Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Mammoth Lakes, California

Beginning off Old Mammoth Road across from the Mammoth Creek Park and Ice Rink, this gravel and rock trail quickly immerses you in the natural beauty of the Eastern Sierra backcountry. Winding through dense stands of manzanita and tall pine, the route parallels Mammoth Creek, offering a tranquil amb...
Learn more about Mammoth Creek Road - FS 3S09

This hard-packed dirt and gravel road begins just outside Sherwin Creek Campground. The first part is surrounded by towering pine trees, offering a scenic drive through the forested lower elevations of the Eastern Sierra. The trail is fairly wide—about 2.5 vehicles across—and generally well-graded, ...
Learn more about Sherwin Creek Road - FS 4S08

This sand trail is a fairly easy trail. It is a spur trail from various other trails. It has a couple of spots with off-camber sections. The trail is narrower in a few spots and lined with trees. From the water tower, you can hike up to the top of the knolls that overlook the town of Mammoth Lakes.
Learn more about 3S35J Water Tower Loop

This sand and pumice trail, marked by orange diamonds with and without the letter "C," winds through a beautiful pine forest with stunning peaks of the Eastern Sierra and occasional glimpses of Mammoth Mountain. The trail varies between about 1 and 1 1/2 vehicle widths wide and features sections of ...
Learn more about Dry Creek Flats Upper - FS3S89

This short spur trail takes you to the top of Mammoth Knolls (8776 ft). It offers almost 360-degree views of various peaks and the town of Mammoth Lakes. It is relatively sandy with a few rocks. It can be snow-covered until the early springtime so plan accordingly.
Learn more about Mammoth Knolls Summit and Viewpoint

This short out-and-back trail brings you into a pine tree-covered area and a small dispersed campsite. It does offer some coverage from wind. There can be snow covering this road in the early spring after big winters. It offers nice views of Mammoth Mountain. Please pack out what you bring.
Learn more about Mammoth Knolls 3S4C

This wide, well-used trail serves as a convenient and scenic connector between Highway 203 (Main Street) and Highway 395, starting just past Shady Rest Park on the unpaved section of the Sawmill Cutoff. Marked by orange diamonds with the letter “A”, this is one of the most heavily trafficked trails ...
Learn more about Sawmill Cutoff FS 3S08

This is a mile-long Mammoth View cliff trail. It offers views of Mammoth Mountain as well as the picturesque town of Mammoth Lakes. It is mostly sandy with some rocky sections. There are a few very narrow sections that could add some "Sierra Pinstripes" to your vehicle. Also, there are a few overhan...
Learn more about Mammoth View 3S34

This scenic and mellow trail begins just off Highway 203 and winds through a beautiful section of the Inyo National Forest. Running parallel to the Ormat geothermal pipeline and newly installed power lines, the route offers a peaceful drive through old-growth pine trees and open meadows. The trail s...
Learn more about Mammoth Knolls Loop FS 3S123

Manzanita Spur FS3S35A is a gentle, scenic trail that winds through a wide, open section of forest just outside Mammoth. Surrounded by gradually rising hills on both sides, the trail offers expansive views of pine trees, brushy meadows, and distant glimpses of the Eastern Sierra. Its openness makes ...
Learn more about Manzanita Spur FS3S35A

This is a very scenic trail that brings you through the Inyo National Forest. The trail will give you some beautiful views overlooking the Mammoth Basin. When starting from the South, it starts off in a wide-open area but quickly narrows as you climb into the trees. High clearance is not required by...
Learn more about Mammoth Basin Overlook Trail 3S37

This trail is a relatively easy trail. It is mostly sandy with a few rocky sections to navigate. There are a few fallen trees that you can go around. The area is full of pine trees, sagebrush, and manzanita plants. If you are lucky you may see deer and some bears.
Learn more about Manzanita Slope Loop

This short trail takes you to the top of the Dry Creek Knoll (8842 feet). The trail loops around the knoll. It offers some nice views above the Mammoth Scenic Loop. The track is snow-covered until early spring. The trail consists of a mostly sandy base with a lot of rocks and a few trees to get arou...
Learn more about Dry Creek Knoll

Starting just north of Mammoth Mountain Resort’s Main Lodge on Highway 203, this trail is a rugged adventure through sandy pumice and dusty terrain. The path winds beneath towering pines and crosses under the iconic Mammoth Mountain Via Ferrata. The trail drops over 360 in just 1.4 miles. The trail ...
Learn more about FS3S113

This short trail takes you to an overlook high above Mammoth Lake's Shady Rest Park. Beautiful views of the town of Mammoth Lakes as well as Mammoth Mountain can be seen from this viewpoint. It can be a challenging sandy trail with lots of loose sand and some rocky sections. 4x4 is recommended but i...
Learn more about Shady Rest Park Overlook

Forest Service Road 3S121A is a narrow and challenging shelf road trail that winds tightly along the hillsides just wide enough for a single vehicle. The trail gains over 300 feet of elevation before quickly descending 200 feet, all within just 1.5 miles, offering short, steep climbs and descents th...
Learn more about Forest Service Road 3S121A

This is a very sandy trail. Almost the entire one-mile track is full of whoops. This trail is fun for the side-by-side rider but probably not so fun to other vehicles unless you want to give your suspension a test ride.
Learn more about 3S121 - Whoopsie Test Ride

This short side spur off the Dry Creek Knoll Track winds up and through a lush forest. It takes you to an overlook above the Inyo National Forest. There is a nice spot for a dispersed camp spot. You can hike up to the top of the Dry Creek Knoll.
Learn more about Dry Creek Knoll Side Spur - 3S110B

This scenic trail begins just off Highway 203, near its junction with US-395, making it an easy and accessible route for those arriving in Mammoth Lakes. The surface is a mix of sandy and gravel terrain, with good traction throughout most of the route. There is a lot of geothermal piping, part of th...
Learn more about Sawmill Road

This short trail climbs up to an overlook just above the 395. There are a couple of dispersed campsites along the route. The trail ends due to a couple of fallen trees but you can walk past them if you want to explore. Please pack out what you bring in and respect the area when camping.
Learn more about 3S37A

Beginning off Old Mammoth Road across from the Mammoth Creek Park and Ice Rink, this gravel and rock trail quickly immerses you in the natural beauty of the Eastern Sierra backcountry. Winding through dense stands of manzanita and tall pine, the route parallels Mammoth Creek, offering a tranquil amb...
Learn more about Mammoth Creek Road - FS 3S09

This hard-packed dirt and gravel road begins just outside Sherwin Creek Campground. The first part is surrounded by towering pine trees, offering a scenic drive through the forested lower elevations of the Eastern Sierra. The trail is fairly wide—about 2.5 vehicles across—and generally well-graded, ...
Learn more about Sherwin Creek Road - FS 4S08

This sand and pumice trail, marked by orange diamonds with and without the letter "C," winds through a beautiful pine forest with stunning peaks of the Eastern Sierra and occasional glimpses of Mammoth Mountain. The trail varies between about 1 and 1 1/2 vehicle widths wide and features sections of ...
Learn more about Dry Creek Flats Upper - FS3S89

This wide, well-used trail serves as a convenient and scenic connector between Highway 203 (Main Street) and Highway 395, starting just past Shady Rest Park on the unpaved section of the Sawmill Cutoff. Marked by orange diamonds with the letter “A”, this is one of the most heavily trafficked trails ...
Learn more about Sawmill Cutoff FS 3S08

Beginning off Old Mammoth Road across from the Mammoth Creek Park and Ice Rink, this gravel and rock trail quickly immerses you in the natural beauty of the Eastern Sierra backcountry. Winding through dense stands of manzanita and tall pine, the route parallels Mammoth Creek, offering a tranquil amb...
Learn more about Mammoth Creek Road - FS 3S09

This hard-packed dirt and gravel road begins just outside Sherwin Creek Campground. The first part is surrounded by towering pine trees, offering a scenic drive through the forested lower elevations of the Eastern Sierra. The trail is fairly wide—about 2.5 vehicles across—and generally well-graded, ...
Learn more about Sherwin Creek Road - FS 4S08

This sand and pumice trail, marked by orange diamonds with and without the letter "C," winds through a beautiful pine forest with stunning peaks of the Eastern Sierra and occasional glimpses of Mammoth Mountain. The trail varies between about 1 and 1 1/2 vehicle widths wide and features sections of ...
Learn more about Dry Creek Flats Upper - FS3S89

This wide, well-used trail serves as a convenient and scenic connector between Highway 203 (Main Street) and Highway 395, starting just past Shady Rest Park on the unpaved section of the Sawmill Cutoff. Marked by orange diamonds with the letter “A”, this is one of the most heavily trafficked trails ...
Learn more about Sawmill Cutoff FS 3S08