These hiking poles are sturdy, and great to help keep your balance on short or longer hikes
Mammoth Lakes is one of our favorite places in California to visit in the summer. This place and its surroundings are just beautiful. There is nothing like majestic mountain ranges, clear blue lakes, and lush forests. However, to get to some of the best scenery around here, you have to take a hike, and many of the best hikes here are toward the more difficult side. That being said, there are some stunning hikes here that are perfect for beginners as well. So, we compiled a list of beautiful beginner hikes in Mammoth Lakes and its surroundings. The list is not in any particular order.
When we say beginner hikes, we don’t mean that these hikes are easy. The hikes below range from easy to moderate. Even though some of these hikes are rated moderate, we believe they would make a perfect adventure for beginner hikers who are ready to step up their games. These hikes are rated moderate due to either the elevation gain or the distance. There aren’t any technical sections or obstacles that you should be worried about as a beginner. Due to the high altitude, elevation can be an issue, check out our article about how to help with altitude sickness if you have problem.
2.5 miles | 180ft | 1 hour | Easy
Convict Lake loop trail runs around the perimeter of Convict Lake. The trail offers gorgeous views of the lake and the towering mountain ranges. There are also many places along this trail where you can get to secluded beaches for some alone time. If you’re visiting during the autumns, Convict Lake loop trail is one of the best spots to see the yellow fall foliage.
1.6 mi | 314 ft | 50 minutes | Easy
Inyo Craters is an easy trail that would take hikers to two craters that contain small turquoise-colored lakes. These turquoise-colored lakes lie perfectly in the middle of the surrounding forest and mountain ranges. You can either make that short walk to the craters or extend the hike longer to go all around the back side of them. We recommend doing the whole loop. This way, you’ll have different views of the craters.
0.7 mi | 288 ft | 30 minutes | Easy
This super short hike winds its way through lush pine forest to the top of the Panorama Dome. From the top, you’ll be rewarded with 360-degree, unobstructed views of the surrounding area. Here, you can see expansive views of Twin Lakes, the backside of Mammoth Lakes, Crystal Crags, the Mammoth Crest, the Long Valley Caldera, and the White Mountains.
4.9 mi | 534 ft | 2 hours | Moderate
Rainbow Falls is one of the most beautiful waterfalls we have come across. Tucked away inside the Devils Postpile National Monument, it will require a bit of effort to get here. However, it’s 100% worth it. It is a 5-mile round trip if you start the hike from the Ranger station. If you start from Shuttle Stop #9, it is about 2.6 miles round trip. Make sure to check the park website to make sure that the road is open before going. When you get to the outlook, we highly recommend making the trek down the steep stairs. This will take you to the bottom of the Rainbow Falls. It’s such an awesome view from here.
3.2 mi | 839 ft | 2 hours | Moderate
Crystal Lake is a very popular trail, and for good reason. This short hike will give you a glimpse of the breathtaking scenery of the Eastern Sierra Mountains. Besides the lake, you can also see the iconic Crystal Crag, a 10,364ft rock that looks like a giant granite tooth. This hike is rated moderate because it is steep. However, if you take your time with many breaks, you will be fine.
5.2 mi | 900 ft | 3 hours | Moderate
Sherwin Lakes is another moderate trail that is steep but worth the effort. It is a gradual incline all the way up to the lake. Even though it is a popular trail, you’ll still have plenty of space to hang out around the lake. The lakes themselves are very clear and breathtaking. There are also tons of fish here too.
1.8 mi | 114 ft | 40 minutes | Easy
Horseshoe Lake Loop is a popular trail for hikers and bikers alike. In fact, we did this trail on a bike and it was super fun! Even on foot, this is an easy hike with many options to get to the lake. If you like to take a dip in the cold lake water, bring a bathsuit with you.
Emerald Lake: 1.7 mi | 387 ft | 1 hour | Easy
Sky Meadows: 3.6 mi | 935 ft | 2 hours | Moderate
The hike to Emerald Lake is short with a gradual incline. This trail follows along the creek most of the way to an emerald-color lake. For real, the lake really is the color of emerald, hence the name. If you’re up for it, we recommend hiking further to Sky Meadows. The meadow is very beautiful. We promise you will like it.
3 miles R.T | 839 ft | 3 hours | Moderate
Rush Creek Trail to Horsetail Falls is actually located along June Lake Loop. However, we wanted to include it here because this trail is just so beautiful. The view of Horsetail Falls along with the towering mountain is breathtaking. The hike itself is steep but it’s not that bad. And with the scenery, there are so many reasons to stop and take photos.
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These are the gear that we personally use and find helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
These hiking poles are sturdy, and great to help keep your balance on short or longer hikes
If you tend to have foot blisters on hikes, get this! We use this all the time.
Our favorite hiking/travel jacket. It's warm and packable, perfect to bring on a hike or a road trip.
Our favorite hiking/travel jacket. It's warm and packable, perfect to bring on a hike or a road trip.
This jacket is packable into a super small and light little ball. Perfect for when you just need a little…
This jacket is packable into a super small and light little ball. Perfect for when you just need a little…
It's always good to bring a GPS tracker with you. We use the Garmin inReach.
This is Vy's favorite hiking bag! It has tons of room for snacks and water!
Our favorite biodegradable, eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen!
This is our go-to camera for all of our adventures. It comes with us everywhere!
Compact GoPro pole that extends to 25", perfect to bring on your adventure.
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Hi! We are Dustin & Vy, the proud creators of Live That Adventure. We created this website because we wanted to inspire others to live their lives to the fullest. On here, you’ll find everything from hiking, canyoneering, kayaking, and snorkeling to adventure and travel tips, gear reviews, and bucket list items such as bungee jumping or wing walking. We’ll show you the ropes so you can do them too!
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