I grew up in the midwest dreaming of far away oceans. The closest I could get was spending long days at our local lakes. Now I love living so close to the ocean, but I also enjoy revisiting my roots and spending time at California’s numerous beautiful lakes…so today I’m sharing my favorite lakes in and around Mammoth.

1. Convict Lake

Nate and I love driving the 395 up to Mammoth and Yosemite, and one of our favorite first stops is Convict Lake. This lake is beautiful any season of the year, and The Restaurant at Convict Lake is a great place for a sunset dinner.

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2. Mono Lake

One of the oldest lakes in the United States, Mono Lake is nearly 3 times as salty as the ocean. This lake is known for its unique tufa formations, which jut up out of the ground over 20 feet high. For all the details and fascinating history of Mono Lake, see this blog post. Mono Lake is also located just a stone’s throw from Panum Crater, a 600 year old volcanic cone! For more on Panum Crater, see this post.

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3. Crowley Lake

Located less than 15 miles south of Mammoth, this is one of the most popular trout fishing spots in the state. Crowley Lake is 12 miles long and 5 miles wide, and up to 10,000 anglers will put their lines in the water here on opening day every year.

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4. June Lake Loop

June Lake is a popular spot for paddling, sailing and swimming in the Summer months. It is beautiful in the Winter as well, and a great place for snowshoeing and cross country skiing. You will find Gull Lake, Silver Lake and Grant Lake close-by too.

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5. Twin Lakes

There are actually two sets of twin lakes in Mono County. Twin Lakes (Mammoth) are located just 3 miles southwest of the town center, and just across the street from Tamarack Lodge & Resort and The Lakefront Restaurant. The upper twin covers nearly 400 acres while the lower twin lakes cover over 250 acres. Twin Lakes (Bridgeport) are located 9 miles south of Bridgeport.

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6. Lake Mary

Lake Mary is the largest lake in the Mammoth Lakes Basin at over 1 mile wide. Lake Mary is a popular location for lakeside camping, paddling, sailing, and fishing, and its marina offers a range of boat rentals and fishing tackle. Close-by, Lake Mamie is located just to the east, tucked away in a beautiful forested area. Many other lovely lakes sit in the immediate area, including Horseshoe Lake, Crystal Lake, Lake George, and T J Lake just to name a few…and they are all worthy of a visit.

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7. Starkweather Lake

Starkweather Lake is a small lake located just off the side of the road on your scenic drive to Devils Postpile National Monument (see this post for detailed Devils Postpile information). While Sotcher Lake may be the more well known lake in this area, the fishing might just be better at Starkweather and the views here are incredible. The Reds Meadow Shuttle route stops just across the road from the base of Starkweather Trail (stop #2).

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8. Yosemite Lakes (Tioga Pass)

The Tioga Pass entrance to Yosemite National Park is only open during the Summer months, but it’s less than an hour from Mammoth. It boasts incredible lakes, including Tioga Lake, Ellery Lake, Siesta Lake, and Tenya Lake to name a few. See this recent post for more on these Yosemite lakes.

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In Summary and Behind the Blog Video

Thanks so much for taking time to explore some of my favorite lakes in and around Mammoth. I’m so excited that Mammoth is opening back up for the Summer, but please make sure to follow all local guidelines when visiting. Please be sensitive when exploring the great outdoors and consider the Leave No Trace principles to help keep these special spots pristine, so that others may enjoy them for years to come. For more information, see my Behind the Blog video below, and until next week I hope you find adventure and encouragement wherever you go.

Note: All pictures on today’s blog post were captured before Jan. 2020.

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