12 Tips for Riding Mammoth Mountain Bike Park

I may be biased because the Eastern Sierra of Califonia was home to me for several years, but the Mammoth Mountain Bike Park is one of the most stunning places I’ve ever ridden. Just wait until you get to the top of the gondola – the views of alpine lakes, jagged mountains, and the Owen’s Valley are amazing! Just writing this makes me feel nostalgic.

The terrain at Mammoth Mountain is super unique, too. Mammoth’s “kitty litter” pumice offers up a different challenge than most bike parks (think sand-dune surfing on a bike). And the 80+ mile network of trails covers everything from mellow descents to gnarly rock gardens to fast flow.

What’s even more cool about Mammoth is that the bike park trails connected into dozens more miles of singletrack, so you can’t really ever get bored. It’s even possible to do a 2-hour descent from Mammoth’s summit back down to town!

I think Mammoth Bike Park should be on every rider’s bike-it list because it’s so unique and beautiful. Here’s everything you need to know about planning your visit.

New to Mammoth Bike Park? Download my “Cheat Sheet” to help you navigate your first few runs!

What to know before you go

1. Brace yourself for Kitty Litter

The biggest thing that sets Mammoth apart from other bike parks I’ve visited is the kitty litter pumice. Many of the trails here aren’t dirt (although you can find that). Instead, you’re riding on loose, shape-shifting, drifts of lava pumice. If you think you’ve ridden loose before, be prepared for a whole nother level of looseness. Personally, I think it’s super fun, but it is an acquired taste…

My best tip for you is to try and relax and embrace the squirreliness. Stay over the front of the bike and don’t let your weight get in the back seat. You want to control over that front wheel! Good luck 🙂

2. Mammoth isn’t known for bike park ‘features’

If you’re heading to Mammoth Bike Park and expecting cool features and dialed jump lines, you’re going to be pretty disappointed. Mammoth is definitely more of an old-school bike park with natural features and hand-cut trail. I’d say 80% of the park is like this.

The other 20% does have some cool stuff, though. If you’re looking for ‘bike park-y’ things check out: Smooth Operator, Pipeline, Twilight Zone, and… that’s about it.

3. Get off the beaten path trails

Despite the fact that Mammoth is so big, it’s easy to get sucked into doing the same trails run after run on the frontside of the mountain. A lot of visitors to Mammoth don’t even realize there’s a whole other part of the park on the backside, which includes the trails Juniper, Paper Route, Timber Ridge, and a few more.

Grab a map when you purchase your tickets and use it! Especially if it’s a busy weekend, it’s nice to explore the less popular areas of the park.

4. The Gondola isn’t the only way to the top

I’m not sure a lot of riders realize this, but there are 3 chairlifts and a bus shuttle in addition to the gondola that goes all the way to the top of the mountain! If the gondola lines are long (and they do get long…) go take some laps from one of the other chairs. (See more about the lift options below).

5. Mid-mountain is a great place to start, too

I always like to do a few runs from the top of Mammoth, but there are really only two ways down from the top. Off The Top gets old after a few runs and I can only take one descent down Skidmarks per day at the park (ride it and you’ll see what I mean).

But, the good news is that you can get off the gondola at mid-station and actually have more trail options that you do from the top.

6. You’ll be at 11,053 feet

So the gasping is quite normal. The summit of Mammoth Mountain is really that high. Even though you’ll be riding downhill, guaranteed you’ll still feel it! Give yourself some time to adjust and maybe drink an extra glass of water before those post-ride beers.

7. The top may not open until July

Depending on snowpack, the top of Mammoth Mountain Bike Park might not open until mid-summer. There were definitely years when I lived in Bishop that the gondola didn’t run to the summit until the first or second week of July. In fact, I remember one year they still had skiing (and mountain biking!) on the Fourth of July!

But that doesn’t mean the bike park is open. Remember there are THREE chairlifts and a bus shuttle and the gondola will be running to mid-mountain. There’s still plenty to ride if the top of the mountain isn’t open.

8. Lifts close for Thunder & Lightening

If it looks like it’s going to be stormy, you might want to change your plans. The lifts do close with any sightings of lightning. Mammoth can actually get some pretty intense summer thunderstorms. The lifts will open if there hasn’t been any lightning for 30 minutes, but if it’s close to closing time, they’ll just shut the lifts down for the day.

9. Don’t bring your downhill bike

One of the biggest rude awakenings for first-time visitors to Mammoth bike park is… there is pedaling! What!? I know… but expect to work a little bit, especially if you explore the less popular trails on the backside of the mountain.

There are traverse trails, flat trails, and (gasp) even some small uphills.

10. Summer smoke is a thing…

Unfortunately, fire season is a thing in California now and Mammoth does get some pretty bad smoke if there’s a wildfire burning. There’s not really anything you can do about it, but if the air quality is particularly bad, don’t go outside to ride- your lungs will thank you.

11. E-bikes are allowed

Mammoth Mountain Bike Park is one of the few places you can ride an e-bike in California! You might be wondering “Why do I need an e-bike at a lift-served bike park?” but if you read tip #9 you’ll recall that there is some pedaling required at Mammoth. Is an e-bike necessary? No, but if it’s the only bike you have, bring it along.

12. Check out more great trails around town

Lastly, the trails in the bike park aren’t the only trails in Mammoth. Far from it! There are actually quite a few great bike trails in and around town. Check out my post on the best Mammoth Lakes bike trails for more riding outside the park.

The layout of Mammoth Bike Park

Alright, now that you know what to expect at Mammoth Mountain, let’s dive into some of the stats and how to get around.

Quick Stats

Most visitors to Mammoth don’t actually realize how big Mammoth is. There are over 80 miles of trail inside the park and more miles of trail that riders can connect to outside the park boundaries. You can literally do a 2-hour descent from the top of the mountain down to the village of Mammoth.

Take some time to look at the map if you want to explore all of Mammoth. Most people just stick to the front-side trails, but there is so much more fun to be had in the lesser-known areas.

The lifts

This map shows where the gondola and the three chairlifts are as well as where the shuttle bus picks up and drops off.

Mammoth Bike Park has four lifts and one bus shuttle. Some lifts only operate on the weekends and the bus shuttle is typically the only option early in the season.

1. The Panorama Gondola from Main Lodge takes you all the way up to the summit of Mammoth Mountain or you can stop midway at McCoy Mid-station.

2. Chair 16 (Canyon Express) from Canyon Lodge accesses the eastern slope of the mountain. Not many people ride this lift!

3. Chair 2 (Stump Alley Express) from The Mill basically brings you just a bit higher than McCoy Station but also gives you access back across the mountain via Gravy Train and Bearing Straights (two pedaly trails).

4. Chair 11 (Discovery Chair) from Main Lodge. This short lift is great for families and beginner riders. It accesses several intro-level trails.

In addition to the lifts, there’s also a bike shuttle from the Village that runs every 15 minutes. The pick-up is right across from the Westin and it takes you all the way up to the Gondola or you can get off at Chair 2.

*Chair 16 and Chair 2 are typically often only open on the weekends.
**Bike park season usually starts with just the bus shuttle that allows access to the lower trails like Shotgun and Downtown.

Finding your way around

I’m not going to lie, Mammoth Mountain is a bit overwhelming the first time you ride it. There are just so many trails and it can be hard to navigate if you’ve never been there before.

Here are a few tips for your first visit:

New to bike parks? Check out my Bike Parks 101 Guide.

Resources for planning your visit

Tickets & Passes

Lift tickets can be purchased online or in person at either the Mountain Center in the Village or at the Adventure Center adjacent to the Gondola at the base of the bike park. Here are a few good-to-know’s when buying tickets:

Bike shops & Rentals

Surprisingly, Mammoth doesn’t have many bike shops, but they do have one great one: Footloose Sports. It’s located down in the Village, but they have a great selection of mountain bike rentals as well as a full-service bike shop.

Mammoth Mountain also has two bike rental centers. One in the Village right in front of the shuttle stop and one at the Adventure Center at the base of the gondola. You can choose from a full fleet of Trek rental bikes including e-bikes. You can also sign up for lessons at Mammoth Mountain Center.

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Where to stay

Visiting for the weekend or want to stay for the whole week? Mammoth Lakes is a tourist town, so you have lots of options on where to stay.

Camping

There are lots of great camping opportunities around Mammoth Lakes:

• Camp High Sierra: a family-friendly campground with tent/RV sites as well as cabins. Conveniently located within easy pedaling distance to the Village bike shuttle. Take Juniper trail as your last run to return straight to camp.
• Shady Rest Campground: Located close to downtown. It would be a pedal to the bike park, but there is a free shuttle.
• Lake Mary Basin: these are a cluster of popular campgrounds located in the beautiful Lake Mary Basin. Cruise down the Lake Mary Road bike path to meet the village bike shuttle then take the free Lakes Basin Trolley back up the hill at the end of the day.

Hotels & rentals

For a small town, there are some good hotels and plenty of vacation rentals. Be forewarned, though, it’s not cheap! Here are a few mountain biker-friendly places to stay in Mammoth Lakes:

• The Westin: definitely a splurge, but it’s located right in the village and you can roll your bike to the bus shuttle.
• Outbound Mammoth: Located in town, this hotel is a few miles from the Bike Park, but there’s a free shuttle that you can take your bike on. It’s super cute and all the rooms are on the ground level, so no lugging your bike up stairs. It also has a crepe food truck on site!
• Vacation Rentals: Mammoth Lakes has no shortage of vacation rentals. A lot of them are condos and apartments, but you can also find some houses that sleep 6 or more people.

good places to eat

Mammoth Lakes has some pretty decent places to grab something to eat and drink post-ride. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Mammoth Tavern – A cozy tavern located on Old Mammoth Road away from the bustle of the village. Great happy hour from 4-5:30
• Mammoth Brewing Company – Mammoth’s own local brewery with lots of house beers on tap and a great outdoor seating area. The food is also delish. Definitely get the waffle fries. This place gets really busy.
• Distant Brewing – Another local brewery that serves great sandwiches and other bar food.
• Stellar Brew – A funky place to grab coffee and sandwiches to go
• Burgers Restaurant – Need a burger after a full day at the bike park? Burgers Restaurant is where you need to go. Their buffalo burger is so good
• The Latin Market – Tucked away at the back of a little Mexican grocery store, this is the place to get a burrito. It’s a hidden gem
• Elixer Superfood and Juice – A little bit of LA in Mammoth Lakes. Expensive, but delicious smoothies and super healthy salads and grain bowls made to order
• Cafe Crepe – a food truck serving delicious sweet and savory crepes

Getting around town

Mammoth Lakes is a small town and it’s pretty easy to get around. That being said, there are two parts of town:

• The Village where the bike park is
• Downtown where most of the restaurants and hotels are

There is a bike path that connects town and the Village or there are also free trolleys that run throughout Mammoth and have bike racks.

FAQs & Facts

Watch PinkBike’s Jason Lucas shred Mammoth Bike Park

Final thoughts

While Mammoth Mountain Bike Park isn’t your typical bike park with machine-built trails and tons of bike park features, it remains one of my all-time favorite bike parks. The epic views, ‘kitty litter’ pumice, and huge network of trails are just a few reasons to plan a visit to this Eastern Sierra gem. I think you’ll love it, too!

Have you ridden at the Mammoth Mountain Bike Park? What do you think of the ‘kitty litter’ and what’s your favorite trail? What questions do you still have? Leave a comment below! And don’t forget to download my Mammoth Mountain Bike Park Cheat Sheet!