Hiking near Mammoth Lakes and a fun Native American Petroglyph Hike.
Mammoth Lakes is well known for its skiing and snowboarding during its winter months and perhaps best known for its fishing during the summer months, but another fun activity that is often overlooked is hiking or day walks.
Certainly avid back-country backpackers know the Mammoth Lakes area well because of its close proximity and easy access to the John Muir Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail. From Mammoth’s Lakes Basin, the John Muir Trail and Pacific Crest Trail are only about 1.5 miles from the nearest trail-head and the most impressive part of it all is that the scenery is spectacular from the first step. Click here for links to other great local hikes
Some folks travel great distances to experience the back-country of the Eastern Sierra, but for most a simple day hike on one of
the many groomed trails is enough adventure to satisfy one’s soul. One enjoyable hike, or perhaps I should call it a walk, starts with a drive to the “Volcanic Table Lands” area of northern Bishop. This area is a desert setting with volcanic rock formations in nearly all directions.
The area is most easily accessed by way of Highway 6 (north off of highway 305), but for those more adventurous hikers looking for scenic route, I suggest taking Chidago Canyon Road off of Benton Crossing Road (behind Crowley Lake). This route is a dirt road that winds through a rocky canyon and exits near the Fish Slough Valley.
The Petroglyphs are a public lands and although not under heavy protection, one should be careful not to damage the ancient artwork as once it is gone… it’s gone. The petroglyphs can be seen from the parking area, but with a short walk from car you will have a better look back into time. Even folks who have trouble walking great distances can gain easy access to these treasures.
The backgrounds for the petroglyphs are both the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the West and the White Mountains to the East. I personally enjoy this hike/walk during the winter months as it’s a good excuse to get out of the snow for the day.
Attached is a video of my most recent hike to the area over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. Click here to see my short Video.
