Right now, as of early March 2026, Mammoth Mountain is sitting on a 95 inch base with 24 of 25 lifts spinning. February just dropped over seven feet of snow on the mountain, and the roads up the 395 are wide open. In other words, conditions are excellent. But here is the thing: not everyone in your group is going to spend every waking hour on the mountain. Maybe the kids need a break, maybe someone in the crew is not a skier, or maybe you just want a full day that does not revolve around lift lines. Mammoth in March has you covered on every front. Here is what is worth doing right now.
1. Ski or Ride the Mountain While It Is at Its Best
Yes, this one counts even in a blog about non-skiing. March is genuinely one of the best months to be on Mammoth Mountain, and it would be a disservice not to say it out loud. The mountain confirmed it is staying open through at least Memorial Day 2026, and right now you have 3,500 acres of skiable terrain, a deep base, and the kind of late-season sunshine that makes every run feel like a highlight reel. The crowds have thinned out from the holiday peak, the snow is excellent, and the beginner zones near Eagle Lodge are genuinely welcoming.
Worth noting: there are freestyle competitions running right now through the Unbound Series and the U.S. Revolution Tour. If your group wants to watch world class snowboarders and freeskiers throw down in the halfpipe, the timing is perfect.
2. Snowshoe Into the Mammoth Lakes Basin
Tamarack Cross Country Ski Center is running guided snowshoe tours throughout March, including a full moon tour and a sunset tour into the Mammoth Lakes Basin that regularly sells out. These are not casual strolls. You are moving through a snow blanketed alpine landscape surrounded by frozen lakes and granite peaks with a knowledgeable guide telling you things about the Sierra Nevada that you will not find on any trail app. The group tours keep it social and genuinely fun, and the skill level required is minimal. If you can walk, you can snowshoe.
3. Ride the Panorama Gondola to 11,053 Feet
No ski pass, no ski boots, no problem. The Panorama Gondola takes anyone straight to the summit of Mammoth Mountain where the views stretch across the Sierra Nevada in every direction. On a bluebird March day, those views are genuinely hard to describe without sounding like a travel cliche. The Interpretive Center at the top digs into the volcanic geology of the region in a way that will hold the attention of curious kids and adults alike. Grab a coffee at the Eleven53 cafe, walk out onto the summit snow for a photo, and breathe in some of the best mountain air in California.
4. Soak at Wild Willy’s Hot Spring
A short drive east of town, Wild Willy’s is a natural hot spring sitting in an open meadow with unobstructed views of the Eastern Sierra. It is free, it is open year round, and in March the experience is at its absolute peak. The air temperature is cold, the water is warm, and the snowy mountain backdrop looks like something staged for a magazine shoot. The short walk in is easy enough for kids and worth every cold step. Go at sunrise if you can manage it. The light on the peaks in the early morning is something your group will talk about for years.
5. Explore Hot Creek Geological Site
About ten miles from downtown, Hot Creek is a volcanic gorge where natural hot springs bubble up through the earth and stain the surrounding rock in vivid shades of orange, yellow, and mineral blue. The three main pools are striking enough that visitors consistently stop mid trail just to take it in. Swimming is not permitted since temperatures in the pools can spike dangerously, but the walkable trail into the gorge is short, well maintained, and genuinely spectacular. This is the kind of place that makes kids feel like they discovered something wild, and it costs nothing to visit.
6. Après at Canyon Lodge or The Village
Every Friday and Saturday through March, Canyon Lodge runs a full DJ set on the sundeck from a gondola car positioned on the slope. For something more laid back, The Village is doing its best work right now. Mammoth Brewing Company is one of the better regional craft breweries in California and the atmosphere in March has the kind of energy that comes from a town genuinely stoked to still be in ski season. Grab a table, order something warm, and let the afternoon go.
7. Try Nordic Skating or Cross Country at Tamarack
Tamarack Cross Country Ski Center has a four week beginner skate ski clinic running through March right now, and it is exactly as fun as it sounds. Cross country and Nordic skating are genuinely different experiences from the downhill mountain, and for groups who want something active without the intensity of the main ski area, this is a fantastic option. The terrain is beautiful, the pace is your own, and the center rents everything you need. Families with kids who are too young for the big mountain often end up spending a full afternoon here without even realizing how much ground they covered.
Mammoth in March is not the shoulder season. It is not a consolation prize for people who missed peak winter. It is peak winter, still very much happening, with 95 inches of base, 24 lifts running, fresh snow on the ground, and enough off mountain activities to fill a week without repeating yourself. If you have been thinking about a trip, right now is genuinely one of the better times to make it happen!
Browse our Mammoth Lakes vacation rentals and find your home base for the rest of the season.
