The best Sierra scenery with that California summer sunshine makes an irresistible combination for mountain or road biking. Mammoth is the best place to find yourself riding your favorite bike whether it is a Specialized, Fisher, Giant, Cannondale, Diamondback, Kona, or the many other brand name bikes down from the top of Mammoth mountain to town. The Mammoth area offers uncountable trips on the bike that can be for the beginner to advanced rider. The High Sierra is wide open to the rider to just ride the Mammoth Mountain ski runs in the summer to riding on flat open areas that go for miles with vista views. During your mountain biking trip if you need a cabin, condo, or house for your accommodations we recommend the best condos, cabins and houses are featured by Mammoth Rentals by Owner.com. One of the many suggested accommodations featured by MRBO is Listing #4 Kystal Villa East # 418 just down the street from Footloose Sports and all the restaurants in town.
The Mammoth Mountain Bike Park runs offer great bike trails from beginner to advance. One of the most famous runs is the Kamikaze Trail from the top of the mountain to as far down into the town as you wish. If you take this run you can experience difficult terrain to easy if you take the trail form the main lodge into town. This trail ride has it all! Are you up for the challenge? The abundance of trails range from advanced bike rider, intermediate bike rider, and beginner bike rider, something for everybody and trails for every ability. Trails can be found around Mammoth lakes, Bishop, June Lake and surrounding areas. The following are some of the more traveled trails. For a complete list of all the biking trails you can consult Mammoth Mountain Bike Park, The Ranger station in Mammoth Lakes or the local sporting goods business in town.
Mammoth Mountain Bike Park Trails
- Upper Velocity
- Off the Top
- Velocity
- Kamikaze
- Beach Cruiser
- Mountain View
- Brake Through
- Chain Smoke
- Gravy Train
- Seven Bridges
- Ricohet
- Down Town
- Bearing Straits
- Trail Home
- Skid Marks
- juniper
- Paper Route
- Lincoln Express
- Bridge the Gap
- Big Ring
- Bullet
- Shotgun
- Timber Ridge
- Lakes Trail
- Proposed Trails
Mammoth Area Trails
- Uptown Downtown Loop
- San Joaquin Ridge Ride—Hard Core
- Starkweather Trail
- Shady Rest Forest Loop
- Inyo Craters Single track
- Dry Creek Loop
- Scenic Loop trail Ride
- Mammoth Rock Trail
- Mountain View Trail
- Mammoth Knolls Loop
- Laurel Lakes Ride
- Town Bike Paths
South of Mammoth
- Black Canyon Ride
- Lower Rock Creek Ride
- Sand Canyon Ride
- Deep Canyon Single track Loop
- Coyote Flat Ridge
- Mammoth Mountain – Mountain Biking
- Owens River Gorge Loop
- White Mountain Peak
- Crooked and Cottonwood Creek Roads
- Wyman Road
North of Mammoth
- Obsidian Dome Bike Loop
- Yost Meadow Trail
- Big Springs Loop
- Saddle Bag Lake Trail
- Bennettville Trail
- Lake Canyon Trail
Popular Trails with Description
Ski trails in the summer make for the best runs on your mountain bike, and they can also be spectacular. Imagine mountain biking the same trails you ski in the winter, Yahoo!!! These are maintained single track routes like the world famous Kamikaze trail which is a downhill run.
The Kamikaze Trail is a three and a half mile mountain bike run down Mammoth Mountain on a dirt service road. Racers hit 60 miles per hour. At the main lodge of the mountain catch the Gondola ride back to the top where that there is a snack bar and bathroom. On the other hand if you ride all the way down into town you can catch shuttle which will take you up the to the main lodge. Other advanced runs are Velocity and Bullet. The two new advanced runs with some steep drop-offs and tough technical parts on these black diamond runs
Mammoth Mountain Bike Park has many easy to difficult trails. The trail down town is a great single track for anyone to try. Paper Route trail is another easy but fun trail for anyone. Mammoth Mountain Bike Park has something for everybody, uphill, downhill and you can find 80 miles of single-track. 20 percent of the trails are beginner, 60 percent intermediate, and 20 percent expert. More trails for beginners and intermediates.
A top of the Mammoth Mountain Bike Park at 11,053 feet after a ten-minute gondola ride of 2,100 vertical feet, you can take in a fantastic panoramic view before taking off and down the three trails of the mountain. If you are not into mountain biking take the gondola ride and experience the grandeur and beauty from this elevation. It’s breathtaking, humbling and magnificent well worth the ride up and down in the gondola.
Horse Shoe Lake The easiest ride in town would be to drive to the top of Horseshoe Lake Trail. Park the car and ride down for about 8 miles to the Sheriff’s substation along high way 395. The trail is 1.2 miles and is perfect for the beginner. Horseshoe Lake is at the end of Lake Mary Road. This ride offers great views of the snow caped back country peaks. The ride has dense forest offering good shade with a flat terrain.
For a challenge one may want to take the Uptown trail that runs along the road up to the main lodge. The Big Ring is another ride that you may want to bring along a map with lots of water. The tow most difficult runs in the park are Bullet run and Pipeline, again bring your maps and lots of water and time to enjoy the views and ride.
The Paper Route Trail ride from the top of the mountain at the lodge to down town Mammoth. This ride is great because of the capability to turn it into an advanced down hill single track ride to an easy down hill ride, smell the pine trees take in a view beginner ride that one shall want to do over and over.
Rock Creek Trail
The best single track ride around. The upper section is moderate, easy for anyone who will ride carefully. The lower section requires advanced bike riding. If you ride the whole thing, you might or should be picked up at the bottom near Paradise Lodge. To ride back up you are looking at 2500 vertical. To the trail take HWY 395 south to Lower Rock Creek turnoff on the right. Park there, and the trail starts down at the creek. The first part is 3.5 miles and are moderate, about a 500′ elevation loss. Riders that do not wish to push them selves will want to stop after this section. Good luck to the rest of you.
Loop Inyo Craters
This is a dirt road forest ride. Moderate 10.5 mile ride on dirt road with a 500′ elevation gain. The route is marked with trail signs, although you should take a map, there are many intersecting roads in the area. To get there take the Scenic Loop road for a few miles from town to the Inyo Craters turnoff. You can park there, or drive along the dirt road to a parking lot. Follow the direction of the signs
Big and Little Smokey Loops
This run is where MacDonald’s is in town, follow the sign to Shady Rest Park. Park your car there and look for the trail signs. This ride has wide open flat areas and rolling sage hills, and forest. There are a lot of roads in this area, some are moderate, some are easy, and some are not easy at all. This is a nice trail that one should stay on the road trails, if not you should bring along a trail map.
A top of the Mammoth Mountain Bike Park at 11,053 feet after a ten-minute gondola ride of 2,100 vertical feet, you can take in a fantastic panoramic view before taking off and down the three trails of the mountain. The easiest is Off The Top, which is a switchback trail that has views of the spires of the Minarets in the west.
If you are not into mountain biking take the gondola ride and experience the grandeur and beauty from this elevation. It’s breathtaking, humbling and magnificent well worth the ride up and down in the gondola.
Off TheTop is the easiest ride. It is a switchback trail that has views of the spires of the Minarets in the west. You might need some practice in negotiating the pumice pits when riding the Off The Top Trail. Mammoth was known as “Pumice Mountain.” There is lots of pumice the size of the gravel in fish tanks. Riding it takes getting used to, although it can be forgiving if you fall or when you fall.
Mountain biking at 11,053 feet at Mammoth Mountain Bike Park, standing on the top after a ten-minute gondola ride at 2,100 vertical feet, one can take in a fantastic panoramic view before taking off and down the three trails of the mountain.
Bike Trail Tickets and Maps
Tickets for Mammoth Mountain Bike Park can be purchased at the main lodge at the mountain. There you can also get maps for the mountain biking trails. Check with Mammoth Mountain Bike Park for pricing. To ride down, not up, you can buy a pass that includes the new high speed gondola, and you can get off half way up if you don’t want to ride from the top. All the trails are self guided with Park rangers that patrol the trails and can help out as needed.
Mountain Bike Rentals and Purchases
Mountain bikes can also be rented at Footloose Sports in Mammoth also at the Mammoth Mountain Bike Park and other sporting goods in town. Rentals are reasonably priced for the kind of bikes that one can rent for the day. The bikes can be new depending on the store and can range from beginner to advanced bikes.
To purchase a mountain bike we found that FOOTLOOSE Sports offered a great selection with knowledgeable sales people, very competitive prices and an excellent repair department.
The people that wish to try a dual suspension bike there are rentals available from sporting goods businesses in town as well as at Mammoth Mountain Bike Park. These bikes range from beginner to an advanced level at reasonable prices to rent for a days worth of great fun. The sporting goods business in Mammoth Lakes such as FOOTLOOSE Sports and Brian’s Bicycles offer great bikes at great prices. Often times better deals you will find at home.
Mountain Bikes Classification
Fully rigid: Frame with a rigid fork and rear end, no suspension.
Hard tail: Frame with a front suspension fork no rear suspension.
Soft tail: Frame with rear suspension, by flex of the frame instead of pivots
Full suspension: Front suspension fork and rear suspension with a rear shock and linkage that allows the rear wheel to move on pivot.
The following information on the mountain bikes is based on the top of the line bikes for full suspension down hill mountain bikes. The bikes companies mentioned also have many other bikes to offer for all kinds and types of riding, and riding abilities.
SPECIALIZED MOUNTAIN BIKE
The Specialized bike is one of my favorite bikes on the market. The Bearings instead of the Fox DU bushings and a pivot that locks the suspension link together preventing flex and side rotation. Specialized also has a lower centre of gravity. Increased post adjustment, and the seat tube itself is shorter so you can get your saddle down low. With the Epic the head tube flares from 1.125″ to 1.5″. The previous SX was based on the Enduro but this is all new. There is also a 100mm travel version available for 4x use.
FISHER BIKES
Fisher bikes such as the HiFiXC represent speed. HiFi XC was designed for the Fisher pro mountain bike team. This bike is not for everyone. This is a bike for riders with obvious priorities. One clear singular priority, Speed. It used to be that you sacrificed efficient pedaling for the full suspension. The HiFi XC is an efficient ride that stands up to the standards of the Subaru-Fisher team. This is because the suspension is designed to stay glued to the trail in the rough off road trails and designed to stay in front of everyone else.
CANNONDALE BIKES CARON 2
The new Rize Carbon 2 to the test, Britain’s MBR magazine was impressed with the Backbone Technology and BB30.The main thing that was noticed about the Rize was how stiff it was. Step on the pedals and the bike feels like rock. The technology not only creates a stronger structure, but also eliminates the weak areas and welds, and increases life. It’s the stiffest when ridden under stress. The reason for that is the oversized asymmetric swing-arm and BB30 bottom bracket. Like the Lefty, the idea of an integrated stem and steerer makes sense – stiffer and lighter. There’s a good balance of grip between the front and rear wheels. In wet conditions it was better than the Fisher and Specialized. It’s a good bike for muddy winter riding, having acres of mud clearance.
KONA Mountain Bike
The Kona bike is also another best on the list. The Kona 2.5 4-bar Scandium Buttered Mag Rockers- FoxFloat rp23 Rear Shock- Fox 32 F80 RLC 80MM Travel fork- Shimano XTR Drive Brakes- Mavic Crossmax SLR Wheelset and Race Face Next Carbon.
DIAMONDBACK Mountain Bike
The Diamondback Mountain Bike is also one of the best bikes on the market. The specs credit goes to Diamondback bikes.
- Scapegoat 6″ Aggressive All-Mountain Frame w/ Knuckle Box Rear Suspension, Hooded Hydro formed Top Tube, Butted / Formed Down Tube / Seat stays, Under Arch Seat stay bridge, Sealed Cartridge Bearing Pivots
- Fox 36 Talus RC2 Rear Shock w/ Rebound, Bottom Out Pressure, Air Spring Pressure, 2 Position Proposal
- Truvativ Stylo AM Giga X Pipe Cranks w/ Aluminum All-Mountain Chain ring guard, 24/36t, Giga X Pipe Outboard Outboard Sealed Bearing Bottom Bracket
- Sram XO 9spd Trigger Shifters / Short Cage Rear Derailleur
- Mavic Crossmax SX Wheels
- WTB Prowler MX / Stout Folding Tires
- Avid CODE 4Piston Hydraulic Disc Brakes w/ 203mm frt / 185mm rear rotors, Avid CODE levers w/ Center Mount Speed Dial Contact Point Adj, 3 cartridge bearing lever pivot
- DB SL318b double butted Oversize 31.8mm Low Rise Handlebar, Truvativ Holtzfeller Stem.
GIANT Mountain Bikes
The mountain bike by Giant is a wonderful bike. Credits and spec. goes to Giant bikes. The 10-inches of travel space on the Santa Cruz’s V-10 makes this one of the best rides you shall have. The strong aluminum frame and reinforced front end and carbon link, this bike rallies the turns, loves high-speed descending. I would recommend the 10-inches of travel on the Santa Cruz’s V-10. RockShox’s Boxxer World Cup fork and Fox’s DHX 5.0 Coil shock. The DT Swiss wheels are incredibly tough and SRAM’s X.0 drive train.
THE RIGHT BIKE FOR YOU
The challenge of finding the bike for you can be a great experience or just rent for a time to see if you really like the sport. Once you have found the bike, a place to stay might be a challenge too.
Accommodations
Visit www.mammothrentalbyowner.com with many featured properties for rent directly by the owner. By renting directly from the owner you will be eliminating the middle man and saving money. These accommodations vary from budget to luxury. Mammoth Rental by Owner features cabins, condos and houses for rent. You can rent for a short vacation on long term, just check with the owner.
Mountain Biking History
Bicycles off-road go back to the beginning of cycling itself. Bikers have used biking as keeping fit during the winter, riding became a sport in its own right with the first world championship in 1950. The French Velo Cross Club Parisien (VCCP) made up about twenty-one young bikers from France, who between 1951 and 1956 developed a sport that was the present-day mountain biking. The Rough stuff Fellowship was established in 1955 by off-road bikers in England. The mountain bike has its origins in the modified heavy beach cruiser used for freewheeling down mountain trails in Marin County, California U.S.A. in the mid-late 1970s. At that time there was no such thing as a mountain bike. The modern mountain bikes were based around frames from beach cruiser bicycles made by Schwinn. The Schwinn frame was the frame of choice because of the geometry. Riders used balloon tired cruisers and later modified them with gears and straight style handlebars called Klunkers. The mountain bike was not yet in use as we know it. Riders would ride down mountain fire roads, causing the hub brake to get so hot the grease inside would burn up. The riders had to repack the bearings on a regular time frame. This started the first innovations in mountain bike technology. The sport originated in the U.S. State of California, on Marin County’s famous mountain, Mount Tamalpais. The late 1970s and early 1980s road bicycle companies started to manufacture mountain bicycles using high-tech lightweight materials. Joe Breeze is credited with introducing the first purpose-built mountain bike in 1978. Tom Ritchey then went on to make frames for a company called Mountain Bikes and was in a partnership between Gary Fisher, Charlie Kelley and Tom Ritchey. Tom Ritchey, with his skills in building frames came about the original bikes. The designs were road bicycle frames with heavier frames and fatter tires. The first mountain bikes were produced by Specialized in 1983 and were copies of Tom Ritchey’s frames that were configured with 15 gears. The company ran into hard times and fell apart at the 1983 trade show. Mammoth Mountain – Mountain Biking The sport of mountain biking continued to grow and the demand revitalized the manufacture of these and many other mountain bikes. Today the industry is thriving and developing high tech bikes that out perform bikes of just a few years ago. Hats off the designers and manufactures of these innovative, creative and fun bikes, YAHOO!
Hitch Mount Bike Racks
To carry the new designs of the mountain bikes try the Yakama Holdup# 02419 which can carrier up to four bikes. The Thule Bike Rack also holds 4 bikes without damaging them. Both the Yakama Bike Rack and the Thule Bike Rack are excellent choices for carrying your mountain bikes during your travels to Mammoth and else where.
Mammoth Mountain Bike Park
Mammoth Bike Park also offers rock climbing and a Zip line for the kids. Need a picture of your child zipping or climbing? Mammoth Mountain Bike Park has photographers that can catch that “priceless moment” and that look of absolute fun. The prices for these action photos are reasonable and also available on DVD. In 2009 Mammoth Mountain Bike Park is expected to have a Zip line for adults. YIPEE!
MOUNTAIN BIKING
Mountain biking havens like Mammoth Mountain or Moab Utah are the best places to introduce mountain biking to the family as a wonderful way to connect with nature and the kids. Mammoth Mountain is the top of the list for the best time on a mountain bike that you could have. It maybe a ride on the flats, a ride down the top of the ski slops, or an easy ride down hill with a shuttle at the end to drive you back to the top. Make sure to stop in at FOOTLOOSE SPORTS for any questions about your bike rental, purchase, or repair, you’ll find the folks very helpful and friendly.
