Christie Osborne calls her hometown of Mammoth Lakes, California "an adventure right out the front door."
"Mammoth Lakes is quintessentially Californian, in that you can ski in the morning and mountain bike in the afternoon," said Osborne, who is the blogger behind Mountainside Bride. "Or go for a spectacular hike in the morning and rock climb in the afternoon. Or you can ski, hike, bike, golf or rock climb in the morning and be surfing in the afternoon."
Mammoth Lakes is a town located in California's Sierra Nevada Mountains. "There are millions of acres of public lands with spectacular mountain views, gorgeous hikes to alpine lakes, world-class mountain biking, year-round rock climbing and excellent fishing without having to get in your car and drive," said Osborne.
In addition, Mammoth Lakes is also close enough to travel to Yosemite National Park, Devils Postpile National Monument and its own Rainbow Falls. Devils Postpile National Monument is a geologic wonder that was established in 1911 by presidential proclamation. The formation ranks as one of the world's finest examples of columnar basalt with columns 60 feet high.
Mammoth Lakes is also centrally located to Death Valley, only a few hours to the south, and Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the United States, only 90 minutes away.
"For a National Park junkie like me, it's nice to have not one but several National Parks within an easy drive," said Osborne. Hikers will appreciate the availability of the parks and also the 1.5-mile walk to Rainbow Falls, which happens when the San Joaquin River tumbles over an abrupt 101-foot drop, sending rainbows of color into the mist.
If you can squeeze in a vacation before the end of the year, you can enjoy the annual Mammoth Lakes Night of Lights, to be held this year on Dec. 16, 2017. While you're there, make sure you learn more about the area by visiting the Hayden Cabin, a historical museum featuring mining history, local photography and paintings, and history exhibits.
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