Travel: Mammoth Pool Res
After leaving California’s geographic center. We drove up Minerales Road to the Mammoth Pool Reservoir. All along the way you could see the fire damage that hit the area at some point.
There’s a stop that we recommend taking at the Mile High Vista pictured:
Looking down into Mammoth Pool Res from the overlook at Mile High Vista (37.318485037208646, -119.35179460660795)
The road is paved most of the way, There’s a split in the road part way down to the lake where you can take a right to go down to the Reservoir. The paved road ends at the Wagner Resort where there’s a lot of great campsites in the area and a neat general store to buy some ice-cream at called the Wagner’s Mammoth Pool Resort.
From their site: “The Wagner family has owned and operated the campground and general store since the 1950's. Our private, primitive campground has been enjoyed by many throughout the years. Chiquito Creek runs through the middle of the campground and provides plenty of fun times for all ages. Bring your fishing poles or grab one at the store! The creek is stocked several times during the summer with rainbow trout. Come up and catch some big rainbows and browns hiding in the waters of Chiquito Creek and Mammoth Pool Reservoir! All sites are dry camping. We provide vault toilets and garbage /recycling bins for our campers. Potable water, showers, and firewood are available at the store. Group camping areas are available and are reserved in advance. Please call the store for reservations or more information.”
Alfa Romeo Junior Zagato in a burned forrest
After stopping for some ice-cream, we kept going past the resort towards the right and over the high-water overflow and then the dam. The paved road stops and becomes dirt. On this road we some vintage cars touring up here. It was really cool to see this old Alfa Romeo up there.
The road here is easy to get a 2WD sprinter though. You don’t need 4x4 and you’ll be fine even with stock ride height. It’s a fairly smooth dirt road. Dusty yes. There are a number of jeep roads that are in the area that do require 4x4 if you’re looking to explore more.
Our timing was in mid-June where there was still traces of the winter snow still found in the higher elevations. The reservoir was at capacity due to snow melt and overflowing at this high-water overflow. It was really powerful and amazing to be able to drive over the top and just take in the natural AC. We had temps in the high 90’s on our way through so it was really hot, but coming up over the bridge the cool water vapor made it feel epic.
Vintage cars on the overflow
Overflow flowing a lot of water
Some sad news:
Update Oct 2024:
It looks as though the Creek Fire that tore thought the area in 2020 and destroyed all of the Wagner Mammoth Pool Resort. All the buildings, store etc were all burned down. The 2020 Creek Fire was a very large wildfire in central California's Sierra National Forest, in Fresno and Madera counties. One of the most significant fires of California's record-setting 2020 wildfire season, it began on September 4, 2020, and burned 379,895 acres (153,738 ha) over several months until it was declared 100% contained on December 24, 2020. The Creek Fire is the sixth-largest wildfire in recorded California history and the third-largest single fire—i.e. not part of a larger wildfire complex—following the 2021 Dixie Fire
Snow on the road in June is possible
Going back up the road back where we came we took a right (left if we took this coming up) onto the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway. That will have you climb up to Jackass Meadow and Portugues Overlook. That road will lead to a cool spot called Globe Rock. (37.48796422725888, -119.41812636515559). It’s amazing that Beasore Road up there is paved and gives access to some beautiful meadows where you’ll see some private cabins. Jones Store is another little provisions stop in the area in what’s calle Beasore Meadows. From there you can go down to Bass Lake which we write about in another post.
We did hit some snow on the road, so depending on how heavy the winter was, this road might be tough to pass through still in June.
