4-Day Trip to Mammoth Lakes, CA

Nestled in the heart of California’s Eastern Sierra, Mammoth Lakes is a year-round adventure destination known for its dramatic mountain scenery, crystal-clear alpine lakes, and abundant outdoor recreation. Towering over the town is Mammoth Mountain, a dormant volcano that draws skiers and snowboarders in the winter and mountain bikers in the summer. At over 7,800 feet in elevation, Mammoth Lakes offers cool summer temperatures, making it a refreshing escape from California’s hotter inland cities. The area is also rich in geological wonders—from ancient lava tubes to steaming hot springs—thanks to its position on the Long Valley Caldera, one of the largest super volcanoes in North America. Whether you’re here to hike, fish, paddle, or just soak in the views, Mammoth Lakes is where nature puts on a show.

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A Tasty Tradition: Lunch at Copper Top BBQ

We got a late start from our home in Inyokern, CA, but our first stop made up for it—lunch at Copper Top BBQ in Big Pine. If you’re driving north on Highway 395, you’ll find this roadside gem on your left just after entering town. There are two parking areas: the first is right before the restaurant, and the second—a bit farther in—is a larger lot perfect for trucks or RVs.

As soon as we opened the truck door, we were greeted by the mouthwatering aroma of smoked meats. Walking up to the order window, we passed rows of smokers working overtime to serve up Copper Top’s signature barbecue. We both went with the tri-tip sandwich, creamy mac and cheese, and a cold soda. We also grabbed a side of their spicy barbecue sauce, some plastic utensils, and brown paper towels before choosing a picnic table.

Even though it was mid-July and around 12:30 p.m., we were pleasantly surprised by how comfortable it felt—especially compared to the 118-degree heat back home. Seating includes shaded outdoor picnic tables and a partially enclosed shack with a curtain-style doorway and a window A/C unit. It’s definitely no-frills, but if you care more about bold flavor than ambiance, this place is a must.

Copper Top is a regular stop for us on the way to Mammoth Lakes, and it never disappoints. You can view their full menu here: Home | Copper Top BBQ.

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Bishop’s Sweet Spot: A Stop at Schat’s Bakery

Our next stop was just a short jaunt up the road: the legendary Schat’s Bakery in Bishop. More than just a place to grab a bite, Schat’s is a Highway 395 icon. Originally established in 1903 by the Schoch family, it became known as Schat’s in the 1950s when Dutch immigrant Jacob “Jack” Schat took over. Famous for its Original Sheepherder Bread®—first baked in stone ovens and trademarked in 1938—the bakery now produces around 25,000 loaves per day, far more than Bishop’s entire population. For many road-trippers between Los Angeles and Mammoth, this is a must-stop destination.

We like to stock up on baked goods before heading into the mountains. Their pound cakes (lemon and chocolate are our favorites), fresh cookies, and white chocolate-covered pretzels are hard to resist. They also offer gelato, though we haven’t tried it yet. If you’re hungry for something more substantial, Schat’s also serves up hearty sandwiches—perfect for a quick lunch. You can eat at one of their outdoor tables or spread out a blanket at the city park directly across the street.

🚗 Parking Tip:

If you’re heading north on Highway 395, Schat’s will be on your left-hand side. The on-site parking lot is small and often full, especially during peak travel times. A great alternative is to turn right at the stoplight onto Horace Albright Avenue, just before the bakery. You’ll find additional parking near the city pool and park. Continue following the road as it curves left, and you’ll reach a larger lot that also accommodates RVs. The Bishop Visitor’s Center sits at the corner of Horace Albright Ave, offering helpful local info—and there are public restrooms available at the park as well.

A Note About Schat’s Bakeries: Bishop vs. Mammoth Lakes

If you’ve heard of Schat’s Bakery, you might be wondering about the two locations—one in Bishop and one in Mammoth Lakes. While they share a family name and passion for baking, they are actually separate bakeries with different ownership and atmospheres.

Erick Schat’s Bakery in Bishop is the original and iconic spot, known far and wide for its legendary Original Sheepherder Bread® baked in stone ovens. It’s a bustling, authentic experience that produces thousands of loaves daily, drawing visitors from across California.

On the other hand, Schat’s Bakery in Mammoth Lakes, opened in 2004 by family members, is a smaller, more local-focused bakery. While it offers a variety of breads and pastries, in my personal experience, it doesn’t quite capture the same bold flavors and charm as the Bishop location.

If you’re on the road between Bishop and Mammoth, I highly recommend making the extra stop in Bishop to truly experience what makes Schat’s so special.

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Continuing the Journey: From Bishop to Mammoth Lakes

After loading up our treats from Schat’s Bakery, we hit the road again, heading north on Highway 395 toward Mammoth Lakes. The drive itself is part of the adventure—a scenic route that winds through wide-open valleys, rugged mountain foothills, and stunning views of the Eastern Sierra. As the elevation climbs and the air grows cooler, Mammoth Lakes begins to reveal itself—tall pine forests, crisp mountain air, endless outdoor activities, cozy lodging, and a laid-back vibe perfect for travelers looking to relax and reconnect with nature.

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Arriving in Mammoth Lakes

We arrived at the Westin Monache Resort around 2:00 p.m. on a Thursday. Although check-in wasn’t until 4:00, they allowed us to check in early—a huge plus since I didn’t want to leave our electronics in the car while we hit the trails. We dropped off our bags, and since we were already geared up, we headed straight out to explore.

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Westin Monache Resort Overview

The Westin Monache is a beautifully maintained resort nestled just uphill from The Village at Mammoth. Our room was stylishly decorated and overlooked the heated pool and two Jacuzzis. The pool area features plenty of lounge chairs, along with a couple of patio tables near a grill. Pool towels are available upon request from the front desk.

The property also includes a small fitness center with cardio machines, a bench, and dumbbells.

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Inside Our Room

We opted for a room with a king-size bed, which also included a pullout sofa, coffee table, and a large window seat. At 5’5″, I could stretch out fully on the window seat—it’s quite wide and, though not advertised for sleeping, could comfortably accommodate a child with some bedding.

The room also included:

• A small fireplace
• A TV and table for two
• A kitchenette with:
  • Two-burner stove
  • Microwave
  • Mini-fridge
  • Sink and dishwasher
  • Full set of pots, pans, and utensils
  • Toaster, blender, cutting board, mixing bowls
  • Coffee maker (single-cup), tea kettle, wine opener, cheese grater, and more
  • Dish set, glasses, and silverware for four

It was fully stocked and perfect for prepping your own meals if you’d rather not dine out every night.

Here’s a short video review of our room.

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Parking Tips

• Valet parking is $35 is per night and required for vehicles over 7 feet tall
• Self-parking is available for $28 per night

If you have a larger vehicle, such as a taller truck, please note that the ceiling gets lower as you go down levels in the parking garage, so you may have issues parking below the second floor. Please check the website for current pricing.

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Bike Storage

You can store bikes with the bellhop at no additional charge, who will place them in a secure bike locker for you—super convenient for mountain bikers or e-bikers.

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Pets Welcome!

This resort is very pet-friendly. We saw quite a few guests traveling with their dogs. There’s even a dog treat stand and water bowls set up near the front entrance. Check the resort’s website for current pet policies and fees.

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First Adventure: Exploring Devils Postpile

After dropping off our bags at the Westin, we headed straight out for our first adventure: Devils Postpile National Monument. It’s a must-see for anyone visiting Mammoth Lakes, especially if you’re drawn to unique geology and scenic hikes.

The monument is located about 25 minutes from town (normally), down a winding road with incredible views. In the summer months, visitors typically need to take the mandatory shuttle from Mammoth Mountain’s Adventure Center, which runs regularly and drops you off near the trailhead.

At this time, the road to Devil’s Postpile is under construction, so there are a few things you should know before deciding to go. First of all, there appears to be different schedules for different days of the week. We arrived at Mammoth Moutain Adventure Center around 3:40 pm and were lucky enough to grab a close parking space to the shuttle pickup location.

(Tip: check the National Park Service website for current shuttle schedules and trail conditions.)

Once there, we took the short, relatively easy 0.4-mile hike to the base of the Postpile. The formation is truly stunning—towering basalt columns formed by ancient lava flows and cooled in near-perfect geometric shapes. It’s one of those natural wonders that photos just don’t do justice.

After admiring the formation from below, we took the moderate hike to the top, where you can see the tops of the columns—flat, hexagonal stones that look like a giant’s patio. The trail offers shady stretches through pine forest and occasional glimpses of the surrounding mountains.

We spent a bit of time relaxing at the monument before heading back. It was a great way to start our trip—active but not too strenuous, and full of jaw-dropping scenery.

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After our returning to Mammoth Mountain Adventure Center, we were both very hungry. We took a quick shower to get off the dirt and grime from the hike and we headed over to Toomey‘s in The Village at Mammoth, a short walking distance from our resort. It was around 8:00 pm when we arrived. The decor in the dining area is baseball memorabilia. It was a little warm inside, so we opted for outdoor seating to enjoy the pleasant temperatures. Our waiter was friendly and attentive.

For an appetizer we had the Baked Brie. It was covered in a berry compote that added a bit of sweetness. It was delicious! For dinner, I selected the Pistachio Crusted Seabass with sides of mashed potatoes, red cabbage and broccolini and Chris had the New York Strip with the same side pairings. It was late and we were both very full after we finished our meals, so we opted for skipping desert.

After dinner we strolled through The Village at Mammoth, window shopping the shops and peeking at the menus of some of the other restaurants, but as it was getting pretty late, some of the shops were closing. We decided to end our day by heading back to the resort to get ready for the next days adventures and get a good night’s sleep.

Day 2:

I woke up early, ready to do the next hike on our agenda, McLeod Lake. However, Chris woke up with some knee pain, so we had to alter our plans.

This was disappointing, but sometimes things happen. He had not slept well, so we got a late start and opted for breakfast at the White Bark Restaurant at the resort. He opted for the banana cranberry oatmeal, and I had the French toast with a blueberry compote and a side of eggs.

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Since we had not been to Mammoth Lakes in several years, we decided to check out the Visitor’s Center. It was as nice as I remembered. This is a great place to stop to get information on local hiking and other activities, including current conditions, road closures, etc. We explored the town some and then headed back to the hotel so that Chris could continue to rest and I opted for getting some work done. We knew that my father-in-law would be meeting us late in the day, so we stuck close to the hotel and awaited his arrival.

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Dinner

With it being a Friday night, I decided to make a dinner reservation. This time we would try out Vulcania, an Italian restaurant, also located in The Village at Mammoth. Chris ordered the Bianca pizza and I had the orecchiette with crab. Chris’s dad also opted for the orecchiette and crab and his significant other had the Caesar salad. Chris’s pizza was very good and loaded with cheese. He commented that the crust was delicious. My dish was pretty good overall. It could have used a little more sauce and definitely could have used some improvements on the ratio of crab to pasta-either more crab or less pasta. The Caesar salad was quite large and could have certainly been a meal. It looked very good. The average main course dish looked to be priced at $24-$30, which is very reasonable given the location. I would definitely recommend this place if you are looking for a good pizza and salad. The service here was okay. Our waiter was friendly and there were no major issues. However, the salad, which was an appetizer on the menu, was ordered as a main dish. It came out well ahead of our food. Also, the waiter did not take our drink order, so I had to flag him down. Otherwise, the service was good overall.

Vulcania has both indoor and outdoor seating. One interesting thing about this restaurant is that is has these enclosed pods that over a sort of outdoor seating while protecting you from the elements. However, you must have a party of at least six to sit them and there is a $75 charge. Since we did not have a party of six, we were not able to sit in them.

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After dinner, we made our way over to the Side Door Wine Bar & Cafe for some coffee. There is a restroom here that is only for guests. They also serve tea, as well as pastries and small snacks. From there we continued to walk around, peering in at shops as we enjoyed the music from the Reggae Festival that had started earlier and was still going.

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Some information on the Reggae Festival

Mammoth Lakes has quite a few events and festivals going on throughout the year and we just happened to be here the weekend that the Reggae Festival was happening. The music was really great and not what I was expecting. There were quite a few booths out selling lots of beautiful clothes, jewelry and other items. There were also several food vendors and the food smelled fantastic, so much so that we briefly considered cancelling our dinner reservations.

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Day 3

On Saturday, we started the morning with breakfast at Tom’s Place, where we never skip their famous biscuits and gravy. I ordered mine with eggs over hard and bacon — delicious as always. If the menu prices surprise you for being so low, note that they aren’t up-to-date. Still, the current prices remain very reasonable for today’s market.

Since we had family with us, hiking wasn’t the plan for the day. Instead, we opted for a scenic road tour to show them the area. Our first stop was Convict Lake, a spot you simply can’t miss. The lake sits beneath towering peaks that make for a stunning backdrop. The marina offers pontoon boats, kayaks, and paddleboards at fair rates (check their website for updated pricing). Along the way, you’ll pass cozy cabins, a general store, a restaurant, and an event center. A bit farther up, there’s a campground on the left.

Convict Lake also has several nearby trails, including the easy 2.5-mile Convict Lake Loop, which circles the shoreline. Our family decided to give it a try — a surprise, considering one of them was dealing with a foot issue. Unfortunately, it was already afternoon and I didn’t have sunscreen or water with me, so we headed back to the Westin Monache so I could grab better shoes, apply sunscreen, and refill water bottles.

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Once ready, we drove up to Horseshoe Lake. Parking was tight since it was around noon, but we managed to find a spot in the dirt lot. From there, we started the hike up to McLeod Lake. While this trail is considered easy, the lake sits at 9,449 feet, making the climb more challenging. The hike is about 1.4 miles with a steady 347-foot elevation gain and typically takes 30 minutes to an hour. Be sure to plan extra time to explore the lake itself — a gorgeous, crystal-clear green gem with sandy beaches. Families relaxed along the shoreline, kids and dogs splashed in the water, wildflowers bloomed along the trail, and fishermen cast lines into the calm water. Most of the lake trail is shaded, which, combined with the cool mountain air, made for a comfortable hike despite our late start.

After finishing the hike, we headed back to the resort to shower and grab a late lunch/early dinner. Starving, we went to Mammoth Pizza Company, which had tempted us with its mouthwatering aroma earlier in the trip. The pizza did not disappoint. From there, we drove the June Lake Loop for more scenery before stopping at Devil’s Creek Distillery for whiskey tasting. Chris and his dad enjoyed a flight of three whiskeys while us ladies had the Devil’s Creek Bourbon Blueberry Smash. By then, some of our group was ready to call it a night, so we returned to the hotel and ended the evening soaking in the resort’s jacuzzi. The cool mountain air made it perfect — especially when a small black bear wandered near the pool area, giving us a memorable close to the day.

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Day 4: Our Last Day

On our final morning, we packed up before heading down to the resort restaurant for breakfast. Wanting to squeeze in one last adventure, we made a quick stop at the Inyo Crater Trail — a short, 1.4-mile round-trip hike that’s rated easy. From there, it was time to head south on Highway 395, leaving the cool mountain air behind for the desert heat, but carrying with us the awe and peace that the mountains always bring to my soul. We truly enjoyed our trip to Mammoth Lakes, and the Westin Monache was a wonderful place to stay. Until next time, beautiful Mammoth.

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