Top 20 Lakes around Mammoth Lakes

For families, Horseshoe Lake is ideal with its designated swimming area and beach. Twin Lakes offers easy accessibility and a playground at Gull Lake within the June Lake Loop. Lake Mary also provides numerous amenities and activities suitable for all ages.

You can enjoy wild swimming at Horseshoe Lake, which has a designated swimming area and beach. McLeod Lake, a short walk from Horseshoe Lake, offers crystal-clear waters for a more secluded experience. Within the June Lake Loop, June Lake is considered the best for swimming with a small sandy beach, and Crystal Lake is also a popular summertime destination for swimming.

Yes, there are many excellent hiking trails. For easy options, consider the McLeod Lake Trail, Horseshoe Lake Trail, or Crystal Lake Trail. More challenging routes include trails from Lake George to upper lakes like Crystal Lake, Barrett Lake, and TJ Lake. You can find more details and routes in the Hiking around Mammoth Lakes guide.

The region is renowned for trout fishing. Lake Mary is popular for brown, rainbow, and Alpers trout. Lake George is a prime spot for rainbow trout. Twin Lakes offers excellent fishing for rainbow and brown trout, while Convict Lake is known for world-class rainbow, brown, and brook trout. The lakes within the June Lake Loop (June, Gull, Silver, Grant) also provide fantastic trout fishing opportunities.

Mono Lake offers a truly unique experience with its ancient saline waters and distinctive 'tufa towers'—limestone formations. The Twin Lakes are known for their picturesque setting with volcanic cliffs and the impressive Twin Falls. Convict Lake features dramatic mountainous backdrops, including Mount Morrison, and vivid turquoise-blue water.

The summer months (late June to early September) are ideal for enjoying all water activities, hiking, and camping. Fall offers stunning seasonal beauty, especially around the June Lake Loop with its golden aspens. Some lakes, like Lake George, have camping available during this peak season.

Yes, McLeod Lake is considered a hidden gem, just a short 15-minute walk from Horseshoe Lake, offering crystal-clear waters and a secluded swimming experience. Skelton Lake is another beautiful alpine lake in the Upper Lake’s basin, perfect for secluded backcountry camping and fishing, accessible via a 1.5-mile hike.

Many lakes offer boating and kayaking. Lake Mary is popular for flat-water paddling, kayaking, and sailing. Lake George and Twin Lakes are also great for kayaking and canoeing. Grant Lake, part of the June Lake Loop, is unique as it allows speed boats and personal watercraft like jet-skis.

Lakeside camping is available at Lake Mary, though spots fill quickly. Lake George also offers camping from late June to early September. Twin Lakes has a campground, and Skelton Lake is suitable for secluded backcountry camping, requiring a wilderness permit from the Inyo National Forest.

There are several cycling routes, including the paved Lakes Basin Path which is great for road cycling. The June Lake Loop also offers a scenic drive that can be cycled. For more options, check out the Road Cycling Routes around Mammoth Lakes guide or the Gravel biking around Mammoth Lakes guide for off-road adventures.

Horseshoe Lake is noted as dog-friendly, making it a great spot to visit with your canine companion. Always ensure to check local regulations and leash laws for specific areas.

Mono Lake is an ancient saline soda lake, over 760,000 years old, with no outlet, resulting in high salt and alkaline concentrations. Its most distinctive features are the eerie 'tufa towers'—limestone formations. It's also a critical habitat for millions of migratory birds, making it excellent for birdwatching and photography.