Many riders consider Mountain View Mountain Bike Trail one of the top rides in the Mammoth Lakes area. The Trailhead is in the Mammoth Earthquake Fault parking lot, just a couple of miles outside Mammoth Lakes.
This route features cross-country-style riding with decent hill climbing and a nice downhill to finish the ride. Along the way, you get forested areas, open spots with long-range views, and green and flowery mountain meadow sections.
**This Mountain View Video was made possible by Footloose Sports in Mammoth Lakes. If you’re looking for a Mountain Bike or E-MTB Rental, check out their Rental Fleet located right at the corner of Old Mammoth Road and Main Street. You can reach Footloose Sports at 760-934-2400. Here is a link to their website.
The Mountain View Trail takes a series of single-track sections mixed in with old forest service roads that lead to the Minaret Vista Scenic Area. The starting elevation is 8500 feet, and the peak elevation is 9155 feet. The total ridable vertical rise is around 780 feet.
There are a couple of steep climbs on this ride, with a 12% and a 14% section, that most of you will want to dismount and push your bike up, as this is very high-elevation riding. The trail does have a mix of up and downhill sections as you make your way up or back down. It’s a nice break at this altitude when those downhill sections come.
When you reach the Minerat Visit Point, you will be treated to some epic views of Ritter, Banner Peaks, and the Minarets. You will also get a great view of Mammoth Mountain.
The Minaret Vista area has picnic benches and bathrooms, making this a great lunch stop and photo-op area.
The downhill ride back down Mountain View is a total blast. However, I prefer to ride up Mountain View and then link with the Mountain View connector trail into the Mountain Bike Park. (Bike Park Pass Required)
For those with bike park passes or peddle passes, you ride 1/2 mile down Minaret Vista Road and access the park from the Mountain View Connector Trail right by the Reds Meadow Entrance Station.
And Yes, you need at least a Bike Park Peddle Pass to enter the park. The Mountain has staff checking to ensure people have mountain bike tickets, so don’t even think about poaching.
Directions: This was an out-the-door ride for us when I lived in Mammoth. We took the Uptown Trail from the Village to the junction with the Mammoth Earthquake Fault connector Trail, then right into the Mountain View Trail and up to the Minaret Vista.
Go to the Mammoth Earthquake Fault parking lot to ride Mountain View Trail from the Trailhead. A trailhead sign is right by the parking lot, and the bathroom shed is to the left. This parking area is located about 3 miles out of Mammoth Lakes on Highway 203, the road to the Ski Area Main Lodge.
Local Tip: This is one challenging route due to altitude and is not advised as a family ride unless you’re’ all hardcore riders in great shape.
E-MTB: Mountain View is Not Open to E-MTB bikes at this time. I am in the process of showing the Forest Service that over 90% of this trail is laid out on an old OHV road and should be open to peddle-assist (Class 1) E-MTB Bikes. If not for the younger crowd, how about for the seniors 55 and older?
Stats: Length – 11 miles out and back, 8,500-9,130 elevation levels, 75% single track, Medium Technicality with a Hard effort.
