Like Summer Camp, Only Better

Mammoth Lakes Family Friendly Summer Adventure

04.17.2018

Mountains, lakes, ample playtime. Mammoth Lakes is like the ultimate summer camp, only way better: because it's for kids and kids at heart!

Take a guided kayak trip on Mono Lake, a high-desert oasis filled with fascinating towers of gnarled limestone tufas. Kids will be in awe of these Dr. Seuss-like formations and parents will relish the lake's peacefulness. Your kayak guide is like the coolest camp counselor you'll ever meet. Or settle into a canoe for a sunset paddle on Inyo National Forest’s Convict Lake—framed by 12,000-foot granite peaks.

Rather pedal than paddle? Ride on! Miles of paved bike trails surround Mammoth Lakes, with beginner-friendly trails leaving right from town. Pro Tip: Ride on over to The Village at Mammoth for outdoor live music, a distillery, restaurants, ice cream, and fun games. Novice and expert mountain bikers have a variety of choices at Mammoth Mountain’s legendary bike park (yep, the famous ski slopes are transformed every summer into impeccably groomed trails). Everyone gets to share the epic High Sierra scenery.

For those who'd rather have their summer camp feel more Westworld than Walley World, Bodie State Historic Park is an old Western ghost town that can be explored by horseback.

And of course there’s hiking—miles of it—made super accessible by the free shuttles in Mammoth Lakes, from a 2-mile circuit around Lake Mary to longer adventures up to hidden oases in the Ansel Adams Wilderness.

Who says kids get to have all the fun? The whole family's invited to the place that's like a giant summer camp for all: Mammoth Lakes.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Keough's Hot Springs

    Soaking Up History

    When you slide into the soothing water of Keough’s Hot Springs, you’re bathing in a piece of Owens Valley history.

    View
  2. woman hiking Buck Gulch Falls Novato

    Buck Wild!

    Tucked back beyond the residential ranch-style homes and golf courses of Novato in the North Bay is a wild and wondrous 30-foot waterfall that springs to life in the rainy season. Buck Gulch Falls in Novato’s Ignacio Valley Preserve is in peak flow right now, and it’s a short and Middle-earthy hike to reach it.

    View
  3. Grover Hot Springs

    State Park Soaker

    Set in an alpine meadow at 6,000 feet and surrounded by the 10,000-foot granite peaks of the Sierra, Grover Hot Springs State Park—just outside the town of Markleeville—has its very own hot springs.

    View

  4. Hike to New Lights

    For an enlightening late-day hike, catch the San Francisco skyline at sunset from high atop Ring Mountain in Tiburon. This 2-mile (round-trip) hike to Turtle Rock is a perfect late afternoon wander.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. Redding Ironman Whiskeytown lake
    Sponsored

    New Year, New Goal: IRONMAN 70.3 Northern California

    2026 is off and running! And swimming. And biking. Don't get left behind! Commit to one of the upcoming year’s most exciting endurance events—IRONMAN 70.3 Northern California in Redding.

    View
  2. Woman swimming in Carson Hotsprings natural thermal pool

    Hot Springs, Naturally

    Thermal spring waters are famous for their curative, relaxing elements, and Reno Tahoe is filled with them! Sink into these amazing thermal respites for a wellness super soak.

    View

  3. O Enchanted Night!

    Prepare to be mesmerized! Holiday-season nights in Descanso Gardens are a magical interplay of lights and natural beauty that dazzle as you stroll through the Enchanted Forest of L

    View
  4. Hikers sitting on a large rock slab next to Three Sisters Falls in Cleveland National Forest Southern California near Julian

    Three Sisters

    Good things come in threes at this hike to a lovely trio-tiered waterfall in Cleveland National Forest. The 4.25-mile out-and-back hike rambles among rolling hills, with rocky mountain views as switchbacks take you down to a lush canyon and the falls.

    View