RESN & GB 4x4 Trails:
Sherwin Creek Road
US395 to Old Mammoth Road
(Mammoth Lakes, CA)

The Sherwin Creek Road is a bit more than five miles, running between Old Mammoth Road in Mammoth Lakes, down to US395 a bit more than a mile south of the junction with US395 and CA203, which runs between US395 and Mammoth Lakes. This route can be used in conjunction with the old state highway into Mammoth, outlined elsewhere on this site, to make a loop trip.

To run this route east to west (the most scenic direction) and reach the beginning of the Sherwin Creek Road at US395 from Mammoth Lakes, drive east out of town on CA203, the main highway into Mammoth Lakes. It is about 2.6 miles from the junction of Old Mammoth Road and CA203 in Mammoth Lakes, to the southbound on-ramp of US395. Travel south on US395 for 1.2 mile and turn right onto the signed Sherwin Creek Road.

For those coming from the south or from the Bishop/Owens Valley area; the turnoff to Sherwin Creek Road is signed and 1.2 mile from the off-ramp to CA203; visible to the north. For those coming from the north, turn off on the signed Sherwin Creek Road 1.3 miles south of the overpass over CA203.

For those wishing to run the route west to east, at the intersection of Old Mammoth Road and CA203 drive south on Old Mammoth Road. Where Old Mammoth Road changes its direction from north-south and turns west, in the apex of the curve look for the sign indicating Sherwin Creek Road on the left.

This brief description will focus on running the road east to west; beginning at its eastern start at US395 and run to its western terminus at Old Mammoth Road.

Sherwin Creek Road begins as a paved road, which will immediately turn south and parallel US395. In less than a thousand feet, the road will turn sharply to the right and turn to a wide semi-maintained dirt road. There is usually some washboard present, however it's seldom a nuisance.

The road at first crosses an open sagebrush and alkali flat, but within a half mile enters wet meadows with running surface water as Sherwin Creek fans out into small rivulets that run hither and yon throughout this flat.

At 0.9 mile, a wye is formed, but bear right with the obviously better maintained road. The left leg of the wye runs around in the flat and snowmelt lake visible to the left.

At 1.4 mile, the Laurel Lakes 4x4 Trail takes off to the left.

At the 2.1 mile mark, the road enters a dense Jeffery pine forest. A large sign indicates that there is no shooting allowed.

At 2.4 miles, a small sign on the left side of the road indicates a road heading to the Valentine Lake traihead. Valentine Lake is a sizable lake high in the Sherwin Creek drainage. The trail begins about 1,500 feet down this road; the trail being about 3.8 miles of switchbacks will take one to the tip of the lake.

At 2.4 miles from US395, a large sign on the left indicates the YMCA camp, located about 1,400 feet back in the pines.

At the 2.9 mile mark, the road begins to climb a bit. A road closure gate is passed. It is normally open. In winter and springtime, it's doubtful you'll get this far from either end of the road due to deep snow.

The Sherwin Creek Campground is located at 3.4 miles from US395 on the right (north) side of the road. Across the road on the south side is the Sherwin Creek Picnic Area. The elevation here is about 7,550 feet above sea level.

At 3.5 miles, the road becomes paved.

At a point 3.9 miles from US395, a road runs left (south) to the Sherwin Lakes Trailhead and the Mammoth Motocross track. The sign indicates it's a quarter mile to the trailhead, which runs to the Sherwin Lakes and ends at Valentine Lake. The topo maps show a campground just past the trailhead. The motocross track is just under a mile along this road.

At the 4.3 mile mark from US395, the road tops a minor summit and views of the town of Mammoth Lakes, Mammoth Mountain and Mammoth Rock open up in a 180° view directly ahead. The pavement ends about a hundred feet further.

The road will swing northward and at the 5.1 mile mark there is the pack station of the Inyo National Forest on the left (west) side of the road. A tenth of a mile further on the right (east) side of the road is the Sierra Meadows Equestrian / Ski Touring Center.

A tenth of a mile past the center is the end of the road – at the 5.4 mile mark – at Old Mammoth Road.

If you wish to continue reconnoitering for a while, the old state highway offers a loop back to US395. To continue on the old state highway, turn right onto Old Mammoth Road, and in about 300 feet and you will find the old road just on the other side of the park straddling Mammoth Creek.

To reach the commercial areas of Mammoth Lakes, turn right on Old Mammoth Road. There is the large plaza with a Vons supermarket, as well as many other shops about 0.2 tenths of a mile up the street; the Mammoth Lakes Police Department is on the opposite side of Old Mammoth Road at the same point. There are many restaurants in Mammoth Lakes, as well as shops, coffee houses, lodging. The large Mammoth Hospital is found by going to the first signal light on Old Mammoth Road (just past the Vons shopping center), turn right and go to the stop sign. Turn left at the stop sign and the hospital is a short distance on your right.

To those wishing to enjoy a round of golf, the fishing opportunities of the Mammoth Lakes Basin, or to hike or backpack up and over the Sierra crest; turn left at the stop sign at Old Mammoth Road. The road will pass by the large Snowcreek golf course, many homes and tracts on both sides of the road. Old Mammoth Road will begin to climb and in 2.5 miles from where you turned will turn to dirt. At a point nearly 3.0 miles, you will reach the historic site of Mill City, marked by mine dumps and ruins of collapsed log structures. At 3.2 miles, Old Mammoth Road will dead end into Lake Mary Road. Turning right will take the traveler to Twin Lakes and eventually back to Mammoth Lakes. A left turn will take the traveler to the remainder of the lakes, lodges and campgrounds in the basin via a series of roads, all signed.

Though not challenging, the Sherwin Creek Road is nevertheless a scenic byway that allows comfortable leisure while visiting this region at the western edge of the Great Basin.

©2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 D.A. Wright
All Rights Reserved

Page Revised: 09/04/2007