Tamarack Lodge & Resort is a historic mountain lodge on the shore of Twin Lakes, in the beautiful Mammoth Lakes Basin of California's Eastern Sierra. Built in 1924, it has the cosy, timeless charm of an old-fashioned mountain retreat, with rustic cabins among the pines, a lakefront restaurant and trails leading straight into the high country, at prices well below most mountain resorts in California.
Tamarack Lodge & Resort is a historic mountain lodge on the shore of Twin Lakes, in the beautiful Mammoth Lakes Basin of California's Eastern Sierra. Built in 1924, it has the cosy, timeless charm of an old-fashioned mountain retreat, with rustic cabins among the pines, a lakefront restaurant and trails leading straight into the high country, at prices well below most mountain resorts in California.
Location: Mammoth Lakes, California, USA
The lodge sits at around 2,600 metres on the shore of Twin Lakes, in the Mammoth Lakes Basin, a short drive above the town of Mammoth Lakes. Mammoth Mountain, California's largest ski area, is a few minutes away by car or shuttle. The East Entrance to Yosemite National Park, via Tioga Pass, is within about 45 minutes' drive when the pass is open in summer.
Mammoth Yosemite Airport has seasonal flights, and Reno is around three hours away by road, along the spectacular Highway 395, which runs along the eastern flank of the Sierra Nevada.
The Mammoth Lakes Basin is one of the most beautiful corners of the Sierra Nevada, a chain of glacial lakes, including Lake Mary, Lake Mamie, Horseshoe Lake and Lake George, set beneath granite peaks and red volcanic ridges. In summer, trails lead from the lodge to dozens of high lakes and passes, and in winter the whole basin becomes a snowy wonderland.
Rooms and suites at Tamarack Lodge
The lodge offers rooms in the historic main building and a collection of cabins scattered among the trees around the lake. The lodge rooms are simple and charming, while the cabins, many with kitchens and fireplaces, offer more space and privacy, ideal for families or longer stays.
Interiors are rustic and cosy, in keeping with the lodge's history, and the setting, with the lake and the mountains outside, is the real luxury. Rates are among the most affordable for a mountain lodge in California, often under $250 a night outside peak periods.
The lodge's history is part of its appeal. It was built in the 1920s as a fishing and hunting retreat, and it later became one of the first places in California to offer cross-country skiing. Today it is part of the Mammoth Mountain family of properties, and it retains a timeless, unpretentious atmosphere.
Facilities at Tamarack Lodge
Tamarack's Lakefront Restaurant serves seasonal mountain cuisine in an intimate dining room overlooking Twin Lakes, and the lodge's lounge, with its fireplace, is a lovely place to relax in the evening.
In winter, the lodge is home to a cross-country ski centre, with groomed trails through the forest and around the frozen lakes of the basin, along with snowshoeing and ski-to-door access. In summer, guests can rent boats and bikes, take guided hikes, go fly fishing, canoeing or horse riding, and explore the dozens of lakes and trails of the Mammoth Lakes Basin.
The mountain moment
The defining moment is a summer morning on Twin Lakes, paddling across the still water as the sun rises over the jagged ridges above the basin and Twin Falls tumbles down from Lake Mamie. In winter, the equivalent is gliding on cross-country skis through the silent, snowy forest to the frozen shores of Lake Mary.
Nearby, Devils Postpile National Monument, with its extraordinary basalt columns, and Rainbow Falls make an easy day trip in summer.
Why Tamarack Lodge is one of the best mountain hotels
Tamarack Lodge earns its place in our Affordable stays collection because it offers a genuinely historic, characterful mountain lodge in one of California's most beautiful alpine landscapes, at a fair price. It is simple and rustic rather than luxurious, and the restaurant is small. But for couples, hikers and families who want peace, nature and charm, it is a gem of the Eastern Sierra.
It is also a perfect base for a road trip along Highway 395, combining Mammoth Lakes with Yosemite's high country, the hot springs of the Eastern Sierra and the dramatic landscapes of Mono Lake, just to the north.
When to go to Tamarack Lodge
The lodge is open year-round. Winter, from around December to April, brings deep snow, cross-country skiing and downhill skiing at Mammoth Mountain, which often has one of the longest seasons in California. Summer, from June to September, is ideal for hiking, fishing and boating, with Tioga Pass to Yosemite usually open from late May or June. Autumn brings golden aspens in the Eastern Sierra, usually in late September and October.
Questions, answered
- When was Tamarack Lodge built?
- In 1924, on the shore of Twin Lakes in the Mammoth Lakes Basin.
- How far is Tamarack Lodge from Mammoth Mountain?
- A few minutes by car or shuttle.
- Is Tamarack Lodge good for cross-country skiing?
- Yes. The lodge is home to a cross-country ski centre, with groomed trails through the forest and around the lakes.
