Onion Valley Campground

There are single tracks and dirt roads here, offering something for bikers of all levels. The easy trails include a 1.2 mile loop around Horseshoe Lake, and 5 mile Shady Rest trail, while the harder ones are tough climbs up to the Mammoth Ski Area so you can fly downhill. Check them out on Gorp and also see this shorter list on DiscoverMammoth.

Sabrina Lake has a boat launch, rentals, marina and tackle shop, and there are no fees! Ideal for summertime fishing. There are a whole lot of lakes here, but Sabrina Lake is the only one which allows motorized boating. However, the majority of the lakes allow non-motorized boating, which means kayakers and paddlers can enjoy being out on the water!

Did we mention there are over 400 lakes and 1,000 miles of rivers and streams? No? Well, you can imagine how great the fishing is… There are tons of rainbow, cutthroats, brook, brown and golden trout; it’s Trout City! Gorp offers a short guide with locations and fishing tips that you should definitely consult for more information. Get [tr]outside!

There are so many trails here! You can explore the breathtaking mountains, see the hundreds of lakes and never run into another person, and venture out into the backcountry to be one with the wilderness. Some of the best hikes include: The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, a protected area within the Inyo National Forest that is home to some of the most ancient trees (almost 5,000 years old!). Mono Lake is quite popular, and rightly so. The surrounding area is really beautiful-- check out the Tufa towers! The Mammoth Lakes area is also a must visit: there are twin waterfalls, a museum, a mine, and unforgettable views. The Obsidian Dome is made up of volcanic glass around June Lake. There’s a ¼ mile hike to the Inyo Craters, two volcanic explosion pits with little lakes. Rush Creek is a 5 mile (one way) trek into the Ansel Adams wilderness that features a colorful juniper forest, a stunning waterfall, and a historic cable railway. It’s pretty steep, so come prepared! Pick up a vistor’s guide or look at the online one, and you can see Gorp’s recommended trails.

There are a good number of horse campgrounds to stay at, as well as pack stations that will give you all of the info you need, such as Rainbow Pack Outfitters, and Rock Creek Pack Station.

Many of the lakes allow non-motorized boating, which means kayakers, canoers, and other small paddling boats are welcome out in the water! South Lake is the best place for for kayakers who also want to fish. Other great paddling locations are Twin Lakes, June Lake, and Mono Lake; check out the full list here. The lakes are small, so you can see many, if not all of them in one day! Read this rave review on these incredible lakes from our friends at PaddlingCalifornia.

There’s an expansive network of routes for off-road vehicles to explore: spanning 2,000 miles, you can drive up into the mountains for incredible views, see the historic mines, and stop at lakes for water play. Most of the routes are double track and there are 50 miles of single track and ATV trails. We recommend Poleta Canyon! Make sure you have a Forest Service spark arrestor.

Mountain climbers and boulderers will find enough ground to play on. Mammoth Lakes has some moderate climbs, with great names like Ugly, Fat, Mean, Come to Mammoth, Be a Queen (5.7), and Pie in the Sky (5.11b). See the list of mountain climbing areas here. Boulderers can explore the Mammoth Lakes and the Bishop Areas for climbs like Jedi Mind Tricks (V4), and Seven Spanish Angels (V6).

Thanks to the abundant snowfall, cross country skiers have plenty to explore, especially in the Mammoth Lakes area. Gorp offers descriptions of trails that you should look through to get a feel for the forest. You can also ski in the White Mountain Ranger District, home to the incredible Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest as well as Bishop and Rock Creek Canyons. You can also mush/skijor, ski/snowboard, sled/tube, snowmobile, and snowshoe. June Mountain and Mammoth Mountain have ski areas with lifts and gondolas, and you can also go out into the backcountry!

June Lake has a swimming beach to suit all your swimming needs, and there is a solid number of campgrounds that offer swimming access as well: Convict Lake (don’t ask us where the name came from!), Diaz Lake, Lake Mary, Silver Lake and South Lake are all great places for water activities.

The Inyo forest is home to black bears, mountain lions, mule deer, pine marten, pika, coyotes, raccoons, bobcats, martens, foxes, skunks and weasels; rodents and other small mammals; and reptiles that are common in the Central and Southern Sierra. Fish species include the Rainbow, German Brown, Little Kern Golden and Golden Trout (California’s state fish), the western sucker and squawfish. You’ll probably see great horned owls, bald eagles (winter), water dippers, the abundant cliff swallows, the California condor, and various waterfowl by the creeks. There are also endemic species such as the California bighorn sheep and the rare black toad.