Welcome to Eastern Sierra Mountain Biking. If you’re looking for a unique place to go for a Mountain Bike adventure, you must check out the Eastern Sierra Region.
There are countless opportunities to ride here, from Traditional Mountain Bikes to the new Mountain E-Bikes. You will find everything from single-track action to motocross trails, OHV trails, and forest service roads that lead deep into the backcountry.
This website is here so you will know where to ride, current trail conditions, and what to expect from the local weather on your next Mountain Bike Trip to the Eastern Sierra.
We cover most of what you can ride at the Mammoth Mountain Bike Park, in the Inyo National Forest, and in the Bishop and Big Pine areas. There are miles and miles of mountain biking to be had up here.
While you will find a lot to ride on this site, there are countless roads and off-shot single tracks that are not mapped or marked that you will discover as you investigate this area on your mountain bike.
During most years, there are only a few days when you can’t find a place to ride in the Eastern High Sierra and the Northern Owens Valley. If you’re into Mountain Biking, we hope to inspire you to come up and ride in the Eastern Sierra sometime soon.
**This website is being built from 2023 into 2024; once we get all the content in, it will be an excellent resource for Mountain Bikers and E-MTB riders. Keep checking back for fresh ideas of where to ride.
To get the best quality viewing, choose the 4K setting.
**Videos this Summer and Fall are made possible by the Footloose Sports Bike Shop. If you’re looking for an E-MTB Rental like the bike used in this video, check out Footloose Sports. They are located at the Corner of Old Mammoth Road and Main Street at the entrance to Mammoth Lakes. 760-934-2400 is their landline.
Current Trail Conditions in the Eastern Sierra
September 18th, 2023 @ 11 AM – All the rain in August and September has resulted in fantastic trail conditions through all of Inyo and Mono Counties. The area has received over 400% of the average Summer rainfall you would typically expect. The amount of green you see from Bishop up to Mammoth is incredible for September, the perfect time to come up for some Mountain Biking.
Weather-wise, expect pt cloudy days into Friday with a slight chance of showers in the high country. Mid-day highs at the 9000-foot level will be in the low to mid-60s, with Mammoth Lakes in the upper 60s to low 70s. Overnight lows will remain in the mid to upper 40s with daytime SW winds in the 5-15 MPH range. Mornings are cool in the Bishop area now, with afternoon highs just into the mid-80s.
The next chance for rain and snow looks to be around the 20th of the month, with a couple of chances to precip the last ten days. If that outlook comes true, there would also be a dusting of snow above the 9000-10,000 foot level.
Ride on … Snowman
The Mammoth Mountain Bike Park is now closed for the season.
Mammoth Lakes Area: It’s a great time to Mountain Bike out of the Mammoth Lakes area. All trails, Forest Service Roads, and OHV routes are open for Mountain Bikes and E-MTBs.
Use this link for complete details on Mountain Bike Trails and Routes to Ride in the Mammoth Lakes Region.
The Mammoth Lakes Paved Trail System: The Town Loop, Shady Rest Route, Mammoth Lakes Basin, and Lake George Paths are all open and clear. If you’re on a non-e-bike, you can link up the Lakes Basin Path with Mammoth Rock Trail. Learn more about the paved trail system here.
Electric Mountain Bikes / E-MTB: Where can you ride an E-MTB in the Eastern Sierra? Use this link for 25 great ideas.
Toms Place & Rock Creek Canyon Area The upper Rock Creek Canyon trail is open and snow-free. Lower down by Toms Place, the Upper Gorge Trail is available.
Sand Canyon is open from the top to Mountain Bikers while the route remains closed to 4 x 4’s. E-MTB riders note that you can access Sand Canyon from the Swall Meadow area or Road 4S54 out of Toms Place.
Lower Rock Creek Trail Is open. The trail has seen some major maintenance and rebuilding this Summer. It’s a great ride; you don’t want to miss it. However, if you want to do speed runs here, forget it. There is heavy uphill use by hikers and bikers now, and many dogs are on the trail. Just slow down and beware of blind turns.
Use this link for complete details on Mountain Bike Trails and Routes to Ride in the Toms Place Rock Creek Region.
West Bishop / Poleta OHV Area The best time of the year to ride in the Bishop area is now until about mid-May. Dirt conditions now are firm to just getting loose and soft on all trails, roads, and OHV routes.
All the summer rain has made for some great riding over the last month; it’s night and day from what it was like during all those drought-year summers. Days are cool for riding during the morning hours, with the afternoons and evenings still a bit hot. Within a couple of weeks, evening rides should be on again as the warmer days of Summer come to an end.
>> Do beware that it’s still snake season, so be careful around area bushes and shady overhangs.
Coyote Mountain Road is a mess and washed out at this time. Expect local volunteers to have the erosion cleaned up in a couple of weeks.
Silver Canyon & Silver Canyon OHV Trail are now open with low water at all crossings.
Black Rock Canyon (BRC) has some sections of erosion where you must carry your bike through, but it’s doable for highly fit people.
Use this link for complete details on Mountain Bike Trails and Routes to Ride in the Bishop Region.
Bishop Creek Canyon Area, The Butter Milks OHV Area of trails and dirt roads, is ready for a Mountain Bike or E-Bike Ride. Do watch for areas of erosion from last winter’s big rains.
Enjoy the Fall; I hope to see you and your family out on one of these mountain bike rides soon. Ride on… 🙂
** DISCLAIMER: Many of the routes listed on the website are Black to Double Black Diamond; please use Extreme Caution when picking a ride and then taking it on. You Assume Your Own Risk when using this website’s information. Do Not Ride Alone, and Cell Service is Spotty in some locations. It’s on you if you take any of these rides. You Assume ALL RISK!
Welcome to the Shoulder Season in Mammoth Lakes and across the Eastern Sierra. Things get quiet as the summer travelers return to their Fall routines. If you’re not tied up, now is an excellent time for Early Fall fun. Do take note that it’s getting chilly, with morning frosts possible by this upcoming weekend.
Now that Fall is here are some ideas of what to do from Mammoth Lakes down to Bishop.
Mountain Biking: Single Track Trails and Forest Service Roads are now open at all elevations. Get the full details of what’s available and what conditions are like at our new website, Eastern Sierra Mountain Biking.
Mammoth Paved Trail System: Is wide open at this time for walkers, bikers, and E-bikes. The Speed limit on the path is 15 MPH, so please slow down and watch for others on the path if you’re riding a bike.
The Mammoth Lakes Basin: All services remain open in the Mammoth Lakes Basin. Some marinas have gone to Fridays and Weekends only, so take note if you’re up midweek. All hiking trails out of the basin are open and snow-free for the time being.
Mammoth Lakes Shuttle Bus: All routes are open, as is the Mammoth Lakes Basin Trolley. Due note the Bike Park Shuttle to Main is Closed for the season.
Hiking: All hiking trails in the area are open for a Fall hike. Mornings are chilly, with frosts expected by the weekend and lasting for the foreseeable future. If you plan on hiking or backpacking next week, keep an eye on the local weather forecast, as a deep fall trough is showing up on some of the weather models today.
Golf: The Sierra Star Golf Course in Mammoth Lakes is now open along with the Bishop Golf Course off of 395 in Bishop.
Disc Golf: You will find complete Disc Golf Courses open at the Shady Rest Park in Mammoth Lakes and the Mill Pond Recreation area near the bottom of the Sherwin Grade. These courses are right next to parks for the kids and picnic tables with shade for lunch and snacks.
Camping Season: All campgrounds are now open and should stay that way through most of October.
Fishing Season: The Water flows are down to normal flows now, and the fishing on Creeks and Streams is decent in the early mornings and late afternoons. Crowley is still fishing well, with many early-morning anglers out on Crowley Lake. Check out the Troutfitter Report at this link to get a full fish report.
Scenic Gondola Rides: Closed Until November 10th.
Rock Creek Canyon: The Canyon is open, with all campgrounds open. Fall Colors are expected to get going in about 7-10 days. Upper Rock Creek Trail and Sand Canyon are available for hikers and mountain bikers.
Bishop Creek Canyon: The Road is open to Lake Sabrina and South Lake.
Laws Rail Road Museum: I recommend everyone visiting the Eastern Sierra to experience this unique museum setting. You’ll find 11 acres of indoor and outdoor exhibits, including the original depot and steam locomotive, the Slim Princess. Experience what life was like over 100 years ago in Owens Valley. Here is the link to get more information https://lawsmuseum.org/welcome-museum Bishop City Park: Here is the link to get more information on Bishop City Park.Snowman 🙂
Website Author – Steve Taylor from Bishop, California
Steve has been Mountain Biking in the Mammoth and Bishop areas since 1985. At Eastern Sierra Mountain Biking, he is offering up his years of knowledge on where to ride and what the trails are like, along with videos and photos so you can see for yourself. Steve moved to Mammoth Lakes in 1990 and down to Bishop in 2019. He currently rides six days a week and is excited to share his local Mountain Biking knowledge with you.
