lakes
Healthcare2
Map of Mammoth Lakes
188 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 41°F | 17°F | 4.2 in |
| Feb | 41°F | 18°F | 3.8 in |
| Mar | 46°F | 22°F | 3.3 in |
| Apr | 51°F | 27°F | 1.5 in |
| May | 60°F | 34°F | 1.5 in |
| Jun | 70°F | 42°F | 0.5 in |
| Jul | 78°F | 49°F | 0.5 in |
| Aug | 77°F | 47°F | 0.5 in |
| Sep | 71°F | 40°F | 0.5 in |
| Oct | 61°F | 30°F | 1.4 in |
| Nov | 49°F | 23°F | 2.0 in |
| Dec | 41°F | 17°F | 4.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Mammoth Lakes Rs (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Mono County has had 9 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2023-04-03: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-03-10: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-09: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-03-22: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2017-04-01: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Mammoth Yosemite Airport (MMH) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 8 miles away.
- West Bishop 33 mi southeast, about 54 min by car
- Yosemite Valley 33 mi west, about 53 min by car
- Dixon Lane-MeadowCreek 35 mi southeast, about 57 min by car
- Bishop 37 mi southeast, about 59 min by car
- North Fork 40 mi southwest, about 1 h by car
- Ahwahnee 44 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Auberry 45 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Coarsegold 47 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Big Pine 49 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Mariposa 55 mi west, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Mammoth Lakes Sunset (Jul, 2024), Rifi Gerwiciel, CC BY 4.0
- Rainbow Falls Devils Postpile, Frank Kovalchek from Anchorage, Alaska, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Devils Postpile National Monument near Mammoth Lakes, Frank Kovalchek from Anchorage, Alaska, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Mammoth Mountain Eagle Express, Karissa Kunihira, CC BY 3.0
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