The Ultimate California Road Trip

If your idea of a road trip consists of snow capped mountains, blue lakes, and waterfalls, then this itinerary is for you. This California Road Trip Itinerary should be done in at least one week and you’ll be visiting Mammoth Lakes, Lake Tahoe, and Mount Shasta.

This Map Features All Scenic and Food Stops During This California Road Trip

Leave No Trace

By sharing these locations, my hope is that you’ll fall in love with nature, form a connection, and feel a sense of responsibility to take care of this land.

• Pack out your trash
• Stay on designated trails
• Keep your distance from wildlife
• Do not feed wildlife
• Drown out campfires

Best Time To Visit

Spring: Late spring would be my suggestion for the best waterfall and hiking conditions without the crowds. Once Memorial Day Weekend comes, these destinations will become a little more crowded.

Summer: Summer is also a great time but you’ll be dealing with more crowds but all roads and hikes to higher elevation areas should be clear.

Fall: Fall is also a great time to visit and see the leaves change colors. This might not be the best time for waterfall viewing but you’ll likely have some solitude.

Winter: Winter is a great time to go if you are looking to hit the slopes. All these mountain towns have some world class snowboarding and Skiing, plus you can rent a cozy cabin & drink hot cocoa on a snowy day.

Mammoth Lakes

Mammoth is a place that I keep coming back to for several reasons. You can find some incredible hikes & outdoor activities here within a short drive from each other. Now let’s get into some of the most epic things to do here shall we?

Visit Hot Creek Geological Site

No trip to Mammoth is complete without checking out the Hot Creek Geological Site. It’s an easily accessible viewpoint with access for a short hike down to the hot creek. The water temperatures can vary to up to 200 degrees fahrenheit so it is not a good idea to take a dip. I recommend coming here during sunrise for the best photos and solitude.

Convict Lake

This lake is a favorite for hiking, camping, fishing, and boating. We did the 2 mile loop around the lake and it was very rewarding for such an easy hike. You can find more information on this hike here.

June Lake

One of my absolute favorite lakes in California! The water here is incredible with a gorgeous backdrop of a snow capped mountain. One of my favorite things to do here is hang out by June Lake Beach and head into town for June Lake Brewing and the Poke Truck.

Hot Springs

One of the unique features of mammoth are the numerous natural hot springs with expansive views of the mountains and desert all at once, and they’re completely free! Some of our favorites are:

• Crab Cooker Hot springs (37.662839,-118.800094)
• Shepherd Hot Springs (37.6669° N, 118.8034° W)
• Wild Willy Hot Springs (best if you have a larger group)
  
  Tip: Shepherd and Crab Cooker are just a short walk from each other. If you don’t have 4wd or a high clearance vehicle, head to Shepherd first and walk to Crab Cooker since the road to Crab Cooker is known to be rough.
  
  

Bike The Mammoth Lakes Basin Trail

This 5.3 mile paved bike path is incredibly scenic. It’s near the town and you’ll be passing through a few lakes, a small waterfall, bridges, forest, and an overlook of twin lakes. If you don’t have bikes you can rent some from Footloose Sports.

Shelter Distilling

One of our favorite places to get craft cocktails in town with an aesthetically pleasing space. They offer tastings of their spirits and we’ve had some of our favorite cocktails we’ve ever had here.

Other Places You Can’t Miss

• Rainbow Falls
• Duck Lake
• Devil’s Postpile
• Lake George & Lake Mary
  
  

Lake Tahoe

I think I can confidently say that Lake Tahoe has the bluest water in all of California. It’s no wonder why this destination is on everybody’s California bucket list. On this trip we visited the lesser known side of North & East Tahoe. This is where you’ll find some of the “secret” coves & beaches. Now let’s get to some of my favorite spots shall we?

East Shore Trail

This 2.6 mile paved trail is in Nevada is a popular area for biking and you’ll be seeing some of the best sights of Lake Tahoe, I promise. Keep your eyes peeled for paths that’ll take you to hidden coves where you might be able to get a beach all to yourself. Bonus that it’s dog friendly!

Speedboat Beach

This beach is tucked away in a neighborhood so it’s a good place to escape from the bigger, more popular King’s Beach. It has the quintessential views of boulders and crystal clear water. Get here early though because this beach does not have parking and street parking is very limited.

Gar Woods

What’s a vacation without some boozy mai tais by the water? Head over to Gar Woods for some delicious apps (the crab cakes and ahi were our favorite!) and strong drinks. Make sure to try their famous wet woody.

Tahoe TreeTop Adventure Park

I know you came to Lake Tahoe for the water but hear me out, this is some of the most fun we had during our stay. The TreeTop Adventure Park has obstacles for all ages and fitness level. They have 39 zip lines and 54 bridges that’ll keep you plenty entertained during your 2 hour visit. It’s a good idea to book your tickets in advance here.

Sand Harbor Beach

Sand Harbor is a crowd favorite when it comes to scenic beaches in Lake Tahoe. As previously mentioned, the East Shore Trail goes through here, so it’s a worthy stop to have a picnic or a beach day. You can also rent clear kayals here through Clearly Tahoe.

Mt. Shasta

Your last stop in your California road trip is the waterfall capital of California. All I can say is, you absolutely NEED to go to Mt. Shasta if you want to see some of California’s best waterfalls. Another great thing about the Shasta Cascades are also home to Castle Crags State Park which has tons of great hiking and climbing opportunities.

Mccloud Falls

Mccloud Falls has been our favorite waterfalls because the trail itself is very accessible and features 3 waterfalls along the way. The middle falls are the most dramatic but I highly recommend checking them all out and viewing the middle falls from above.

Length: 3.9 mi
Difficulty: Easy
Dog Friendly: Yes
Kid Friendly: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes

Faery Falls

A+ for a low effort trail with great reward. Make sure to use AllTrails to track your progress on the map because it’s very easy to get started on the wrong trail.

Length: 3.9 mi
Difficulty: Easy
Dog Friendly: Yes
Kid Friendly: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: No

Heart Lake Trail From Castle Lake

If there’s ONE hike I could do in this area, this would be the one. I say that because the trail had incredible views the entire time and the incline was only gradual. We did this hike during the week for sunset and saw two people the entire way. I would highly recommend timing this for sunrise or sunset to see the sky changing colors over the lake and Mount Shasta.

Length: 3 mi
Difficulty: Moderate
Dog Friendly: Yes
Kid Friendly: No
Wheelchair Accessible: No

Hedge Creek Falls

Next up is Hedge Creek Falls. I had to add this one to the list because of its easy accessibility and it’s one of the few waterfalls you can actually walk behind.

Length: 0.6 mi
Difficulty: Easy
Dog Friendly: Yes
Kid Friendly: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: No

Castle Trail To Castle Dome

If you’re looking for a more challenging hike with amazing views throughout, this is a must! This hike was quite the leg workout but it’s worth every step. Castle Trail is in the Castle Crag State Park so you do have to pay an entrance fee but no permit is needed for day hikes. There are also viewpoints inside the park where you can see the towering rocks without having to hike.

Length: 5.2 mi
Difficulty: Hard
Dog Friendly: No
Kid Friendly: No
Wheelchair Accessible: No

Shasta Caverns Tour

For a unique activity in Shasta, I recommend checking out the Cavern Tour. It’s one of the few caves where you need to take a boat ride to get to it. The scenic boat ride itself is worth doing the tour. Additionally, It’s only a few hours long and the cave is well lit and paved so it’s a great activity for the whole fam!

Yaks Shack

We ate here almost every day. This local favorite serves up some amazing breakfast burritos, smoothies, burgers, and garlic fries. It’s also very lively in there with very friendly people working at the register. Some of our favorites are the veggie burrito, coconut cream coffee, and green smoothie.

Pipeline Craft Taps And Kitchen

Hungry from all the hiking? Pipeline serves up some insanely delicious burgers and they have a great selection of beers on tap. I got the portobello mushroom burger and was blown away by how good it was. If you’re looking for something a little more on the meaty side, the goat cheese burger is another favorite.

Denny Bar Distillery

Denny Bar is in Etna which is a little out of the way but this hidden gem cannot be missed. The food is incredible and the cocktails are made with their very own spirits. If they are fully staffed, you can also ask for a tour and tasting of their distillery on-site which is included when you’re dining in.

That is all for some of the best stops on this California road trip, I hope you get to enjoy these places as much as I did and build some lasting memories.

Looking for a coastal road trip? Check out my Road Trip Guide to Monterey, CA.