Guide to Mammoth Lakes | Staying, Location & Weather
Written/Edited by: Northern Latitudes Editorial Team
Updated: 8/16/2026
Piccture Source: Stephen Leonardi
Located between the states of California and Nevada, the Sierra Nevada features plenty of hidden gems. This includes many towns and parks. Among those, Mammoth Lakes. This small town of California attracts many and serves as a year-round gateway to the outdoors activities of the region. Where to stay? What to do? How to get there? Let’s answer all these questions.
What is Mammoth Lakes?
Mammoth Lakes is a town and mountain resort within the state of California. Known mostly for its premier winter atmosphere, it is also a major hub for year round activities like hiking, camping or kayaking. The many lakes, forests and surrounding mountains provide a vast playground for visitors to adventure in.
The Village at Mammoth acts as a central point for the town with dining facilities and entertainment. West to the village lies the ski area which also serves for summer activities like mountain biking. Additionally, there is plenty of hiking trails and overlooks.
The Village at Mammoth. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Where is Mammoth Lakes? How to get there?
Map Source: Northern Latitudes
As already mentioned, Mammoth lake is located in the state of California. It is about 5H from Las Vegas, 6H from Los Angeles and 6H away from San Francisco. It is also noteworthy to mention that it is near (about 1H to 2H away) from Yosemite National Park depending on the area you go to.
The main way to get to Mammoth Lakes is by driving. There is also a very small airport nearby (see section below). There is no other transit options.
Driving
The main way to get to Mammoth Lakes is to drive. The town of Mammoth Lakes is accessible by taking the highway 395 and then exiting for highway 203.
Flying
You may fly to the area by taking a regional flight to Mammoth Yosemite Airport. Note that this is a regional airport, so the amount of commercial airline flying there is very limited. As of August 2026, the website of the Mammoth Yosemite Airport lists Advanced Air as the only commercial company flying there with departures from Hawthorn LA and Carlsbad, both in southern California.
Where to stay in Mammoth Lakes?
The town of Mammoth Lakes is fairly small, and no other comparable towns can be found nearby. This means that you will be most likely to stay there. There are multiple hotels in town.
Camping in Mammoth Lakes
How and where to camp in Mammoth Lakes? With the vast amount of protected areas, there are several campgrounds available. Most of those campgrounds are closed during winter.
Note also that wild animals are common in the area, this includes bears.
Nearest to the city:
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Camp High Sierra
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Mammoth Campground
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Pine Glen Group Campground
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Old Shady Rest Campground
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New Shady Rest Campground
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Twin Lakes Campground
This link will take you to recreation.gov. An official website of the United States government.
How is the Weather in Mammoth Lakes?
How is the weather in Mammoth Lakes? The weather specialized website U.S. Climate Data describes Mammoth Lakes’ climate as a cold desert climate. The town experiences little rain, but is cold most of the year due to its altitude.
Here are the average high and low temperatures across multiple months of the year.
January:
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High Average - 40 F
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Low Average - 15 F
March:
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High Average - 44 F
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Low Average - 20 F
July:
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High Average - 78 F
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Low Average - 45 F
October:
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High Average - 59 F
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Low Average - 29 F
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